Fred Greder started Benchmark Agribusiness in 1988 with a $200 Smith Corona electric typewriter and the savings from moonlighting as a fee appraiser on evenings and weekends while still working full time as a farm mortgage loan officer.
The practice developed quickly thanks to the appraisal experience and industry contacts developed during a thirteen-year career as a farm loan officer in North Central Iowa prior to 1988. Greder has been accredited by the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers since 1989 and a member since 1984. In fact, he was the Iowa Chapter State President in 2002 and has also served on National Committees.
Fred has been a State Certified General Real Property Appraiser since three weeks after the State of Iowa began issuing certificates in October of 1991.
He was raised on a combination crop and livestock farm in Western Iowa. Greder also maintained a hog feeding operation earlier in his career. He and his wife Marty have been residents of North Central Iowa since they both graduated from Iowa State University on the same day in 1975. Fred's major emphasis of study was in Farm Operations. In addition to his appraisal activities, Fred is an active, licensed real estate broker.
He has previously served as Chairman of the State Appraisal Examining Board. The Greders own farm ground on the edge of Mason City that they have custom farmed.
