While he spent day in and day out working in the trade his father crafted, it wasn’t until Harvey’s death at age
68 in early Nov. 1963 that Rink became fully immersed in the business of Hassard Elevator.
“That’s when my brother and I officially took over. That was really a very difficult time,” Rink notes.
With no preparations made by way of will or trust for what would happen to the business if Harvey died, Rink
and Buck were left with virtually no guidance — and no funding.
“The money that he had to operate the elevator was in his name,” Rink says of his father. “When he passed
away, everything went to probate. I didn’t have access to any money.”
And with no access to capital, Rink says it was impossible to operate the business.
With bean harvest nearing completion, farmers were ready to start collecting on their beans. Nine children of
his own – including young Donnie and Danny — Rink felt the pressure.
That’s when a man named Elmo Ravenscraft with Production Credit Association (PCA), FCS Financial’s
predecessor, stepped in after learning of the Benson’s situation.
“He came up and looked
everything over,” Rink recalls. “He
said, ‘How much do you want,’
which shocked me deeply.”
That initial meeting serves as
the beginning to what has become
a more than 50-year relationship
with FCS Financial.
“That could have been a huge
turning point for this business,”
Aaron states.
“It could have been the end of
it,” Donnie chimes in.
“Oh, it would have been the
end of it,” Rink adds. “If the PCA
hadn’t come to Hassard, I wouldn’t
Longtime employees like Gary Klocke (above) have been key to Hassard Elevator's
be here right now, if they hadn’t
success over the years.
come to my help.”
Since then, Rink Benson has
only continued to foster the relationship first built back in 1963 with FCS. The Benson’s purchased a farm in 1964
with help from PCA, and additional expansion projects over the years have also been possible with their assistance.
a growing business
In the years that followed the mid-1960s, the growth of Hassard Elevator’s business was fueled much by Rink
Benson’s blood, sweat and tears.
In 1966, the elevator added four 20,000-bushel bins, which was the first expansion for the business since
Harvey’s death. Yet, that project wouldn’t have been possible without selling six of the bins that had been erected
in 1956.
“A guy bought six of these bins, a farmer here,” Rink explains. “He got a helicopter in St. Louis. They flew all
these bins out here with the helicopters.”
A local Monroe City newspaper reporter captured photographs of the bins being transported.
8 HEARTBEAT | SUMMER 2018