Plumbers Supply gets I.C. Chamber award

IOWA CITY -- Plumbers Supply, a 60-year-old Iowa City business, recently received a 2011 Roots Business award from the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce.

The privately owned business was recognized "as an example of a successful relationship between a small business and its community."

Jim Nesmith formed Plumbers Supply in 1951, seizing the opportunity to establish a wholesale plumbing distributorship within the Iowa City community, with its growing university and hospital. Nesmith's daughter and son-in-law, Nora Lee and Wayne Balmer, took over the reins in 1969 and as the business continued to expand their two oldest sons, John and Jim Balmer, joined the company.

As Plumbers Supply continued to expand into its new wholesale building and Studio h

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o showroom, more familyhave joined the company. John's son, Tom, brings years of corporate knowledge and financial expertise. Jim's daughter and son-in-law, Jennie and Ben Wunderlich, offer their leadership and logistics experience gained as active duty U.S. Army officers.

Nine of the 41 non-Balmer employees of Plumbers Supply have worked for the business for more than 20 years, most notably Larry Rutt and Lavon Rutt, who recently marked 50 years and 46 years of service, respectively.

Plumbers Supply actively supports the Ronald McDonald House, the Iowa City Community School District Foundation, Table to Table, the Optimist Service Club, Iowa City Rotary and was one of the original investors in the Iowa City Area Development Group.