Marvin Meyers was initiated into the Epsilon Eta Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity in the Spring of 1954. He graduated in 1956 with a degree in Agriculture and, soon thereafter, he was drafted into the Army where he participated with atomic bombing testing in Nevada helping to prepare for the flight that made Alan Shepard the first American in space.
When he finished his military service, he went to work in the Midwest and after a couple of years he returned to Fresno where he went to work for Red Top, a local agriculture chemical business. After several years with encouragement from some of his big farmer clients, he opened up his own business, Meyers Agricultural Chemicals. He sold the company in 1977 after 16 years of being in the business.
During this period, he had purchased a few acres in the Firebaugh area and with his sale of his agricultural chemical company, he went full-time into farming!
During the next 42 years, he accumulated 11,000 acres, of which 6,000 acres were planted with almonds, cherries, pistachios and olives. His purchases included the defunct Spreckels sugar beet processing plant with 900 acres that was located within the Pacific Flyway and used by countless migratory waterfowl each year and the natural habitat to numerous mammals and reptiles on the endangered species lists.
Over several years, these 900 acres not only became a wildlife preserve that is visited by over 1,000 children visit every year, with funds provided by Brother Marvin for the buses and other expenses incurred by the schools, but also the beginning of a “water bank” that would “bank” surplus water in years of abundance to irrigate his crops during drought years. It took 7 years to accomplish this and he was quite proud that it was completed without any government assistance! It is able to store 35,000-acre feet of water or 114 million gallons!
Marvin also owned a ranch in Colorado that has 5 miles of river frontage the he would stock with trout for “catch and release” thus preserving the fish in the stream. His ranch is home to deer and elk as well as bald eagles that nested across the river from his home which he allows to live and prosper.
Brother Meyers received numerous awards from the State of California, Governor’s office and Fresno County, and he also served on many agricultural boards locally and at the state level as both a board member and president. He also contributed to numerous charities along with contributing to Fresno State and Fresno State Sigma Chi Alumni programs.
Three prestigious awards that stand out were his being named a recipient of the Fresno State Alumni Top Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012, Outstanding Alumni of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in 2015, and being named a Sigma Chi Fraternity Significant Sig in 2012.
Marvin served many years as President of the Fresno Sigma Chi Endowment Board stepping down last year because of health issues. Under his leadership the Endowment increased significantly after the goal was raised to $3,000,000.
Private family services were held.
ALL HONOR TO HIS NAME!
We Fresno State Sigma Chi alumni can be proud of the philanthropic success achieved by our undergraduate brethren. The White Cross has gain new luster by their commitments to our community and in particular, Vally Children’s Hospital.