An inventor at heart and a legend in the agriculture industry, Richard F. Reinke was born in 1922 and grew up on his 480-acre family farm in Byron, Neb.
A self-taught engineer and draftsman, Mr. Reinke had an eighth grade education and knew from a young age that he wanted to be an inventor. As a child, he learned valuable lessons in mechanics and mathematics by watching his father work in the family's machine shop. His countless hours in the shop and the influence of his father helped shape Mr. Reinke's future in construction, engineering and irrigation.
Mr. Reinke founded Reinke Manufacturing in 1954 and is considered the father of modern-day mechanized irrigation with his many product innovations that have become standards in the industry today. He designed the world's first fully reversible mechanized center pivot system with rubber tires and a bowstring truss design, forever changing the future of modern-day pivots.
Over the next thirty years, Mr. Reinke helped the company achieve 30 worldwide patents and many industry firsts, including the accomplishment of offering a stainless steel mainline pivot.
In 1976, Mr. Reinke developed Reinke Shakes, an aluminum corrugated shingle sold in 49 states and a number of foreign countries. Reinke Shakes are available in numerous colors for residential and commercial roofs and known for its unique design and durability.
Mr. Reinke was fluent in three languages and is known throughout the world for his accomplishments. In 1980, he was selected to Who's Who in the World by Marquis' Who's Who. He was later honored by the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement and the National Irrigation Association for pioneering innovations in center pivot irrigation. In 1985, he received the National Award for Agricultural Excellence. He served on the United Nations Board of Foreign Trade in the 1980s.
In 1985, Mr. Reinke diversified his company by adding products that complemented their current irrigation business. He developed a division specializing in the manufacturing of over-the-road trailer/chassis equipment. He was involved in the transportation industry through the irrigation side of the company and had realized there was a great demand for durable equipment. With years of metal fabrication experience in both steel and aluminum, trailers and chassis were a seamless fit.
Today, Reinke has 35 trailer dealerships and more than 160 irrigation dealerships in the United States and Canada, and the company has grown from a handful of employees in its inception in 1954 to nearly 400 employees on an 80-acre state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Deshler, Neb.
Mr. Reinke and his wife, Edna, were married for over 50 years, and have five grown children and 16 grandchildren. He passed away at age 80, Feb. 27, 2003, after a lengthy illness.
