Dallas Seavey. PC: Fox 11 Online
NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — On an Alaskan cruise for their anniversary in 2006, a pair of well-known Northeast Wisconsin business owners and philanthropists, Jim and Rosanne, met an 18-year-old with a big future vision at a dogsledding excursion in Seward. His goal was to become the world’s great Iditarod musher.
Dallas Seavey would later tell the Kellers, “you bet on the right horse”.
Recently, Seavey cemented securing himself on top of the all-time greats list.
“When people ask him about branding and promoting the Iditarod, he says call Mr. Keller,” Jim said
If you look closely videos and photos from the Iditarod you might recognize a familiar Northeast Wisconsin logo.
“JJ Keller coats, JJ Keller hats, JJ Keller dog coats, JJ Keller sled, JJ Keller pick up truck,” as Keller listed off the list of logoed apparel.
“My job at the finish line is to make sure the hat is straight so you can see the title,” joked Rosanne.
Seavey says he’s not sure how many pieces of clothing in his drawers at home, including his dogs, say J.J. Keller on them.
“I don’t even know, it would be a very high number,” Seavey answered with a laugh.
It is a very unique partnership that goes back a decade and a half to when Jim left Seavey his business card following their sled dog anniversary excursion.
“I said, son, call me in a couple of weeks when we get back from the cruise, I have a concept, and she (Rosanne) goes, ‘here he goes again with another Jim Keller venture!'” joked Jim.
“I figured this would be a one-year deal, they are interested in it, it’s fun to be involved with than move on, but it has been so very different than that,” added Seavey.
From Seavey becoming the youngest to ever win it in 2012, now in 2024, he has been crowned the only six-time Iditarod champion.
“I am just as amazed now as I was in 2012. He should win an ESPY — I will put that plug on the news. He is their Super Bowl champion, he’s it. He just said it a couple of months ago that without the Kellers, we wouldn’t be where we are,” Jim reflected.
J.J. Keller and Associates is located just on the outskirts of Neenah, over 3,000 miles away from Nome, Alaska, site of the finish line. Jim and Rosanne have been there many times, but the feeling watching Seavey win never gets old.
“They open it up and it’s a wall of people. He comes in, and then they close it. That’s when it hits you, when you are in that wall. Wow,” Jim exclaimed.
“Grandkids were sitting and watching and go, ‘there is grandma, there is grandpa!'” added Rosanne.
Seavey says it would be a strange feeling to cross the finish line if the Keller’s weren’t there.
“They are part of the family now, right? Because that is kind of part of what has become the tradition now, I suppose, we get there and get to visit and hang out,” Seavey said with a smile.
“We consider him almost like one of our sons,” Jim said of Seavey.
“We’ve gone up for two of his brothers weddings,” added Rosanne.
When their book titled “Born to Mush” was published, it included 127 pages, but after so many stories from then until now, it could probably be a full-fledged novel.
“People go, ‘wow!’ It’s been one of those unique things that has worked out, crazy,” Jim smiled and said.
“We truly did something that nobody has done before and being able to do that with Jim and Rosanne from the beginning, it’s been a really neat experience,” added Seavey.
Their story is not done being written.
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