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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Richard Henry "Rich" Niemann Sr., who
4passed away on September 25, 2022; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann was born to Ferdinand "Ferd" Sr. and
6Antoinette "Nette" (Heckenkamp) Niemann on February 18, 1931;
7during grade school, he would often accompany his father on
8visits to Niemann Brothers grocery stores and first began to
9work at Niemann Brothers Wholesale Grocers at age 12; he
10graduated from Notre Dame High School, and on October 6, 1951,
11he married Constance M. "Connie" Volm, whom he met in the high
12school band; he earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from
13Quincy College (Quincy University), where he played baseball
14for four years; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann and Connie began to raise their
16family while he attended school and played college baseball;
17he also worked at Niemann Brothers Wholesale Grocers and was
18involved with his father and brother in developing and
19operating the Niemann Pony Farm, a Shetland pony business;
20after graduation, he managed Niemann Brothers Wholesale
21Grocers until 1969 when he became president of Niemann Foods,
22Inc., known at that time as Quincy Foods, Inc.; he also
23acquired an interest in other family businesses, including the

 

 

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1Mississippi Grill restaurant and the Sinclair gas station; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Starting in 1969, Rich Niemann began to focus his
3attention on the Niemann Foods grocery stores and ceased the
4grocery warehouse operation; as president in 1969, chairman
5and CEO in 1994, later as just chairman, and, most recently, as
6chairman emeritus of Niemann Foods, he, along with his sons,
7Rich and Chris, helped develop Niemann Foods into a company
8that now operates 130 retail stores in five states, including
9Harvest Market, County Market, Save-A-Lot, Price Cutter and
10ValuCheck grocery stores, Haymaker convenience stores, Pet
11Supplies Plus, Ace Hardware, Perk Coffee Company, and Little
12Caesars; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann was involved in numerous volunteer
14and professional organizations and charitable activities; he
15served as vice chairman of the Food Marketing Institute and on
16its board of directors and as chairman of FMI FoodPAC; he also
17served as chairman of the Illinois Food Retailers Association
18and on the board of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association;
19he served as finance chairman and was a member of the board of
20trustees of Quincy University and the boards of
21Culver-Stockton College and the Western Illinois University
22Foundation; he also served as a grand knight of the Knights of
23Columbus (Fourth Degree) and as president of the Quincy School
24Board for Quincy Public Schools; he served many years on the

 

 

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1board of directors for both the State Street Bank and the
2Quincy Chamber of Commerce; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann served as chairman of St. Mary
4Hospital's board of trustees and as president of the St. Mary
5Hospital Foundation; he was a founding member of the Great
6River Economic Development Foundation and a founding member of
7the Quincy Business and Technology Center; he served as
8president of the Rotary Club of Quincy, where he was a
9long-standing member; in 2006, he, along with his sons, Rich
10and Chris, established the Niemann Foods Foundation,
11benefiting children and their families throughout all the
12markets served by Niemann Foods' retail stores; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann and his wife had been involved in
14many charitable fundraising campaigns, including serving as
15co-chairpersons of the Salvation Army Annual Fund Campaign and
16of the United Way Annual Fund Drive, as well as the Annual
17Sammy Fund Campaign; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann was recognized as the Illinois
19Retail Merchants Association Retailer of the Year and the
20Illinois Food Retailers Associations' Food Industry Leader of
21the Year; he also received the National Grocers Association's
22Spirit of America Award and the Food Marketing Institute's
23Sidney R. Rabb Industry and Community Service Award; in

 

 

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1addition, he was inducted into the Quincy Area Chamber of
2Commerce Business Hall of Fame and received its Parker S.
3Gates Industry Leader Award; he also received Quincy
4University's Alumnus of the Year Award and an honorary
5doctoral degree from Quincy University; he and Connie received
6the Quincy Notre Dame Band Award, the Quincy Catholic
7Elementary Schools Foundation's Friend of Catholic Education
8Award, and the Catholic Charities Distinguished Service Award;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann was always mindful of giving back to
11the community; he and Connie, in conjunction with the Niemann
12Foods Foundation, partnered with Quincy University to
13establish the Connie Niemann Center for Music in 2013; in
14memory of their late daughter, they established the Connie
15Niemann Wheeler Scholarship Fund at Quincy Notre Dame; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann was a great husband, father, and son
17and emphasized his family's health, welfare, happiness, and
18success; he enjoyed countless family dinners, which produced
19many thought-provoking family discussions, as well as lots of
20laughter; he took his family on summer Florida beach vacations
21and winter Colorado ski trips; he enjoyed many family birthday
22and holiday celebrations and loved spending time with his
23family; he enjoyed world travel with grocer trade organization
24members, as well as with his daughter and son-in-law, Peg and

 

 

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1Randy Guse; in his later years, you could find him teaching his
2grandchildren how to ride a pony, celebrating their birthdays,
3and having a treat with them after a swim in the family pool;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann was preceded in death by his
6daughter, Connie A. Niemann Wheeler; his parents; and his
7siblings, Catherine Johnson, Mary Shankland, and Ferdinand
8"Ferd" Niemann Jr.; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann is survived by his wife of over 70
10years, Connie; his children, Linda M. (Steve) Ebbing, Richard
11"Rich" (Susie) Niemann Jr., Daniel M. "Dan" (Angie) Niemann,
12Ted M. (Suzanne) Niemann, Christopher J. "Chris" (Tammy)
13Niemann, Margaret M. "Peggy" (Randy) Guse, and Amy E.
14(Patrick) O'Keefe; his son-in-law, Paul (JoJene) Wheeler II;
15his grandchildren, Dr. Jonathan (Dr. Devon) Ebbing, Abigail
16(Matthew) Klarner, Matthew (Erin) Ebbing, Jessica (Brett)
17Gerig, Paul (Dana) Wheeler III, Audrey (Andy) Hermsmeier, Rich
18(Heather) Niemann III, Brad (Jenna) Niemann, Andrea (Brian)
19Doellman, Doug (Erin) Niemann, Lisa (Adam) Hemmen, Ashley
20(Robbie) Mayfield, Mark (Lauren) Niemann, Scott (Amanda)
21Niemann, Genevieve (Max) Miller, Celeste Niemann (Joseph
22Gobble), Angelica Niemann, Elizabeth (Chris) Dreste, Dr. Adam
23(Cathy) Niemann, Eric Niemann, Caroline Niemann, Lindsay
24Cardosi, Christopher Cardosi, and Alex Cardosi; and 39

 

 

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1great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
3ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
4Richard Henry "Rich" Niemann Sr. and extend our sincere
5condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
6him; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the family of Rich Niemann as an expression of our
9deepest sympathy.