Myers Spring Company, S.U.S. Cast Products honored for longevity, service to Hoosier workforce

Last Updated on March 21, 2019 by cassnetwork

INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb honored 65 Indiana companies and organizations on March 21 during an event at the Indiana Statehouse, presenting each with the Governor’s Century or Half Century Business Award in recognition of each company’s longevity and service to its employees, community and the state.

“Today we honor businesses that have helped lay a foundation for economic success in Indiana, maintaining operations for more than 50 to 100 years and creating long-term career opportunities for Hoosiers,” Gov. Holcomb said. “Through a strong dedication to their employees, their businesses and their communities, these companies exemplify the pioneering spirit and perseverance that will push our state forward for years to come.”

The Governor’s Century and Half Century Business Awards honor Hoosier businesses that have remained in operation for a minimum of 100 or 50 consecutive years and have demonstrated a commitment to community service. More than 1,500 Indiana companies have been recognized during the award’s 28-year history.

Century Award honorees for 2019:

• Cash Concrete Products, founded by Clyde Cash in 1918, is a family-owned and operated company in Greencastle providing quality building materials like ready-mix concrete, concrete block, brick, stone veneer and other supplies for commercial, farm, industrial and residential uses.
  101 years; Putnam County
   
• Claeys Candy, founded by Jerome “J.C.” Claeys in 1919, launched its operations in Claeys’ garage in South Bend. The company makes confections such as Old Fashion Sugared Hard Candies, Chocolate Charlie®, Gourmet Peanut Brittle and Fudges using the finest ingredients in small production batches.
  100 years; St. Joseph County 
   
• Cummins, Inc., a global power leader, is a Columbus-headquartered corporation with complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and related technologies. The company offers a diverse portfolio of products including diesel and natural gas engines, hybrid engines and electrified powertrains. The company’s products are used in trucks, buses, trains, a variety of watercraft as well as off-highway equipment and generators.
  100 years; Bartholomew County 
   
• Dubois County Title Co., Inc., which has served southwest Indiana communities since 1891, offers its clients cost-effective, accurate real estate title searches, title insurance and escrow closings. The current third and fourth-generation family members along with the company’s talented team continue to work together to protect and reduce real estate ownership risks.
  128 years; Dubois County 
   
• Good Samaritan, Knox County’s largest employer and Indiana’s first county-owned hospital, offers affordable access to high-quality health services for southwest Indiana and southeast Illinois residents. Licensed for 158 in-house patients, Good Samaritan also has more than 540,000 outpatient and 39,500 emergency-room visits annually. With services ranging from radiation oncology to child birth, this growing health care provider balances quality patient care with preventive education.
  111 years; Knox County 
   
• Hauenstein’s, which originally started as a sales and repair shop for horse bridles, is a family-owned clothing store in Tell City led by Albert and John Hauenstein. The store provides quality clothing options for men, women and children, including brands like Carhartt, Levi’s, Wrangler and Carolina Boot.
  153 years; Perry County
   
• Henry Poor Lumber Company, which has been locally-owned and operated in the Greater Lafayette area since 1918, supplies building materials, wood packaging, custom mill work, engineered components, cabinets, countertops and floor coverings. Today, the company has three locations in Indiana, including its main 65,000-square-foot headquarters with a 15,000-square-foot showroom in Lafayette, its Flooring Express facility in Lafayette and its Kokomo-based sales office.
  101 years; Tippecanoe County
   
• Hertel’s Shoe Store, which was founded in 1888, is a third-generation, family-owned shoe store in Batesville. Operated by Harold and Katherine Weiler, Hertel’s Shoe Store sells name brand shoes and offers custom-fitting services for men, women and children in southeast Indiana. 
  131 years; Ripley County 
   
• Indiana Bridge, Muncie’s oldest manufacturer, is a minority-owned business enterprise providing high-quality steel fabrication and erection services across the U.S. Founded as the Indiana Bridge Company in 1886, the company originally constructed steel structures like bridges, trestles and bridge abutments, later expanding to complex facilities and rack and structural projects.
  133 years; Delaware County 
   
