As a young man during the Depression in 1931, Marshall Squier Sr. joined with Robert L. Berner, to become an owner in the Robert L. Berner Company (RLB). They supplied Chicago area grocery stores with fresh produce brought in during the early morning from the farmers around Chicago. The hub of this activity happened at the South Water Market, where RLB was headquartered. Marshall Sr., who dropped out of high school after his freshmen year to support his family, was the company’s Treasurer (CFO), and became a leader in the Association of fellow companies in that food hub of Chicago.
Marshall Jr. and his brother Edward joined the company after college and became the next generation of leaders, helping the company transform from a produce provider, to an importer and packager of mixed nuts from around the US and Brazil. The company had plants in Norridge IL, and Robertsdale Alabama. Marshall Jr. was the plant manager, and was instrumental in having a new plant built in Lemont that enabled the company to expand production. During the “nut deal”, they would work 24×7 with semi tractor trailers lined up for blocks, some bringing in different nuts, and some leaving with their mixed nut bowls sold under the brand name “Sun Diamond” to grocery stores throughout the US.
When the original founders retired in 1980, the company was sold to Sun-Diamond Growers of California, the largest food co-op in the world. Both Marshall Jr. and Eddie remained on after the sale for many years.
