Dr. Bob Hummel

Dr. Robert “Bob” Hummel graduated from The Ohio State University in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture and a doctor of veterinary medicine degree. He later went on to complete the Owner/President Management course at Harvard University.

After graduating from The Ohio State, Hummel began a career as a technical service veterinarian with the American Cyanamid Company. A few years later, in 1967, Bob co-founded the Great Plains Chemical Company, Inc. in Greeley, Colorado. The name was later changed to Lextron, Inc., and it became one of the largest animal health distributors in the U.S. with a heavy emphasis toward the beef industry.

In 2011, the name of the company was changed to Animal Health International after a merger with Walco International. In 2015, the company was sold to Patterson Companies. It was at this time that Hummel decided to retire at the age of 78. Hummel left behind quite a legacy after retiring. The company he had co-founded had grown into a major supplier of animal health needs for the cattle industry, as well as supplying the feedyard technology needs for over 65% of the cattle on feed in the U.S. This included feedyard accounting, bunk and health management, mill and feed truck management, micro machines and grain conditioners.

Now, Hummel spends quality time with his wife, Carole, and his children and grandchildren. They enjoy spending summers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and a few months a year in Santa Barbara, California.