• Insurance Management Group (IMG) is an independent insurance agency headquartered in Marion with additional offices in Indianapolis, Carmel, Elwood and Fort Wayne. IMG specializes in home, auto, and business insurance programs as well as employee and senior benefits. Tailoring insurance coverage to fit its clients’ unique and individual needs, IMG has proudly served customers since 1875.
  144 years; Grant County 
   
• Levin Tire & Service Center, founded by Henry Levin in 1918, is a third-generation, family-owned business offering automotive maintenance and repair services, new tires and tire-related services across its six locations in northwest Indiana. 
  101 years; Lake County 
   
• Modern Aluminum Castings offers its customers, which include small and mid-sized original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), full-service aluminum casting capabilities from design to delivery. At its 60,000-square-foot Terre Haute facility, the company houses a fully-automated production system designed to accommodate all casting requirements. 
  100 years; Vigo County 
   
• More Farm Stores, a fourth-generation, family-owned business, has served rural areas in northeast Indiana since 1913, offering new and used equipment for agricultural, construction, landscape and outdoor purposes. More Farm Stores has 30 employees across its three locations and is one of the largest compact tractor dealers in the Midwest.
  106 years; Whitley County
   
• Peerless Printing Corporation, currently owned by Kurt and Anne Kohlmorgen, was founded in 1901 and purchased by Kurt’s great grandfather, John Hood Macadam, in 1910. Primarily serving central and north central Indiana, the Marion-based business specializes in print sales, office supply sales and office furnishing with focuses in office design and equipment. 
  118 years; Grant County
   
• Reis-Nichols Jewelers, family owned and operated in Indianapolis since 1919, offers the largest selection of quality jewelry brands in the Midwest with more than 20 designer lines and a dozen top-name Swiss watches. With a staff of industry experts including gemologists, designers, diamond setters, goldsmiths, watch makers and engravers, Reis-Nichols was built on and continues to uphold its values of service and respect for its customers.
  100 years; Marion County
   
• Ryan, Moore, Cook, Triplett & Albertson LLP is a Frankfort-based law firm founded by Judge James Kent in 1902 and joined by then associate Thomas Ryan in 1907. The firm provides legal services in estate planning, business, real estate, creditor’s rights and civil litigation to Hoosiers and businesses in Clinton County and the surrounding areas.
  117 years; Clinton County
   
• Sandman Brothers, which started as the Sandman Tire and Bicycle Shop in 1918, is a Shelbyville-based, family-owned automobile sales and repair business, serving as a Cadillac, GMC, Buick, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Vespa dealership in Shelby County. 
  101 years; Shelby County
   
• Sutton-Garten Co., an Indianapolis-based distributor of welding equipment and gases, was founded in 1918. The company sells, services and rents welding equipment, provides gases for industrial and beverage gas customers, and produces dry ice for commercial uses. Sutton-Garten has 35 employees, including third and fourth-generation family members, and has been recognized by the American Welding Society for promoting welding and welding training.
  101 years; Marion County
   
• YMCA of DeKalb County, founded by Charles Eckart who also served as the first president of the board, offers spiritual, physical and mental wellness programs for Hoosiers and recreational facilities, which include pools, indoor and outdoor tracks, soccer and football fields, trail networks, a splash pad and one of the only field houses in the Midwest. Over the past five years, the YMCA of DeKalb County’s membership has quadrupled to serving more than 11,000 people in northeast Indiana.
  107 years; DeKalb County

Half Century Award honorees for 2019:

• Amish Acres was founded by Richard Pletcher when he purchased the 80-acre Stahly-Nisley-Kuhns farm, the only Amish farm listed in the National Register of Historic Places, at public auction in 1968. After restoring the farm and relocating historical structures to Nappanee, Amish Acres was transformed into one of Indiana’s premier heritage tourism destinations, attracting visitors to its restaurants, shops, live theatre and lodging. 
  51 years; Elkhart County
   
