Latest news with #R.W.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kemin Industries Mourns the Loss of Co-Founder R.W. Nelson
Global business visionary, inventor, and philanthropist leaves behind a legacy of improving billions of lives around the world DES MOINES, Iowa, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- R.W. Nelson, co-founder and chairman of the board of Kemin Industries, passed away peacefully at his home in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday, April 7, 2025, at the age of 98. R.W. was an innovative business leader, a celebrated salesman, an inventor, and a quietly generous philanthropist in central Iowa and around the world. "We deeply mourn the passing of R.W. – our family patriarch and one of the visionaries behind Kemin. He was beloved by our family, countless customers around the world, and thousands of Kemin employees whose lives he touched for more than six decades," said Dr. Chris Nelson, President and CEO of Kemin Industries and the eldest son of R.W. "He was tirelessly committed to our family, his faith, the community, and was Kemin's most dedicated marketer and sales champion, coming to the office every day for nearly 60 years. While R.W. will be deeply missed by our family and countless people he impacted worldwide, the breadth of his life's work and dedication to servant leadership is to be celebrated." Rolland Wade "Bud" Nelson was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 28, 1927. At the age of seven, he moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he lived for the rest of his life. A proud graduate of Dowling Catholic High School and Drake University, R.W. and his wife, Mary Nelson, created Kemin Industries in Des Moines in 1961, using $10,000 in savings and their family's living room as an office while raising five young children. Their entrepreneurial spirit led to the launch of a new company focused on bringing innovation to the agricultural industry in the Midwest. From those humble beginnings, R.W. helped guide Kemin's development to become a global leader in innovative ingredients. Today, the multinational, family-owned and operated B2B company supplies over 500 specialty ingredients for human and animal health and nutrition, pet food, aquaculture, nutraceuticals, food technologies, crop technologies, textiles, biofuels, and animal vaccine industries. Its footprint spans six continents, serving customers in more than 120 countries with operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, India, Italy, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa, and the United States. A celebrated innovator and industry leader, R.W. held four patents and was recognized worldwide for his scientific discoveries and business achievements. He received citations from two presidents: the President's "E" Certificate for Exports from President Nixon in 1971, and the President's "E" Star Award for Excellence in Export from President Carter in 1978. R.W. also received the U.S. Department of Commerce's Export Award in 1972, the State of Iowa Economic Impact Award in 1987, the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Achievement Iowa Award in 1991, and the Iowa Biotechnology Association's Entrepreneur Achievement Biotechnology Award in 2004. He was inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame in 2006. R.W. was a servant leader who built Kemin on a foundation of social responsibility and a belief that the company has a moral obligation to improve the quality of life and the communities where it operates. Throughout the years, R.W. and Mary quietly became transformative philanthropic leaders in Iowa and across communities worldwide. For decades, they supported hundreds of organizations and contributed significantly to many in central Iowa, including Dowling Catholic High School, Drake University, Living History Farms, Iowa State University, The Science Center of Iowa, and a variety of other organizations focused on science and general education, affordable housing, and disaster relief. They opened the Kemin Primary School in China, helped rebuild a fishing community in India after a tsunami, and sent Kemin teams to Nepal and Brazil for Habitat for Humanity global builds. As humble recipients of numerous recognitions and awards, they were especially honored to receive the 2019 Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award for their dedication to outreach in remote parts of distant countries affected by devastating natural disasters. R.W. served on dozens of boards and committees for industry trade groups, banks, the American Institute of Entrepreneurs, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Drake University, private primary and secondary schools in the Des Moines Diocese, and the Greater Des Moines Committee. He was a strong advocate and industry member of the American Chemical Society and the American Feed Industry Association. He supported Kemin's long-term partnerships with the World Food Programme, Habitat for Humanity, and Ellipses. A Dowling Catholic High School graduate, R.W. received a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and chemistry from Drake University. