A well-known name in agriculture recruitment has formed a new business with his son

Rick Rupp and his son, Collin, are basing their new Rupp Performance Management company on an old Harvey Firestone quote:

“The secret of my success is a two-word answer: Know people.”

And they know a lot of people in the agriculture industry locally and nationally. They’re spinning off their business from Ag1Source, a company that Rick Rupp co-founded in late 2002 as a recruitment firm for the agriculture industry.

As he and his business partner grew the company with recruiters, they were offered the opportunity to become shareholders.

“We did that because we wanted the business to be able to continue in the future,” Rupp said. “We created it with a built-in succession plan.”

His son joined the business four and a half years ago, and Rupp said now is a good time for them to break the equipment recruitment side of the business into its own company. That’s their specialty.

“Collin and I have a passion for agriculture and the equipment industry,” Rupp said.

Ag1Source will continue to handle other sectors of agriculture recruitment.

Retail sales for combines and tractors are rising, which could mean a demand for more personnel, too.

The Rupps will remain in Hesston, and their firm will be next to Ag1Source in the same building.

“Long term, it’s going to be a really good move for both sides,” Rick Rupp said. “We’re excited about the future.”