• Bassemier’s Fireplace, Patio & Spas, which was founded by John and Diana Bassemier in 1968, is an Evansville-based, family-owned business selling fireplaces, patio furniture, spas and saunas, awnings and other outdoor equipment. In 2014, the company was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work and Companies to Watch by the Indiana Chamber and Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), respectively. 
  51 years; Vanderburgh County 
   
• Biagi, Chance, Cummins, London, Titzer (BCCLT) Inc. provides civil, electrical and mechanical engineering services in Indiana and across the eastern U.S. Throughout its more than 50-year history, BCCLT has maintained long-term client relationships while providing professional expertise for governmental agencies, education institutions and health care and industrial businesses.
  54 years; Vanderburgh County 
   
• Cancer Association of Shelby County, founded in 1959, is a Shelbyville-based nonprofit providing cancer patients with assistance for transportation, medication, health insurance costs, in-home care, medical equipment, dental services, nursing supplies, equipment and human service needs such as utilities, mammograms and colonoscopies. 
  60 years; Shelby County 
   
• Cancer Services of Grant County is a community-based nonprofit serving cancer patients in Grant County by ensuring access to quality care. The nonprofit offers free services such as patient navigation, transportation, financial assistance, home healthcare equipment, wigs, supplies, free screenings and housing assistance.
  60 years; Grant County 
   
• Dogan and Dogan Attorneys at Law is a Portage law firm founded by Matthew Dogan in 1947, when he moved to northwest Indiana after serving as a law professor at Indiana University. Matthew’s son, Thomas Dogan, is the managing member of the firm, and Thomas’ son, Matt Dogan, serves as an attorney partner.
  72 years; Porter County 
   
• Eichhorn & Eichhorn LLP, founded by attorney John Lawyer in Hammond in 1938, is a trusted litigation firm providing trial litigation services and legal assistance in Indiana and Illinois. Fourteen of Eichhorn & Eichhorn’s attorneys were recently ranked by Super Lawyers as Indiana’s 2019 Super Lawyers or Rising Stars.
  81 years; Lake County 
   
• Garcor Supply Company, which was founded by Steve Corbett and Emil Garlati in 1965, is a Marion-based business supplying special fasteners as well as parts and equipment for heaters and controls, power transmissions, mills, and pneumatics and hydraulics.
  54 years; Grant County 
   
• Gatlin Plumbing & Heating (GPH), family owned and operated since 1938, was started by Ivan and Marjorie Gatlin as a residential and commercial plumbing business. GPH has since expanded to include underground, large-scale commercial plumbing, HVAC and sheet metal divisions. 
  81 years; Lake County
   
• Good Oil Company, founded by Don O. Good Sr. in 1941, is a fuel jobber and owner of the Good To Go convenience store chain, which operates 16 retail locations and supplies more than 100 dealer locations. Along with giving back to the community through philanthropic events and sponsorships, Good Oil raised more than $40,000 this past summer for local schools through its “G.O. for School Safety” campaign.
  78 years; Pulaski County 
   
• Gorman & Bunch Orthodontics, which was founded by Dr. John C. Gorman Sr. in 1962, is a Marion-based orthodontics practice with six additional locations in Indiana. The practice is committed to integrating the latest technology and treatment techniques in orthodontics to deliver quality care for its patients. Gorman & Bunch Orthodontics is the No. 1 provider of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen in the state. 
  57 years; Grant County 
   
• Hoosier Hills Credit Union, a Bedford-based financial cooperative, operates eight financial service centers in south central and southwest Indiana, providing personal and commercial loan, savings, investment and insurance services. Today, Hoosier Hills Credit Union has more than $550 million in assets and serves nearly 30,000 members in 35 Indiana counties. 
  50 years; Lawrence County
   
