Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Nixon “Nix” Lauridsen guided the Lauridsen Group (LGI) as founder and CEO for many years. He oversaw the family owned and operated business that had roots extending back a century. The regional creamery was known for its quality butter, eggs, and poultry. Working in tandem with his father Wally, Nixon Lauridsen expanded the company in the 1970s to include dairy and meat byproducts that added value to wide-ranging food, medical, and animal products.
Today, Nix Lauridsen’s daughter Christine leads the LGI operation, which encompasses a portfolio of several independent companies spanning 60 locations worldwide. These include Proliant Health & Biologicals, Proliant Dairy Ingredients, Essentia Protein Solutions, and the Boyer Valley Company. The latter enterprise focuses on processing essential base ingredients utilized in animal feed, organic fertilizers, aquaculture, and renewable fuels.
Nix Lauridsen maintains a strong commitment to giving back. To this end, he partnered with his wife Virginia in donating $1 million to the Des Moines Metro Opera. The funds were used for an ambitious restoration and expansion of Indianola's 1904 Carnegie Library building, now known as the Lauridsen Opera Center.