Ron Messmer

Ron Messmer has worked for two companies in his life – Mon-Kota Fertilizer in the summers during high school, then Blue Rock beginning December 7, 1979. The Fairview native started as a warehouse worker. After about a year, he started doing routes part-time and then full time as a route salesman, delivering soft drinks and beer.

In 1985, he was promoted to sales center manager in Glasgow, a position he held for six years. 1992 saw him back in Sidney taking over Les Pierce’s job as a sales center manager. Pierce had been promoted to area marketing manager. Positions have shifted over the years as Blue Rock has grown. Today, Messmer has three jobs: Senior Sales Manager — Director of Purchasing – (Beer) and Head of the Print Shop. He oversees primarily the beer salesmen, orders all the beer for the whole company and produces many advertising items. All the banners for the entire company are printed in Sidney and are shipped to the outlying sales centers.

Messmer’s favorite part of working at Blue Rock is the people, both past and current, and the relationships he has formed over the years with co-workers and customers. “As a route salesman, you meet a lot of people,” he said. “I would be in their business every week and got to know a lot of them pretty well, and now I know people all over eastern Montana. And the work is good. It’s something that has been very enjoyable over the years. A lot has changed in thirty years. When I started we sold only a handful of different items, now we sell hundreds!”

Messmer’s fondest memories come from working with people like Eugene Gagner, Skee Berndt & Les Pierce. Berndt oversaw the salesmen when Messmer was a route salesman. It was sometimes challenging when Messmer had 20 accounts to take care of in a day and Berndt would decide to come along and do a store reset which could take three hours. “I broke into the business when they were around. They were fun to work with.” Harry Sorenson was another name who came to mind. Sorenson came with the purchase of Fox Coors in Glasgow. He was transferred to Sidney and Messmer became manager in Glasgow. Messmer laughed about meeting each other on the highway many times as each one headed home for the weekend. Sorenson was a warehouse worker, and Messmer could always count on him. “If we needed anything, he’d do it.”

Messmer soaked up all the knowledge that was available. “It was fun to work with these guys who had so much experience and so much knowledge, guys like Tim Feeley, Lance Averett and Les Pierce. Lance has been pretty important over the years. If I ever needed to know something, he had the answer. He is always good to fall back on since he’s been around longer than anyone.”

Messmer has enjoyed working for the Olson family. “I couldn’t ask for a better family to work for,” he said. “John is awesome, Marilyn, Karen, Randy & Eric are all terrific to work for. They definitely have provided very well for me and my family and have made it a great place to come to work each day”.

Messmer recalled only one occasion when he was summoned to John’s office for disciplinary reasons. It was 30 years ago. “John said my hair was too long and he would like to have it cut. John wants his employees to look good. They represent the company and the brand Pepsi.”

Messmer has been on call it seems 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for over 30 years. If a customer is short of product, he’ll go take care of them. If there is an event taking place, Messmer will make sure they have everything they need. “John has always stressed that customer service is number one. We’ve always tried to do our best. Cheers to the next 100 years!”