Al McQuinn

Founder and Former CEO and Chairman / Ag-Chem Equipment, Inc. / 1931 - 2024 / Inducted 2024

Al McQuinn was born on a farm near Butler, Missouri during the Great Depression. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Missouri in 1954, he served in the Army until 1957.

McQuinn’s career in agriculture began with selling fertilizer, which sparked his interest in improving agricultural equipment. He went to work for Federal Chemical Company, which sold row crop sprayers. He found these sprayers and others like them didn't do a very good job of applying product. The solubles in the product would often settle in the solution, which led to inconsistent, watered-down applications and unhappy customers.

McQuinn set out to find a "solution for his solution".  From a garage in Jackson, Minnesota, he developed a sparger agitator, a device that recirculates liquid product to keep the solubles suspended in their solution until they are applied. This led to his creation of Ag-Chem Equipment Co., Inc. in 1963.

Under his leadership, Ag-Chem grew into a NASDAQ-listed company with over $300 million in annual revenues and 1,700 employees. He was also a pioneer in precision agriculture, integrating GPS technology, GIS software, and variable rate application systems to optimize crop yields. McQuinn’s contributions earned him seven patents and a lasting legacy in the agricultural industry.

After selling his company to AGCO Corporation in 2000, Al McQuinn focused his talents on operating an investment company he founded.  He and his wife, Mary Agnes, dedicated much of their energy and resources to their philanthropic work, supporting multiple institutions including the Mayo Clinic, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, University of St. Thomas, Benilde-St. Margaret School, the University of Missouri, and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.