• Hoosier Uplands, founded as a community action agency in 1966, is a nonprofit providing comprehensive services like housing and energy assistance, health and education-focused programs and counseling to poor, elderly and disabled Hoosiers in southwest Indiana.  
  53 years; Lawrence County
   
• Jayco manufactures and markets towable and motorized recreation vehicles (RVs) through its Jayco, Starcraft, Entegra Coach and Highland Ridge RV divisions. Today, the company has more than 3,000 employees and supplies over 300 dealers across the U.S. As one of the industry’s top RV manufacturers, Jayco contributes to the growth of the RV industry, with nearly 80 percent of all RV production occurring right here in Indiana.
  51 years; Elkhart County
   
• Kersting’s Cycle Center is a Winamac-based motorcycle dealership established by Jim and Nella Kersting in 1962. With more than 40,000 square feet of showroom and service space, Kersting’s Cycle Center sells 400 motorcycles, including Harley-Davidson and Yamaha brands, annually. At its facility, the business also features a motorcycle museum called the World of Motorcycles Museum. 
  57 years; Pulaski County 
   
• Lawrenceburg Veterinary Clinic, founded by Dr. Jerald Jacobsen in 1968, is a Greendale-based veterinary clinic. Originally a mixed animal practice, the Lawrenceburg Veterinary Clinic transformed into a walk-in clinic providing primary care and surgery for dogs and cats across the tri-state (Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky) area.
  51 years; Dearborn County
   
• Lewger Machine & Tool, a Kendallville-based manufacturer founded in 1951, specializes in machining, grinding and surface grinding, stamping and pump rebuilding. At its 26,600-square-foot facility, the company makes parts for customers across the U.S. and Canada, including large corporations like Kraft Foods and Parker Hannifin.
  68 years; Noble County
   
• The Log Inn, a family-owned restaurant founded in 1965 by Pete and Vic Rettig, is one of the oldest log inn and stage coach stops in the nation, originally built in 1825. After the family purchased the building, they discovered its logs, researched its history and learned Abraham Lincoln visited the inn in November 1844. Acquired by Gene and Rita Elpers and now managed by their children, Kathy, Daryl and Trish, The Log Inn is known for their homemade food, with fried chicken as the specialty. 
  54 years; Gibson County
   
• Lonsbury Garage, founded by Al Lonsbury in 1951, is an eight-bay full automotive and diesel trucking repair shop, servicing Steuben County and surrounding areas with a focus of providing excellent customer service and quality of work at an affordable price. 
  68 years; Steuben County
   
• Luke Family of Brands, founded by Ralph Luke in Hobart in 1967, is a third-generation, family-owned company that has diversified into commercial divisions such as Luke Oil, GoLo, County Line Orchard, Luke Convenience Stores, Luke Builds, $5 Car Wash and LiqGo. Today, Luke distributes more than 500 million gallons of fuel annually through its network of retail gas stations, dealers and fuel distributors across the Midwest, and supports growth opportunities for more than 900 employees.  
  52 years; Lake County
   
• MacAllister Machinery Company, one of Indiana’s leading heavy equipment suppliers, sells and rents Caterpillar equipment along with more than 50 other brands. The Indianapolis-based company, which has 34 locations across Indiana and Michigan, was founded by E.W. MacAllister and is a third-generation, family-owned business, offering quality products, parts and advanced technologies for its growing client base.
  78 years; Marion County 
   
• Major Hospital Foundation was established in 1961 to support Shelby County’s community hospital, Major Hospital, and its patients by improving the hospital’s technology, equipment and facilities, enhancing patient assistance and increasing health education. The foundation recently committed $1 million to the construction of the Sue Ann Wortman Nephrology Center, which is scheduled to open this summer. 
  58 years; Shelby County 
   
• Mann’s Inc., founded by Richard Mann in 1968, offers plumbing, heating and air conditioning services to residential and commercial customers in northeast Indiana.
  51 years; Huntington County
   
