News Release
NBE Holdings Company Mourns the Death of Founder and former Owner of National Bulk Equipment, Joseph M. Reed
March 21, 2024 | Corporate
HOLLAND, MI -- It is with great sadness that NBE Holdings Company announces the death of Joseph "Joe" Reed, founder and past president of National Bulk Equipment, Incorporated. Joe died on March 19, 2024, with his loving wife Geraldine and his family by his side. Joe was 91-years old. Joe died after an extended bout with cancer.
It was 1976 when Joe decided it was time to start his own company and lead that company in a way that would best reflect his philosophy of business and people. "He led by example. He brought so much enthusiasm and encouragement to every day that it just made its way into everyone else," said Todd Reed, Joe's son, and current owner and president of NBE Holdings Company. "He showed us we could do anything. He showed us the customer is king, but to never forget our employees are our greatest priority. And, he always believed in the future," Todd said.
It's now nearly 50 years later and Joe's philosophy continues to positively affect the whole company. It wasn't long ago when Joe would have been the first to show up at company gatherings. Joe would make his way around the building, putting aside his physical aches and pains, to greet as many of the hundreds of employees as he could with, "Happy Thanksgiving; eat up." or "Merry Christmas, there's a gift for everybody." His priorities stayed the same. One could hear his encouragement and enthusiasm spread throughout the building like "The Telephone Game," with one big difference: Joe's message never changed.
Joe leaves behind his wife Geraldine after 70 years of marriage, four children, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
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About NBE Holdings Company
NBE Holdings Company, based in Holland, Michigan, is a privately held corporation. The NBE Holdings Company portfolio of companies includes National Bulk Equipment, Inc. and Brawn Mixer. Employing over 250 staff members, the companies of NBE Holdings Company design, engineer, manufacture, automate, and integrate bulk material handling systems for solids and liquids processing operations, and liquid mixing systems for liquid processing operations. The processing systems and projects of National Bulk Equipment and Brawn Mixer bring optimal process performance to project owners, end customers, engineering firms, integrators, and OEMs in industries including food, beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and plastics processing.
