Rick Brandt is the President and CEO of Brandt, a family-owned farm supply company that started in a small Illinois town and now sells in more than 80 countries. He took charge in 1995 when he was only 29 years old. Since then, the company has grown from about $30 million in yearly sales to more than $600 million.

Many people search for Rick Brandt and his net worth. In this article, you will learn who he is, how he built the business, and what is really known about his wealth. We use simple words, so everyone can follow along.

Important note: There are other people named Rick Brandt, and some websites mix them up. This article is only about Rick Brandt, the CEO of Brandt, the agriculture company based in Tampa, Florida.

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Quick Bio of Rick Brandt

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Quick Facts

• Rick joined the family company in 1991.
• He became President and CEO in 1995, at age 29.
• The company was started in 1953 by his father, Glen, and his aunt, Evelyn.
• Yearly sales rose from about $30 million (1995) to more than $600 million (2022).
• The company made 24 buyouts of other companies while he was in charge.
• Brandt sells in more than 80 countries and 49 US states.
• Rick also owns TradeMark Nitrogen in Tampa, Florida.
• Brandt was named to the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2012.

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Early Life and Education

Rick grew up in Pleasant Plains, Illinois, a small town of about 700 people. In a place like that, he says, people did not show off their success.

His father, Glen Brandt, was a hard worker who tried many things at once. At one time he ran a used car lot, a gas station, and a farm, and he also started the fertilizer business. Glen started that business in 1953 with his sister, Evelyn. At first, he spread fertilizer on local farms using a tractor borrowed from his own father.

Rick’s parents also bought a home in Bonita Beach, Florida, and slowly the family felt pulled toward that state. Rick studied at Florida Southern College in Lakeland and then finished at the University of South Florida, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

He did not plan to move back to Illinois. In his own words, he never imagined he would spend about 30 years there.

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Career at Brandt

Rick joined the company in 1991. For the next four years he worked as an assistant to the company president, Gary Grossweiler, and learned how the business worked. When Grossweiler retired in 1995, Rick became President and CEO of what was then called Brandt Consolidated.

Today the company helps farmers grow more crops with better products and new technology. Today, it runs five operating companies and employs nearly 800 people in Springfield, Illinois, and Tampa, Florida.

The Deal That Changed Everything

In the early years, the company board was careful and slow to take risks. Rick wanted to move faster. In 1999, he looked at buying a small fertilizer company in Illinois. He was allowed to spend up to $300,000 without asking the board. The owner wanted $350,000.

Rick offered $290,000, and he also told the seller to keep whatever stock he wanted. That deal set a pattern. Rick says buying other companies was a “total game-changer” for Brandt. Over time, the company made 24 such purchases.

Company Growth in Numbers

Note: Some reports mention even higher sales for 2022, above $800 million. Because the company is private, the exact number is not public. We use the lower, clearly reported figure of more than $600 million.

Moving to Tampa

Rick and his wife, Kristie, were already spending a lot of time in Tampa. Their daughter, Sierra, went to the University of Tampa. One day Rick asked her if she would ever move back to Springfield, and she said no. That made the choice easy.

• Rick moved to Tampa in 2010.
• Kristie and Sierra followed in 2018.
• Brandt Inc. became the parent company, based in Tampa.
• Employees moved into a separate company called Team Brandt.

Rick says that, looking back, the team should have made this change sooner.

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TradeMark Nitrogen Corporation

Rick is also the CEO and owner of TradeMark Nitrogen in Tampa, Florida. His father bought into this company, and Rick now owns and leads it.

• It makes, sells, and ships large amounts of nitrogen products for farms and factories.
• It works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, to fit customer schedules.
• Rick also holds important shares in Precision Build, LLC and Rev1 Energy.

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Family and Next Generation

Rick is married to Kristie, and they have one daughter, Sierra-Shae Brandt. Sierra became an owner around 2019 to 2020, which brought in the third generation of the family. She studied at the University of Tampa and began as a marketing associate. Now she is Vice President of Culture and Leadership Development. She also helps guide sponsorships such as NASCAR, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Tampa Bay Sun FC, and she works with The BRANDT Foundation.

Rick says he never forced her to join. His advice to her was simple: do what you want, but at least want to be an owner.

