Real Estate Broker and Auction Manager

Joe Kessie

Winona Lake, Indiana

About

Joe Kessie is a Real Estate Broker and Auction Manager with Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company, specializing in farmland and recreational auctions and listings across Northern Indiana. Joe grew up on a livestock and grain farm in Whitley County, Indiana, and has spent his entire career serving agriculture. He earned a B.S. in Agricultural Finance from Purdue University and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University, and completed the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

Joe joined Schrader in 2023 and serves as a Sale Manager for the company, earning his license that same year. Before joining Schrader, he spent 40 years as an agricultural banker, most recently as Senior Vice President at Lake City Bank, where he led the Agri-Business Banking Division and a Commercial Banking team.

Background

Joe's four decades in agricultural lending give landowners a rare perspective on farm finance, land values, and the financial decisions that surround a sale. His work in the industry has been recognized nationally: in 2021 he received the American Bankers Association's Brunning Award for Outstanding Commitment to Agriculture Banking, and in 1995 he received the Swackhammer Award from the Indiana Bankers Association for exceptional contribution to Indiana agriculture and the community. He is a past Chairman of the American Bankers Association Agricultural Banking Committee.

"During my career as an agriculture banker, my goal was to be a trusted advisor to my clients," Joe says. "My role at Schrader as a sale manager has allowed me to continue being that trusted advisor to the people I work with."

Joe has recently sold a 197.27 +/- acre farm for over $3M, and also completed a complex recreational listing involving an extensive conservation easement with the state.

Additional Information

Joe lives in Winona Lake, Indiana, with his wife, Darci. Their children are Kaitlin Greene and Taylor Kessie. Joe serves as President of the Huntington University Agriculture Advisory Board, is a board member of the Whitley County Community Foundation, and is a Past President of the Whitley County Economic Development Corporation. Outside of work, he enjoys bicycling, travel, and time with his grandkids.