Dewalt J. Willard, Jr. is one of three children born and raised in Poolesville, Maryland. He was a self-employed farmer starting at the age of 16. After graduating high school, he went to the University of Maryland for two years to study agriculture. He became a John Deere dealer at the age of 20 and in 1970, became the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Willard Agri-Service.

De is the President of several automotive businesses including Ideal Buick-GMC Hyundai of Frederick, Maryland and Shenandoah Motors and Shenandoah Ford of Front Royal, Virginia. De is also the Vice President of Graham Motors of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. A few of his past activities and affiliations include: Member and past President of Frederick County (Maryland) Auto Dealers Association, Member and past President of Monocacy Lions Club, Member and past President of NFSA-ARA in St. Louis, Missouri, and Member and Director for the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce.

He currently serves of the Board of Directors of the Willard Companies and for many companies and foundations around the country including, BB&T Bank Advisory Board in Frederick, Maryland, Abell Corporation in Monroe, Louisiana, Brandt Consolidated in Springfield, Illinois, Fluid Fertilizer Foundation in Manhattan, Kansas, the Maryland-Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc., the Maryland 4H Foundation, Inc., The Fertilizer Institute in Washington DC, and Dutch’s Daughter Restaurant in Frederick, Maryland.

De has had many accomplishments throughout his career. He has received many awards from the National Fertilizer Solutions Association that include, Gold Leaf Award, the association’s highest honor, as well as the Man of the Year Award. In 2002, he was awarded the Mid-Atlantic Master Farmer award by the Maryland Farmer Magazine and University of Maryland Cooperative Extension. The University of Maryland Cooperative Extension service also awarded Dewalt the Service to Agriculture Award. He has received the Executive Industry Review Group Award by the National Fertilizer Development Center of the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Business Person of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce of Frederick County in Maryland.