INDIANAPOLIS — Newspapers have been hitting the doorsteps of Terre Haute residents and beyond for more than 100 years, something Gov. Mitch Daniels recognized Wednesday.
The Tribune Star Publishing Co. received a Century Award during the governor’s annual Century and Half Century Business Awards ceremony at the Statehouse.
These awards began in 1990 to honor Indiana businesses that have remained in operation for 100 or 50 years or more and have demonstrated a history of community service. More than 1,150 Hoosier companies have been recognized since their creation.
“To me, you perform the very highest act of community service, the very highest form of corporate citizenship when you make money,” Daniels said at the ceremony.
“That’s what I want you to do first and foremost, I want you to keep making money because when you do, you hire people, you offer hope and new opportunities for those who have come along behind us,” the governor said.
Publisher of the Tribune-Star newspaper, the Tribune Star Publishing Co. began publishing in 1894 and has continued to grow despite changing ownership, company names and printing locations during its 114 years of operation.
Jeremiah Turner, Tribune-Star publisher, accepted the award on the company’s behalf. He said he was honored to accept the award and looked forward to an additional 100 years for the company.
“As significantly as our business has changed over the past 100 years, it will change at least that much if not more in a much shorter time frame,” Turner said. “We’ve got to continue to evolve into more than just a newspaper company, but an information delivery company.”
Businesses were nominated by the Greater Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce.
“I think it’s exciting any time, especially in today’s environment with mergers and acquisitions and consolidations, when you have a company like the Tribune-Star that has been a part of your community for decades,” said Rod Henry, Chamber president, “that says an awful lot about the management, about the philosophy of the company itself and it’s really an honor for us to advance the name this year.”
Three other local businesses were honored for their longevity to providing community service and jobs to the area: C.H. Garmong & Son Inc. for 85 years of service; Ragle & Co. for 51 years of service; and The Meadows shopping center for 52 years. Vermillion County’s M.S.I. Construction Inc. also was honored with a Half Century Award for 51 years of service.
Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.
A brief history of the Tribune-Star Publishing Co.
1894 — The Daily Tribune created.
1903 — The Terre Haute Morning Star created.
1904 — The owner of the Daily Tribune purchased the Gazette and combined the two to form the Tribune Gazette.
1906 — The Tribune Gazette’s name was shortened to the Terre Haute Tribune, which began as a Republican paper and later switched to support the Democrat Party in the 1920s.
1907 — The Terre Haute Morning Star shortened its name to the Terre Haute Star, which had morning delivery and supported the Republican Party.
1931 — The Star was sold to the Tribune owners and the corporation became the Tribune-Star Publishing Co. with each paper continuing as separate daily publications and combined on Sundays to be the Tribune-Star.
1983 — Both papers were consolidated into one morning, daily newspaper.
1997 — The Tribune-Star business office moved to a new facility on Seventh Street.
2003 — A new, state-of-the-art production facility was built on Margaret Avenue.
Source: Tribune-Star publisher Jeremiah Turner.
Vigo County Century Award winner
• Tribune-Star Publishing Co., 114 years
• C.H. Garmong & Son Inc., 85 years
• Ragle & Co. Inc., 51 years
• The Meadows shopping center, 52 years
• M.S.I. Construction Inc., 51 years
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