The McConnell Legacy

In 1960, a Pioneer representative named Morse Johnson came to Haxtun, Colorado, looking for someone to sell Pioneer seed in the area. When he asked around town, a local told him to "go talk to McConnell, north of town."

Morse found Harold McConnell on his farm, busy getting the steers ready for the county fair. Harold was a working farmer through and through, and he wasn't easily swayed from his duties. But Morse was persistent.

"The only way I could get him to leave was to accept the position. That was the best decision of my life." Harold McConnell

That day, Harold became a Pioneer sales representative, joining the company's legendary "farmer-salesman" program. This model, pioneered by Hi-Bred, placed working farmers as local representatives who understood both the product and their customers' needs firsthand.

The 1960s marked a transformative period for American agriculture. The average family farm had grown from 150 acres to 300 acres, and farmers were increasingly specializing in single crops. This shift created both challenges and opportunities for seed companies.

Pioneer's farmer-salesman concept proved invaluable during this era. Representatives like Harold McConnell could speak to customers as fellow farmers, demonstrating the advantages of Pioneer hybrids in their own fields. They used sample plots to show skeptics that Pioneer seed produced heartier, more uniform plants with yields averaging 20 bushels more per acre than open-pollinated varieties.

In 1964, Pioneer introduced its iconic trapezoid symbol, representing the brand's promise of constant vigor and unending growth through continuous research.

After more than a decade of dedicated work in research and development, Rick McConnell was appointed Director of North American Research in 1989. In this role, he oversaw Pioneer's research operations across the continent, guiding the development of new hybrid varieties and agricultural technologies.

By 1994, Rick had been promoted to Senior Vice President for Global Research and Development, directing research programs for major crop species and overseeing product development at 60 research stations worldwide. These stations developed technology for corn, soybeans, alfalfa, canola, and sunflowers, serving farmers in more than 70 countries.

Twenty-six of Rick's 30 years with Pioneer were spent in R&D, reflecting his deep commitment to scientific advancement in agriculture.

After 36 years of building relationships and serving farmers across northeastern Colorado, Harold McConnell passed the Pioneer agency to his son Larry in 1996. The transition represented not just a change in leadership, but a continuation of the values Harold had established: integrity, hard work, and genuine care for the farming community.

Larry had grown up watching his father work alongside customers, understanding that selling seed was about more than transactions. It was about partnerships, about being there when farmers needed advice, and about standing behind the product through good years and challenging ones alike.

In 2006, Colorado State University recognized Rick McConnell with its prestigious Honor Alumnus Award. The award celebrated not only his remarkable career achievements but also his contributions to agricultural science and his dedication to education and research.

Rick has continued to serve on numerous boards, including the Iowa State University Foundation Board of Governors, helping to shape the future of agricultural education and research.

In 2012, the Pioneer agency that Harold McConnell started in 1960 passed to the third generation. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, the tradition continues with the same commitment to excellence that has defined the McConnell name for over half a century.

Working alongside his wife Brandi, this new chapter builds on the foundation laid by Harold and Larry while embracing modern agricultural practices and technologies. The values remain the same: treat customers like family, stand behind every seed sold, and never stop learning.

Today, the McConnell family's relationship with Pioneer spans more than six decades. From Harold's handshake agreement in a Haxtun farmyard to Rick's leadership of the world's largest seed company, the McConnell name has become synonymous with Pioneer in northeastern Colorado.

This is more than a business. It's a family legacy built on generations of trust, thousands of acres of proven performance, and an unshakeable belief in the power of good seed to transform farms and communities.