On Dec. 14, 2024, Raymond Paul Koenig passed away in Grand Junction, Colo., at the age of 78. Raymond was a respected leader at Koenig Equipment and a valued member of the community.
Prior to his passing, Koenig was selected for the 2025 class of Farm Equipment's Dealer Hall of Fame, and will be featured in February issue of the magazine. He also spoke at the 2015 Dealership Minds Summit, alongside his nephew Aaron Koenig, current CEO of Koenig Equipment, on the dealership's succession planning.
Koenig Equipment shared the following in a blog on its website.
Born on April 28, 1946, in Botkins, Ohio, Raymond was a visionary whose contributions made a significant impact on both the business world and his local community. As the first child of Emerson and Janet McDermott Koenig, Ray showed a commitment to excellence early on, graduating as valedictorian of his high school class. He pursued higher education at the Case Institute of Technology, earning an engineering degree, and served four years in the United States Air Force. Driven by a passion for lifelong learning, Ray furthered his education with an MBA from Harvard University.
In 1974, Ray returned to Botkins to lead Koenig Equipment, the family-owned John Deere dealership founded by his grandfather, John C. Koenig, in 1904. As CEO and President of the Board, he focused on expanding the company's reach and enhancing its services. Under his leadership, Koenig Equipment grew into a leading dealership with 15 locations serving customers throughout Ohio and Indiana. Ray's strategic vision and dedication to quality and customer satisfaction were instrumental in this success.
Beyond his role at Koenig Equipment, Ray was actively involved in the agricultural industry. He served as President of The Ohio Equipment Dealers Association and represented equipment dealers at John Deere and industry-related seminars and discussions. In recognition of his dedication and support to farm equipment dealerships, Ray was inducted into Lessiter Publishing's Farm Equipment Hall of Fame in 2024.
You can read the full article here.
Celebration of Life
The Koenig Equipment Family will celebrate the life and achievements of Raymond P Koenig on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 2-6 p.m. at the Shared Resource Center.