Though Norder Supply, Inc. purchased Progressive Fertilizer over a year ago, it has been slowly transitioning the business in Callaway to the new brand while maintaining the same level of service. Last week Norder hosted an open house at their Callaway location which included a ribbon cutting by the Callaway Chamber of Commerce.

Taking over the reins as manager of Norder, Inc. in Callaway is Tanner Lubben. He has previously served as manager of Norder’s home location in Bruning for six years. He then transferred to the company’s Maywood location which he managed for another six years. Lubben has been at the Callaway location since the beginning of this year.

“Being here is a lot the same as the other communities I have been in - a small town and small feel,” said Lubben. “That’s part of the reason Norder Supply was attracted to Callaway. Being a family-owned business ourselves we wanted to buy out a family-owned business like Progressive Fertilizer. Keeping that family feel in a small business and hiring folks like the ones we have maintains that family business. And that’s why we are where we are.

“Mark (Kimball) played a big role in choosing Norder Supply to buy the business,” Lubben continued.

“Collectively we made that decision to purchase it and moved forward with the business.”

Lubben moved to Gothenburg six years ago and has three children in the Gothenburg Public School system. He said the employees and their families are very important to Norder. There are currently about 13 employees at the Callaway location.

Delbert and Donna Kimball purchased the fertilizer and propane business when they moved to Callaway in 1964. When Delbert was tragically killed in an aircraft accident in 1984, his son Mark stepped in to run the family business. Mark continued that legacy until September 2023, when he sold the business to Norder Supply.

Mark continues to work at Norder, for now, and said he is thankful for the opportunity to slowly retire. “I don’t know what I would do with myself if I just all of a sudden quit,” he laughed.

Norder Supply was founded in 1976 by Tim Norder, and began operations from a shed on the family farm south of Bruning. In 1990 the company established locations in Hebron and Juniata. Since then Nebraska and Kansas locations have been added in Shickley, Aurora, Wayne, Scott City, Bladen, Blue Hill, Garden City, Red Cloud, Franklin, Geneva, Elwood, Maywood, Fremont, Cedar Bluffs, and now, Callaway.