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1945 to 1947 and was honorably discharged as a corporal. He earned service ribbons while deployed to the Philippines at the close of World War II. R.W. is survived by his wife, Mary, and their children, Christopher (Linda), Elizabeth "Libby," Janet (Georgia), David (John), and Molly; thirteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. R.W. was preceded in death by his parents, Barton and Lillian Nelson, and siblings Barton Nelson Jr, Donald Nelson, Thomas Nelson, Dolores Nelson Stall, and Daniel Nelson. Funeral arrangements will be announced soon. In lieu of flowers, the Nelson family asks that memorials be directed to The Harkin Institute at Drake University and the science and athletic programs at Dowling Catholic High School. For additional information and funeral updates, visit About Kemin Industries Kemin Industries ( is a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services. The company supplies over 500 specialty ingredients for human and animal health and nutrition, pet food, aquaculture, nutraceutical, food technologies, crop technologies, textiles, biofuels, and animal vaccine industries. For over half a century, Kemin has been dedicated to using applied science to address industry challenges and offer product solutions to customers in more than 120 countries. Kemin provides ingredients to feed a growing population with its commitment to the quality, safety, and efficacy of food, feed, and health-related products. Established in 1961, Kemin is a privately held, family-owned-and-operated company with more than 3,500 global employees and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Italy, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa, and the United States. Media Contact: Lauren M.G. Burt, Head of Global Corporate Affairs, +1 (515) 249-4219 © Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2025. All rights reserved. ® TM Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc., U.S.A. Certain statements, product labeling and claims may differ by geography or as required by government requirements. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Kemin Industries
The Guardian
20-03-2025
- The Guardian
Federal authorities arrest LA street gang leader Eugene ‘Big U' Henley Jr
Federal authorities have taken into custody on Wednesday, a longtime leader of a Los Angeles street gang who investigators say ran a 'mafia-like' criminal enterprise that included murder, human trafficking and extortion while he also worked as an entertainment entrepreneur, after a brief search, officials announced. Eugene Henley Jr, known as 'Big U,' was one of 18 members of the Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips charged in a federal complaint with a litany of federal crimes including drug trafficking, conspiracy and firearms offenses, the United States attorney's office said in a statement. Ten gang members were arrested this week while Henley, 58, and one other were initially considered fugitives, the statement said. The FBI announced on X Wednesday evening that both had been taken into custody. Other defendants were already in custody. Henley allegedly masterminded a criminal operation that investigators dubbed the 'Big U Enterprise,' and is also suspected of embezzling donations to Developing Options, an anti-gang charity he founded, but which prosecutors say he used 'as a front for fraudulent purposes and to insulate its members from suspicion by law enforcement'. He is suspected in the 2021 killing of an aspiring rap musician who was signed to his recording company, Uneek Music, according to prosecutors. The rapper, identified in court documents as 'R.W.,' was allegedly shot and killed by Henley after he recorded a 'defamatory song' about the gang leader at a Las Vegas studio, prosecutors said. R.W.'s body was found in a ditch off Interstate 15 in the Nevada desert. Prosecutors said Henley ran the enterprise like a mob boss and used his stature and long-standing association with the Rollin' 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals in Los Angeles. 'Not only did the enterprise expand its power through violence, fear, and intimidation, but it also used social media platforms, documentaries, podcasts, interviews, and Henley's reputation and status as an 'O.G.' (original gangster) to create fame for — and stoke fear of — the Big U Enterprise, its members, and its associates,' the US attorney's statement said. Henley is accused of organizing criminal activity including extortion, robbery, trafficking and exploiting sex workers, fraud and illegal gambling. In addition, he's suspected of submitting a fraudulent application for a Covid-19 pandemic relief loan for Uneek Music. It wasn't known Wednesday if Henley has an attorney. If convicted, he could face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
