Photos courtesy of Midwest Groundcovers
Midwest Groundcovers and Midwest Trading recently announced the addition of Dan Crane and Bill Davey to the boards of directors of The Midwest Companies.
Their combined experience in strategic leadership, finance, agriculture and business will bring value to the board, which is responsible for the companies’ financial direction, budget and capital investment approval and driving insight regarding strategic plans.
With the companies’ growth and operational changes, Chair Christa Orum-Keller determined it was time to update the board structure. Planning began in late 2023, and board policies and guidelines were updated.
Crane has experience in sales strategy, business leadership and financial accountability. A graduate of Illinois State University and the Keller Graduate School of Management (MBA), he spent 13 years at Ace Hardware Corporation in roles spanning supply chain, purchasing, category management and store planning. From 2008 to 2023, he led Creeden & Associates, a retail hardware and home improvement rep agency, doubling its sales and transforming its operations before selling the business in late 2023.
In 2024, he launched Crane Counsel, a consulting firm focused on coaching and mentoring individuals and small businesses. He is also an active Vistage member and Vistage CEO Group Chair in training.
Davey brings knowledge of agriculture, finance and team leadership. He holds degrees from Illinois State University (bachelor's degree in agriculture education), the University of Illinois (master's degree in agriculture education) and Northern Illinois University (MBA) and is a top 5% graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School of Banking.
His banking career spanned more than three decades, most recently serving as president of north operations at First State Bank Sycamore from 2012 to 2023. Prior to that, Davey held senior roles in commercial lending and bank leadership. Before growing his career in finance, Davey spent eight years as a vocational agriculture teacher.
In addition to his professional work, Davey owned and operated a 140-acre farm for more than 30 years.
Midwest Groundcovers is an industry leader in the propagation, growing and wholesale distribution of quality container nursery stock, operating more than 700 acres of state-of-the-art nursery production facilities at five locations in St. Charles, Illinois; Virgil, Illinois; and Glenn, Michigan.
Midwest Trading Horticultural Supplies is a wholesale supplier leading the green industry in Chicagoland with sustainable products specializing in greenhouse and nursery mixes, custom-engineered soil, landscape mulches, soil amendments and horticultural supplies.