Van G. Miller

Whether he was personally calling all 850 of his employees on their birthdays or building one of the Midwest’s most successful health care companies, Van G. Miller is remembered as a leader who put others first.

Miller was quick to credit success not to himself, but to the people around him.

“The key to my success is hiring the right people,” Miller once told an interviewer.

“And I hire people smarter than myself,” he added with a smile. “It’s worked rather well.”

Following his service as a U.S. Army medic, the enterprising Miller started several ventures, including farming and insurance, before finding his way into the home medical equipment industry. In 1976, he founded Miller Medical Supply in Waterloo, which a decade later became VGM, a company nationally recognized for growth, sales and dedication to its employees. Today, VGM is one of the largest 100% employee-owned companies in the United States.

Throughout his life and career, Miller’s success begot generosity, with many Cedar Valley organizations able to expand their work thanks to his donations. At the University of Northern Iowa, his giving helped propel the Panthers to greater heights through athletic scholarships and transformational projects such as the McLeod Center, recent renovations to the UNI-Dome and support for the future Court Sports Training Facility.

“Van was one of a kind,” remembered Jim Jermier, president of the UNI Foundation. “He was a visionary who cared deeply about his employees and the Cedar Valley.”

Following his death in 2015, Miller’s legacy continues through the Van G. Miller Family Charitable Foundation. The Foundation was honored as a 2025 recipient of the President’s Philanthropy Award at UNI.