CBS News
20-03-2025
- CBS News
LA Crips leader who feds say posed as anti-gang activist charged with several federal crimes including racketeering
Federal prosecutors arrested and charged the alleged leader of a Los Angeles Crips gang subset who they claim posed as an anti-gang activist, the U.S. Attorney said. Eugene Henley Jr., 58, also known by the alias "Big U," is the lead defendant named in a criminal complaint that was unsealed Wednesday. The court documents accuse Henley, a prominent leader of the Rollin' 60s chapter of the larger Los Angeles Crips, of running a "mafia-like organization" known as "Big U Enterprise." The Department of Justice said Henley surrendered himself to investigators Wednesday afternoon after the charges were announced. Henley posted a series of videos to the Crenshaw Cougars Instagram, a youth football program he oversees and features his son, Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley's football camp. The alleged head of the Rollin' 60s denied the allegations stemming from the RICO case. "I'm looking at all these charges in the news. I'm heading back to LA," Henley said. "Ain't going to be no real evidence. Ain't going to be no real nothing ... Now, they're saying all that stuff to assassinate my character." At a news conference Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally said he is being charged with a series of crimes, including racketeering, fraud, extortion, robbery, human trafficking and the murder of an aspiring rap musician in 2021. Two other defendants, Sylvester Robinson, 59, also known as "Vey," and Mark Martin, 50, also known as "Bear Claw," were also named in the complaint. They are accused of being members of Henley's criminal enterprise. McNally said over the past four years federal officials launched an investigation into Henley's criminal enterprise. During the investigation, officials gathered interviews, financial records, phone records and search warrants for social media accounts. Court documents said Henley often used his stature in his gang to partner with his enterprise and intimidate businesses and individuals across LA. Henley founded his charity, Developing Options, in which federal officials claim he embezzled donations and defrauded donors. The court documents said some of Henley's victims include celebrities and well-known athletes. He is also accused of fraudulently securing funding from the LA mayor's office through the Gang Reduction Youth Development Foundation. "I ain't been nothing but help to our community," he said in an Instagram video. "It's crazy, but I'm going to turn myself in, though, because I ain't do nothing." The court documents allege Henley is responsible for the murder of a man only referred to in the complaint as "R.W." in January 2021. The complaint described R.W. as an aspiring musician who was signed to Uneek Music, Henley and Martin's label. R.W. was in Las Vegas at the time of his death recording music at a producer's studio. Court documents said R.W. did not record at a rate that was previously agreed upon and recorded a "diss song" against Henley. Henley and Robinson allegedly drove to Las Vegas to confront R.W. where they fatally shot him. They are accused of leaving R.W.'s body off Interstate 15 in the desert. When the pair returned to LA, they allegedly ordered the studio workers to delete video footage of them at the studio. "In furtherance of the enterprise, Henley allegedly submitted a fraudulent application for a COVID-19 pandemic relief loan in which he claimed that Uneek Music was operating at a $200,000 profit in 2019 despite operating at a $5,000 loss that year, which should have disqualified it from loan eligibility," McNally said. Henley denied the allegations of fraud in the series of Instagram posts. If convicted of the charges, Henley could face a statutory maximum life sentence in federal prison, the U.S. attorney's office said. If Robinson and Martin are convicted of the charges, they could face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. "Eliminating gangs and organized crime is the Department of Justice's top priority. Today's charges and arrests target the leadership of this criminal outfit and will make the neighborhoods of Los Angeles safer," McNally said. "I am grateful for the work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners."