Evelyn, known as “The Hawk” for watching every money detail, was still coming to the office in her late 90s. Rick also says one worker has been with the company for 50 years.

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NASCAR and Other Interests

Rick uses sports as a way to promote the company. Brandt returned for its 13th season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2023 with driver Justin Allgaier. Rick says NASCAR is “pure marketing” that helps the company connect with customers. He also joked that he only became a fan once he saw his name on a race car.

Outside of farming, Rick collects guitars. He also started a music company called GB Records, and works with singer-songwriter Kelsey Hickman. “GB” stands for his dad, Glen Brandt, and for “go big or go home.”

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What Is Rick Brandt’s Net Worth?

There is no confirmed number. Forbes, Bloomberg, and other trusted sources have not published an estimate of Rick Brandt’s personal wealth. Brandt and TradeMark Nitrogen are private companies, so they do not have to share their money records with the public.

You may see some websites that give a number such as $20 million or $50 million. Please be careful with them:

• Some of these pages give two different numbers on the same page.
• Some describe him as a tech founder or say he grew up in Poland. That is a different person, and it is wrong.
• They give no source to prove their numbers.

Sales are not the same as wealth, because sales do not show costs, debts, or how much of the company Rick owns. So the honest answer is that his net worth is not publicly known. We will update this page if a trusted source shares real numbers.

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Current Status (2026)

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Social Media and Public Presence

Rick does not have a strong personal social media presence, and he keeps his private life quiet. However, Brandt, Inc. shares company news and updates on LinkedIn. You can also learn more about the company at brandt.co.

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Family-Owned Agribusiness

Family-owned farm businesses play a big role in food supply. Many start as small local dealers and grow by making special products and selling in other countries. Because they stay private, they can plan for many years instead of worrying about every three months.

Succession In Family Firms

Handing a family company to the next generation is hard. Brandt has done it in steps: Glen started it, Rick grew it, and Sierra is now an owner. Clear rules, trusted advisers, and a good plan help a company stay strong when leaders change. Brandt also has a board of directors that now includes outside business leaders.

Reading Private-Company Wealth

Private companies do not have to share full money records the way public companies do. So the wealth of their owners is guessed, not known. Treat any net worth number with care. For another family business story, see our profile of Marc Gabelli.

How We Research Profiles Like This

We check profiles against public sources such as official company pages, trusted magazines, and news reports. If a fact, such as net worth, cannot be proved, we say so. If you find something out of date, please check the person’s official channels. We update pages when new, confirmed facts become available.

Conclusion

Rick Brandt took over his family’s farm supply company at 29 and led it for more than 30 years. With smart company purchases, a move to Tampa, and a focus on the next generation, he helped Brandt grow from about $30 million in sales to more than $600 million. His net worth has not been shared by any trusted source, so any exact figure you see online should not be trusted.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Rick Brandt

Q1: Who is Rick Brandt?
Rick Brandt is the President and CEO of Brandt, a family-owned farm products company with its main office in Tampa, Florida.

Q2: What is Rick Brandt’s net worth?
No trusted source has shared a number. His companies are private, so his wealth is not public.

Q3: When did Rick Brandt become CEO?
He became CEO in 1995, at age 29, four years after joining the company in 1991.

Q4: How big is Brandt?
Yearly sales grew from about $30 million in 1995 to more than $600 million in 2022. The company sells in more than 80 countries.

Q5: How many companies did Brandt buy under Rick?
A 2023 report says 24.

Q6: Where did Rick Brandt study?
He went to Florida Southern College and then earned an Economics degree at the University of South Florida.

Q7: What is TradeMark Nitrogen?
It is a Tampa company owned and led by Rick. It makes and sells nitrogen products for farms and factories.

Q8: Who is Rick Brandt’s family?
His wife is Kristie, and his daughter is Sierra-Shae, who is an owner and Vice President at Brandt.

Q9: Is Brandt a family-owned business?
Yes. Glen Brandt and his sister Evelyn started it in 1953, and the family still owns it.

Q10: Is Rick Brandt the tech founder from Poland?
No. Some low-quality websites confuse him with someone else. This Rick Brandt is American and works in agriculture.