Third Generation Vermeer Family Members Join Company

Vermeer Mfg. Co. recently announced that two members of the Vermeer family’s third generation have recently joined the company.

Jason Andringa, son of co-CEO Mary Vermeer-Andringa, joined the company in 2005 as an environmental solutions segment manager and Allison Van Wyngarden, daughter of co-CEO Bob Vermeer, joined the company in 2007 as an industrial distribution manager.

Jason Andringa attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., and earned a bachelor’s of science degree in mechanical engineering. He earned a master’s of science degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master’s of business administration from the University of Southern California.

Prior to joining Vermeer, Andringa was a key staff engineer for Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a federally funded research and development facility managed by the California Institute of Technology. There, he worked on facets of many NASA Mars missions that will occur in the next five to 15 years.

Allison Van Wyngarden joins Vermeer after five years at Principal Financial Group in Des Moines, Iowa. During this time, she worked as an investment analyst for Principal Real Estate Investors for two years and as senior market analyst in the Principal Health segment. After completing her undergraduate degree at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., Van Wyngarden attended Drake University in Des Moines and graduated with a master’s in business administration with a financial emphasis.

Nearly 20 years ago, Vermeer began working with third-party consultants on a succession plan for the business. Vermeer family members must follow a rigorous process to join the company that includes working outside the company for a period of years with demonstrated advancement, recommending family members obtain a master degree and approval of the Vermeer Family Employment Advisory Council, which consists of board members and non-family senior management members.

Nearly 90 percent of businesses in North America are classified as family owned. Remarkably, only 11 percent of those businesses retain employee-family members to the third generation. This low probability, as well as Vermeer Mfg. Co.’s high standards for hiring family members, makes the addition of two third-generation family members a testament to the company’s loyalty and commitment to tradition, company officials say.