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
LA Crips leader ran ‘mafia-like' crime empire fronted by anti-gang charity, feds say
US authorities have taken a longtime leader of a Los Angeles street gang who investigators say ran a 'mafia-like' criminal enterprise that included murder, human trafficking and extortion while he also worked as an entertainment entrepreneur into custody Wednesday after a brief search, officials announced. Eugene Henley Jr., known as 'Big U,' was one of 18 members of the Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips charged in a federal complaint with a litany of federal crimes including drug trafficking, conspiracy, and firearms offenses, the U.S. attorney's office said in a statement. Ten gang members were arrested this week while Henley, 58, and one other were initially considered fugitives, the statement said. The FBI announced on X Wednesday evening that both had been taken into custody. Other defendants were already in custody. Henley allegedly masterminded a criminal operation that investigators dubbed the 'Big U Enterprise,' and is also suspected of embezzling donations to Developing Options, an anti-gang charity he founded but which prosecutors say he used 'as a front for fraudulent purposes and to insulate its members from suspicion by law enforcement.' He is suspected in the 2021 killing of an aspiring rap musician who was signed to his recording company, Uneek Music, according to prosecutors. The rapper, identified in court documents as 'R.W.,' was allegedly shot and killed by Henley after he recorded a 'defamatory song' about the gang leader at a Las Vegas studio, prosecutors said. R.W.'s body was found in a ditch off Interstate 15 in the Nevada desert. Prosecutors said Henley ran the enterprise like a mob boss and used his stature and long-standing association with the Rollin' 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals in Los Angeles. 'Not only did the enterprise expand its power through violence, fear, and intimidation, but it also used social media platforms, documentaries, podcasts, interviews, and Henley's reputation and status as an 'O.G.' (original gangster) to create fame for — and stoke fear of — the Big U Enterprise, its members, and its associates,' the U.S. attorney's statement said. Henley is accused of organizing criminal activity including extortion, robbery, trafficking and exploiting sex workers, fraud, and illegal gambling. In addition, he's suspected of submitting a fraudulent application for a COVID-19 pandemic relief loan for Uneek Music. It wasn't known Wednesday if Henley has an attorney. If convicted, he could face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
CNN
20-03-2025
- CNN
LA Crips leader ran ‘mafia-like' crime empire fronted by anti-gang charity, feds say
US authorities have taken a longtime leader of a Los Angeles street gang who investigators say ran a 'mafia-like' criminal enterprise that included murder, human trafficking and extortion while he also worked as an entertainment entrepreneur into custody Wednesday after a brief search, officials announced. Eugene Henley Jr., known as 'Big U,' was one of 18 members of the Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips charged in a federal complaint with a litany of federal crimes including drug trafficking, conspiracy, and firearms offenses, the U.S. attorney's office said in a statement. Ten gang members were arrested this week while Henley, 58, and one other were initially considered fugitives, the statement said. The FBI announced on X Wednesday evening that both had been taken into custody. Other defendants were already in custody. Henley allegedly masterminded a criminal operation that investigators dubbed the 'Big U Enterprise,' and is also suspected of embezzling donations to Developing Options, an anti-gang charity he founded but which prosecutors say he used 'as a front for fraudulent purposes and to insulate its members from suspicion by law enforcement.' He is suspected in the 2021 killing of an aspiring rap musician who was signed to his recording company, Uneek Music, according to prosecutors. The rapper, identified in court documents as 'R.W.,' was allegedly shot and killed by Henley after he recorded a 'defamatory song' about the gang leader at a Las Vegas studio, prosecutors said. R.W.'s body was found in a ditch off Interstate 15 in the Nevada desert. Prosecutors said Henley ran the enterprise like a mob boss and used his stature and long-standing association with the Rollin' 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals in Los Angeles. 'Not only did the enterprise expand its power through violence, fear, and intimidation, but it also used social media platforms, documentaries, podcasts, interviews, and Henley's reputation and status as an 'O.G.' (original gangster) to create fame for — and stoke fear of — the Big U Enterprise, its members, and its associates,' the U.S. attorney's statement said. Henley is accused of organizing criminal activity including extortion, robbery, trafficking and exploiting sex workers, fraud, and illegal gambling. In addition, he's suspected of submitting a fraudulent application for a COVID-19 pandemic relief loan for Uneek Music. It wasn't known Wednesday if Henley has an attorney. If convicted, he could face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
