FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 14, 1999

INDIANAPOLIS — Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan today presented three Randolph County companies with the Lieutenant Governor’s Half Century Business Award. This honor is awarded annually to selected Indiana companies that are more than 50 years old and have a strong history of community service.

"Companies like these are great examples of continued dedication and quality," said Kernan. "The contributions they have made are vital to the strength of our economy and the health of our communities."

Manning Service Inc. in Saratoga, Standard Agencies Inc. in Union City, and Silver Towne L.P. in Winchester were honored by Kernan in a ceremony at the Statehouse.

Manning Service Inc. (www.msiwix.com) was established by Merritt Manning in 1948 as a gas and service station. The company has evolved to include groceries, pizza, self-rental storage and one of the largest kerosene heating product distributors in the USA. Manning Service Inc. has donated time, service and funds to 4-H beef sales, Saratoga Little League, the Randolph County Sheriffs office, school athletic programs, Boy Scouts, Lions Club, the Saratoga Fire Dept. and the annual Saratoga Festival.

Standard Agencies Inc. was founded by Raymond A. Bennett in 1931 and offers a wide variety of insurance products. Over the years, Standard Agencies Inc. has participated in local church memberships, the Randolph County hospital board, the Elks and Masonic lodges, Union City Jaycees, Union City Rotary Club, Union City Kiwanis, the Board of Zoning Appeals and, the Community Foundation of Randolph County.

Established in 1949 by Leon Hendrickson, Silver Towne L.P. operates as a coin and jewelry shop. Hendrickson has been very active in the community through the school board, Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, YMCA, American Heart Association and the local Selective Service board. He has also received several lifetime achievement awards and was voted Man of the Year in 1988 by the Winchester Silver Dollar Round Table.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Half Century Business Awards are a tribute to Indiana’s well-established companies and their outstanding contributions to the economic growth and prosperity of the state. They are awarded based on nominations from an individual or organization within the same community. Eligible companies must be more than 50 years old, be involved in the same type of business and located in the same county as when they were founded, and have a record of active community service. Not-for-profit corporations and hospitals are ineligible.

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