George C. Ball, Jr.

Although he has not made any great contributions to horticulture as a seedsman or plant breeder, Mr. Ball is included here to document the final chapter in the history of the W. Atlee Burpee & Company.

George C. Ball, Jr. was born near Chicago in 1951.  He is the son of G. Carl Ball, who was one of four brothers that took over the Ball Horticultural Company in 1949 when their father died.

George began his career working for the family company in Illinois and in Costa Rica during the summers while he was in school.  In 1971, after ceasing studies at Bard College, he joined Ball Seed as an assistant grower.

Rising through the ranks of the family business, he was appointed in 1984, president of a subsidiary company, Pan American Seed.  In 1989 he became a director of Geo J. Ball, Inc., an entity spun off of Ball Horticultural Company.

W. Atlee Burpee & Company was acquired¹, for an undisclosed amount in 1991. In 1993, George became the president of the Burpee Holding Company (the parent company of W. Atlee Burpee & Company²). This was spun off of Ball Holding Company, in 2000.

Mr. Ball remained a director of Geo J. Ball, Inc. until its merger with Seminis in October 1995. He also served a two year term as Chairman of the Board of Petoseed (now also part of Seminis).  He has been a director of Seminis, Inc. since October 1995 and was reelected to this position for another term at the annual meeting in 2001.  (Seminis was purchased by Monsanto in January of 2005)

On October 9, 2001, Burpee Holding Company filed for bankruptcy protection.  In the press release, it was assured that this would not affect the operations of the W. Atlee Burpee Company.

Sources:

• Who Owns What

• Ball Horticultural Company Web Site

• Ball Horticultural Company Capsule - Hoover's Online UK

• W. Atlee Burpee & Co. Capsule - Hoover's Online UK

• "Conversation with George Ball, Jr." - May 24, 1996 - Interesting insight into position on organics, heirlooms and open-pollinated seeds.

• Details of Burpee Acquisition of Heronswood - July 2000

• Gene Debate Sprouting Even Before the Seeds - February 4, 2000

• Burpee purchases Garden.com's brand assets - Jan 18, 2001

• Seminis, Inc. Form 10 K/A - January 29, 2001 - Lists Mr. Balls bio and defines his term as director.

• The Seattle Times - Burpeewood? Heronsburp? - March 4, 2001

• Roadcide Rise and Fall of Roadside Magazine - May 8, 2001

• Burpee files for bankruptcy protection - October 9, 2001

• Burpee Holding Co. Files for Chapter 11 - November 1, 2001

• The Seed Giants - Who Owns Whom

• EDGAR Online People Search - Seminis, Inc.

• Seminis Reaches Definitive Agreement with Monsanto - January 24, 2005

• Burpee Uproots Famed Heronswood Nursery - June 1, 2006

1.  Information available is conflicting.  Some list W. Atlee Burpee & Co. as being purchased by George Ball, Jr. and some name Geo. J. Ball, Inc.

2.  George Ball, Jr. was spun off from Ball Horticultural and became a separate company.  It was this entity that merged with Seminis, the self-reported largest seed company in the world.  All other Ball family companies remain in family operation.

3.  Heronswood Nursery Ltd. merged with W. Atlee Burpee & Co. in July of 2000. (source: www.etcgroup.org)

Last updated March 18, 2008.

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