Four decades ago, John Bohne (pictured above), a son of German bean farmers started a crane company with one single 25-ton crane. With unmatched tenacity, John Bohne worked his knuckles raw to become one of the most powerful businessmen in Chicago, while also building one of the largest crane companies in the Midwest. From feeding a helpless family, paying off a crane operator’s debt, hiring attorneys to defend the defenseless, to re-roofing a small local church, John had a big heart.

Since his father’s passing in 2003, B.J. has led Imperial Crane Services as President and CEO. The company has quadrupled its size and revenues elevating its prominence to one of the largest crane companies in the world. All the while, B.J. Bohne has sought to carry on his father’s legacy of generosity, taking it a step further by launching the Bohne Foundation, a non-profit organization.

In February 2013, B.J. visited the African nation of Uganda. Having been moved by the tremendous needs there, he returned with a determination to make a real difference there and beyond. Immediately, funds were raised to support Akiba, a home dedicated to caring for children with cancer. We also shipped over 300Ibs. of books and critical supplies to a local school. We drilled our very first water-well for a village that now serves hundreds of families.

Back in the USA, the Bohne Foundation has raised support for medical research, sponsored charity benefits, partnered with global ministry outreaches, sponsored substance abuse recovery efforts, responded to relief campaigns and aggressively engaged in anti-gun-violence initiatives in the city of Chicago.

“God has blessed us with so much. But that is not enough. We now have an obligation to bless others – to give back to those who are less privileged. I am always reminded of Jesus words from the book of Luke: ‘Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full – pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.’ And what an honor it is to give!!”