Marvin Meyers, generous Fresno State booster and Valley ag pioneer, remembered

If not for this man’s vision, farming in the central San Joaquin Valley might have never blossomed into what it’s become.

If not for him, a small Catholic school in Mexico might’ve closed years ago.

And if not for his generosity, Fresno State might still have an antiquated medical training facility for its athletes.

That’s all part of Marvin Meyers’ impact in the Valley and beyond before passing away late last year.

“He was a special man,” former Fresno State athletic director Thomas Boeh said. “He had tremendous character and values, and he showed that through his actions each and every day.”

Meyers, who died at 85 years old on Nov. 19, 2019, was considered one of the most innovative farmers in the area and always gave back to his community.

His farming success can be traced to the roughly 3,000 acres of wetlands just west of Mendota, which became California’s first privately funded water bank.

Meyers’ philanthropic acts have had a lasting effect, too, with facilities that aid students of all ages — from the $7.5 million Career Technical Education Charter School in southeast Fresno to the state-of-the-art, $6 million Meyers Family Medicine Center at Fresno State.

“That was just his thing – he always wanted to give back,” said Meyers’ son, Greg. “He liked helping the students and making a difference in their lives.”

‘He liked helping people’

While some of Meyers’ generous givings were more visible than others, it was some of his lesser known acts of kindness that perhaps made the biggest impacts.

“He liked taking care of those who were good to us,” Greg said.

Greg tells stories of his dad visiting a small Catholic school in Mexico that Meyers got involved with over the years.

Soon after, Meyers was helping finance the school, buying computers and clothes and sending additional money for school functions.

“He’d call ahead of time to visit and see how things were going,” Greg said. “When he’d leave, he’d reach into his pockets and hand the nuns wads of cash and just say: ‘Here’s some more to help out.’

“I couldn’t tell you his motivation. He just wanted to. He liked helping people, especially those from impoverished areas.”

Greg also shared stories of his dad paying the college tuitions for some of his employees’ children and giving hefty bonuses to workers as tokens of his appreciation.

“I’d advocate for bonuses and salary increases, because I couldn’t do any of this without my key people,” said Greg, who has run Meyers Farming for the past 10-plus years while his father was unofficially retired. “He’d just say ‘Watch your cash flow. Stay within the budget.’”

Fresno State booster

Meyers was the lead donor in the Fresno State training facility and provided $1 million to the CTE charter school.

“When Marvin really believed in a project and saw it could make a difference in a child’s life, he was committed to seeing it through,” said Fresno County Superintendent of schools Jim Yovino, a longtime friend. “He’s just a good man.

“Our world needs more people like Marvin Meyers: People who are honest and genuine and care about their community.”

Meyers, honored in 2012 with the Top Dog Fresno State alumni award, was the biggest booster to Bulldogs athletics as well as a key contributor on the university side.

He started the agricultural livestock judging program at Fresno State, partly because his granddaughters were into that and Meyers realized his alma mater didn’t have the program.

He also was a key contributor in the Valley Children’s survivorship program.

But as much as Meyers helped others, he always tried to keep a low profile about his giving.

“He was modest,” former Fresno State associate athletic director Paul Ladwig said. “He didn’t want the recognition. He helped just to help. Very selfless.

“If anything, seeing the student-athletes smile when they found out who he was and thanking him was the only recognition he cared for. That always put the biggest smile on his face.”

Success in agriculture, water

Meyers’ generosity, of course, wouldn’t have been possible without his success in farming.

As owner of Meyers Farming, Oxford Farms Inc., and Meyers Farm Family Trust since 1982, Meyers grew and sold almonds, olives, pistachios and cherries in the Mendota area.

Years prior, he also grew cotton. And before farming, he owned the Meyers Agricultural Chemical company for 16 years.

But it was his vision with water that cemented his legacy as a pioneer in the Valley, establishing in 1998 a water banking project that would help combat droughts and water his farmland during dry years.

The Meyers Water Bank also serves as a wildlife project and an educational resource for students and others to learn about water conservation and the wetlands habitat. Like the water bank, the wildlife project is fully funded by the Meyers family.

“My dad was an out-of-the-box thinker,” Greg said. “If someone said ‘We can’t do this.’ He’d get as much information as possible, establish relationships with the movers and shakers in the industry, and figure out a way to make it happen.

“That water bank has turned out to be a life saver for us. It’s his legacy. But it also become more. It became a real-life educational ground.”

Fatherly advice

Greg said he’s amazed by all that his father accomplished. Those who knew Meyers are also.

“He was multi-talented,” Boeh said. “And he had a heart of gold.”

Greg admits working with his father all these years was difficult at times.

“I quit on him twice,” Greg said. “But I came back and we learned from the disagreement.”

His memories of his dad are filled with years of working alongside him, as well as those years as an adolescent and having his father take him out for fun trips. Like to go skiing or fly fishing.

The best fatherly advice Greg said he received:

“If you don’t know, make a decision, as my dad used to say,” Greg recited. “Get the best information that you can. But make a decision whether it’s right or wrong. And move on from there.”

A private service was held for Meyers in November.

Meyers is survived by his wife Tish, son Greg, daughters Brooke Hamilton and Cheryl Reinhardt, and six grandchildren.