Legacy
Legacy
Gerard has had a lifetime interest in real estate starting with agriculture. His first real estate purchase was in May of 1986 with his brother, Matt.
They purchased a residential duplex and home adjacent to the University of Nebraska Lincoln while attending the University. The duo added value by remodeling which doubled income and tripled their equity investment within 5 years.
Since 1996 Gerard, individually and with partners, has purchased over $800 million in real estate including agriculture, industrial, retail, office, mining, port terminals, and rail terminals located in Texas, Florida, South Dakota, Nebraska, Illinois, Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, and Arizona.
Keating Resources is currently focused on value add real estate of all types in Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
A Brief History of Keating Resources
Founded by Gerard Keating in 2004, the legacy of Keating Resources is woven from 6 generations of Keatings who have and are living the American dream; a dream of freedom and the opportunity to fail or succeed and make an earned living. The experiences and investments made in many states have contributed to the success of the Keating family. The Midwestern state of Nebraska is and has been the base of this heritage.
Today, the company is led by Gerard and his son Alec.
The Keating legacy in the U.S. began with the immigration of Patrick Keating to the U.S. in approximately 1842.
Patrick’s port of entry has not been confirmed. The oldest recorded document is a wedding certificate with a location of Providence, Rhode Island.
Patrick migrated to Janesville, Wisconsin in approximately 1860, where public records show that his son, Frank, was born. Patrick, his wife, Mary, his oldest son, Frank, and their other children homesteaded virgin prairie near what is now Dunning, Nebraska. Patrick is buried in the country cemetery called Dale, north of US Highway 2 between the towns Dunning and Merna.
Dunning was founded in approximately 1867 by Addison, Illinois native, Samuel Dunning, who is Gerard’s maternal great-great-grandfather. He served in the Civil War. Samuel and his wife had a daughter, Merna, who the town of Merna, Nebraska was named.
Frank Keating married Merna Dunning. Frank and Merna are the great grandparents of Gerard Keating. Frank lived until 1960, but Merna passed away in 1920. Samuel, his wife, and Merna are buried in the community cemetery in Dunning, Nebraska.
Frank and Merna migrated to Atkinson, Nebraska by horse in approximately 1900 in search of work, based on encouragement from a relative of Merna’s who was a resident of Atkinson. He was employed by a farm implement company, which he bought in approximately 1912, and renamed F. M. Keating & Sons. Frank and Merna had two children – Ralph and Phillip.
The boys worked for their parents’ agribusiness enterprises, which included the sale and service of farm implements, along with the production of beef, pork, sheep, row crops and forage.
Phil (P.J. as he was known) and Ralph purchased the company from Frank and his second wife, Anna, and operated the business until their deaths; Ralph in 1941 and Phil in 1953.
Phillip and his wife, Rose Tushla Keating, had three children: Robert, Maurice, and John. Maurice died shortly after his birth. Gerard’s father, John Francis Keating, was born on November 23, 1926. Rose died a few days after the birth of John. A few years later, Phil married Carrie Wabs, who raised John and Bob as her own sons.
John, along with Gerard’s mother, Dolores, and Bob and his wife Bernice, supported by their children, grew the family business through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s under the names of Keating Implement and Keating Brothers Livestock. When Bob passed away in 1979, John and Dolores purchased the interest in the business owned by Bob and Bernice.
John and Dolores continued to grow the family enterprise, investing in the farm equipment business dba Keating International, Land and Livestock feeding operations. In 1985, they chose to cease operations and retire after surviving a horrific recession which began in 1981 and did not bottom until 1987. Agriculture land values did not return to the 1981 peak until 1999.
John and Dolores enjoyed a wonderful retirement traveling and spending time with family and friends. Dolores lived a full life passing on July 6, 2008, at the age of 79. John passed in August 2017 in his own bed in the house which he and Dolores enjoyed for 64 years which was built by his father Phillip in 1917. Dolores, John, and other Keating family members mentioned above are buried in the community cemetery located in Atkinson, Nebraska.
Gerard Keating was born at the end of the baby boom generation in 1964 and is the youngest of eight children.
He lived a happy and free-spirited childhood in Atkinson, supported by a father who encouraged risk-taking, and a mother who demanded honesty and hard work. Gerard attended high school in Atkinson, enjoying Future Farmers of America leadership activities, friends, and sports. After graduating from high school in 1982, he attended the University of Nebraska where he majored in Agribusiness and graduated in 1987. He was Vice President of Alpha Gamma Sigma Fraternity and elected Study Body President/Regent in 1985.
Today, Gerard works to continue the family legacy by investing in value-add real estate across the United States.
Legacy Gallery
The Keating family has a rich history of distinguishable individuals.
John F. Keating - Gerard’s Father.
Phillip J. Keating - Gerard’s Grandfather.
Frank M. Keating - Gerard’s Great Grandfather.
LeRoy Herrmann - Gerard’s Great Uncle - Pitcher Chicago Cubs - 1932 Chicago Cubs World Series team.
1Lt. Harold Tushla - First cousin of Gerard’s grandmother Rose Tushla - (standing second from left) - Navigator B24 - Killed In Action 15 February 1943 - Bombing run departing Gambia Libya targeting Naples Italy.
Louis Tushla - First cousin of Gerard’s grandmother Rose Tushla - Killed in Action 7 December 1941 USS Oklahoma Pearl Harbor
Gerard’s 7 Siblings - 1963.
Gerard and Parents - Wedding Day June 29, 1990.