• Manpower of Richmond, launched by Hoosier entrepreneur Geneva Allen in 1966, is a staffing services business with locations in Richmond, Connersville and Portland. Manpower, a third-generation franchise owned and operated by Michael J. Allen, Michael D. Allen and Debbie Whirley, serves most of east central Indiana, including Blackford, Henry, Fayette, Jay, Rudolph, Union and Wayne counties.
  53 years; Wayne County
   
• Mason Corporation, started by Ralph Mason in 1950, is a Schererville-based, family-owned business that manufactures and markets high-purity inorganic tin-based chemicals, which are used in a wide variety of applications and sold and shipped globally. The company is currently managed by the third generation of the Mason family, and has grown alongside the town of Schererville since its inception.
  69 years; Lake County 
   
• Mayfield Insurance, founded by Herschel Coleman in 1921 and now owned by Dean Mayfield, is an independent insurance agency located in Mooresville devoted to selling and servicing all lines of personal and business insurance coverage.
  98 years; Morgan County 
   
• McIntosh Energy, which was started by Korean War veteran Russell McIntosh in 1953, provides fuel cards and onsite fuel delivery for commercial fleets and business owners. The company also operates four Sunoco MacFood Mart gas stations in northeast Indiana.  
  66 years; Allen County 
   
• McMahon’s Best-One Tire & Auto Care, an independent tire dealer and auto repair/fleet service shop with five locations in Fort Wayne and New Haven, has been family owned and operated since 1969. Pat “Bubba” and Kim McMahon run the day-to-day operations which began with Pat’s father. In 2018, McMahon’s supported more than 30 local charities and organizations, including Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, Community Harvest Food Bank and Fort Wayne Pet Food Pantry, to name a few.
  50 years; Allen County
   
• Mercer Machine Company, established in 1954 by founder Wayne Mercer, provides high-precision machining services for the aerospace, automotive and commercial industries. The company utilizes state-of-the-art equipment in all areas of production, including turning, milling, wire electrical discharge machining, production sawing and inspection.
  65 years; Marion County 
   
• Miles Printing, originally founded by Charles Moran in 1920 as a precision die-cutting business, is a WBE-certified, woman-owned marketing, print and communication company, providing marketing, design, e-commerce, print and fulfillment with inventory management for clients in the life sciences and health care sectors.  
  99 years; Marion County 
   
• Myers Spring Company is a Logansport-based manufacturer that designs and produces quality springs and wire forms for industries such as agriculture, automotive, industrial, heavy truck and many others. The company was started by Walter Myers, who had a passion for quality service that is carried on by Myers Spring’s 65 employees and celebrated by its growing customer base, which includes the company’s first customer since it was founded in 1946. 
  73 years; Cass County
   
• N.A. Logan, started by Nicholas Logan in 1957, is a Gary-based, family-owned industrial painting and specialized coating contractor, offering expert field and shop capabilities to industrial and commercial businesses in Indiana, Michigan and Illinois.
  62 years; Lake County
   
• Natco Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative in east central Indiana, providing loans, checking and savings accounts, credit card options and other financial services to Hoosier families. The credit union has been consistently rated by Bauer Financial as a five-star financial institution – the highest possible rating for banking performance.
  75 years; Wayne County
   
• New Horizons Rehabilitation, a Batesville-based nonprofit with locations also in Brookville and Penntown, offers care and support for Hoosiers with intellectual and developmental disabilities in southeast Indiana. Through day services, community participation, residential support and employment opportunities, New Horizons helps provide greater life experiences for more than 300 individuals in five counties. 
  51 years; Ripley County
   
• Northwest Indiana Telephone Company (NITCO), founded by George Mussman in 1939, the Hebron-based telecommunications company provides broadband, commercial and residential fiber optics, DSL and voice services in northwest Indiana.
  80 years; Porter County
   
• R.P. Wakefield, founded by Russell P. Wakefield in 1954 and acquired by Donald Ruegsegger in 1963, is a Waterloo-based hardwood moulding company designing, developing and delivering quality wood products for its clients. The company is now owned by Donald’s son, Brian Ruegsegger.
  65 years; DeKalb County
   
