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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Richard
4Henry "Rich" Niemann Sr., who passed away on September 25,
52022; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann was born to Ferdinand "Ferd" Sr. and
7Antoinette "Nette" (Heckenkamp) Niemann on February 18, 1931;
8during grade school, he would often accompany his father on
9visits to Niemann Brothers grocery stores and first began to
10work at Niemann Brothers Wholesale Grocers at age 12; he
11graduated from Notre Dame High School, and on October 6, 1951,
12he married Constance M. "Connie" Volm, whom he met in high
13school; he earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from
14Quincy College (Quincy University), where he played baseball
15for four years; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Rich Niemann and Connie began to raise their
17family while he attended school and played college baseball;
18he also worked at Niemann Brothers Wholesale Grocers and was
19involved with his father and brother in developing and
20operating the Niemann Pony Farm, a Shetland pony business;
21after graduation, he managed Niemann Brothers Wholesale
22Grocers until 1969 when he became president of Niemann Foods,
23Inc., known at that time as Quincy Foods, Inc.; he also

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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1Cardosi, Christopher Cardosi, and Alex Cardosi; and 39
2great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
4HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
5we mourn the passing of Richard Henry "Rich" Niemann Sr. and
6extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all
7who knew and loved him; and be it further
 
8    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9presented to the family of Rich Niemann as an expression of our
10deepest sympathy.