Kentucky Department of Agriculture

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer today mourned the death of businessman, philanthropist, farm owner and Kentucky native Ralph G. Anderson, who died over the weekend at age 86.

“Mr. Anderson was an entrepreneur on a global scale, but he never forgot his Mercer County roots,” Commissioner Farmer said. “He gave back to the community where he grew up. He was always thinking about the future, right to the very end. All of Kentucky will miss his vision, his optimism and his kindness.”

Mr. Anderson was best known as the head of Belcan Corp., a Cincinnati-based engineering and technical services company that he founded in 1958. Belcan has annual sales of nearly $500 million with 60 offices and 7,500 employees worldwide.

Mr. Anderson launched Anderson Circle Farm north of Harrodsburg with a few acres and expanded it to more than 7,000 acres as it took in several historic Mercer County farms. Anderson Circle is one of Kentucky’s leading beef cattle breeders and producers. It also produces forages, grains, tobacco and vegetables. The farm’s distinctive show and sale barn overlooks U.S. 127.

A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Mr. Anderson was a University of Kentucky Fellow. He was inducted into the College of Engineering’s Hall of Distinction in 1993, and in 2002 a $25 million facility for the college was dedicated as the Ralph G. Anderson Building.

Mr. Anderson donated a section of the farm for the future Kentucky Agriculture Heritage Center. He also donated land for the Anderson-Dean Community Park, renovated historic buildings and undertook numerous other philanthropic initiatives in his native Mercer County.

—30—