• Romary Associates, a commercial land, design and building firm established by Ed Romary in 1968, specializes in land acquisition, space planning, interior design as well as conventional and modular construction of financial institution buildings.
  51 years; Allen County
   
• Runnebohm Construction is a Shelbyville-based design/build general contractor with more than 65 employees. The company has completed hundreds of projects throughout Indiana, with a focus on industrial and commercial construction. 
  51 years; Shelby County 
   
• S.U.S. Cast Products was founded by Salvador Sienna, who helped fuel the growth of Indiana’s die casting industry, in 1946. Operating a state-of-the-art, 65,000-square-foot facility in Logansport, the privately-held manufacturer owned by JR Merlau and Jeff Todd provides high-quality aluminum die cast parts throughout North America to top global OEMs. 
  73 years; Cass County
   
• Speedgrip Chuck Company, founded by Fred Earnest and his son Richard Earnest in 1946, is a manufacturer of high-precision, customized workholding equipment for CNC machine tools. From its Elkhart facility, the company sells to a diverse set of customers and industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense, off-road and construction, and health care.
  73 years; Elkhart County
   
• Sullair, established in Michigan City in 1965, is one of the largest air compressor manufacturers in the world. The company is globally recognized as a leading manufacturer of air compressors – including portable, oil free and oil flooded stationary and a complete line of complementary air treatment solutions – for use in nearly every industry, from manufacturing and oil and gas to food processing and construction. 
  54 years; LaPorte County
   
• Wabash MPI, a global supplier of production and laboratory hydraulic and pneumatic presses, was founded in 1941 by Charles Brown. The first hydraulic press was created for a Wabash high school science teacher who wanted to teach his students about molding and laminating various materials. Wabash MPI has expanded into presses for production compression molding, transfer molding, C-frame as well as presses with vacuum assist, and has produced more than 12,000 presses in its 78 years of operation. 
  78 years; Wabash County
   
• Wawasee Boat Company, founded by Ken Harkless in 1929, provides boat sales, service and storage for customers on Lake Wawasee and surrounding lakes, and has grown to be one of the largest marinas in the state. In 1977, Doug and Carolyn Anderson and their son Russell obtained ownership and have operated the 45-acre campus on the north shore of Lake Wawasee for 42 years. 
  90 years; Kosciusko County
   
• WBAT-AM, a radio station serving the northeast Indiana region for 72 years, officially signed on in 1947. Through the years, WBAT has been a music radio station, a news/talk station and the “voice” of the Marion High School Giants. The station regularly partners with several nonprofit organizations to increase community awareness and support, host radiothon fundraisers and offer free advertising.
  72 years; Grant County
   
• Winamac Coil Spring, founded by Walter Pesaresi in 1948, is a third-generation, family-owned and operated company that produces quality, long-lasting springs and wire forms globally. The company’s products are utilized by a variety of industries such as off-road vehicles, racing, agriculture equipment, medical devices, industrial equipment and heavy machinery. Winamac Coil Spring’s mantra is that the company’s current 188 employees are its “greatest asset.”
  71 years; Fulton County
   
• WXXC-FM, a radio station serving the northeast Indiana region for 71 years, was founded in 1948 as WMRI. Through the years, WXXC has played light adult contemporary music, classic hits and popular adult contemporary music. Like WBAT, the station helps increase awareness and support, hosting fundraisers, offering free advertising and providing extensive coverage of nonprofit events and news.
  71 years; Grant County

A number of these award winners have utilized services provided by the Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Indiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to fuel their growth in Indiana. Myers Spring and R.P. Wakefield, for example, received business planning and strategy development services from the Indiana SBDC, a one-stop shop for Hoosier entrepreneurs looking to start and grow a business, while Mercer Machine Company received contracting assistance from the Indiana PTAC, which helps Indiana businesses compete for and win federal, state and local contracts. 

SOURCE: News release from the Office of Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb