HR0608 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0608 LRB095 12742 GRL 38094 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the owners and staff of the Siemer Milling Company on the company's 125th anniversary of service; and

WHEREAS, Siemer Milling Company is a family and employee-owned company that specializes in the milling of wheat flour to different specifications for the making of such foods as cookies, crackers, cakes, pretzels, batters and breadings, breads, and biscuits; and

WHEREAS, The Siemer Milling Company began in Teutopolis on November 6, 1882 when the company opened for business as "Hope Mills, Uptmor & Siemer Proprietors"; in 1906, Joseph Siemer and his son Clemens J. Siemer bought out the Uptmor interests and changed the name to Siemer Milling Company; and

WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Quintin A. Siemer, son of Clemens J. Siemer, the company became recommitted to flour milling in the late 1950's as new opportunities presented themselves; by 1979, demand justified the opening of a larger mill in Teutopolis, a mill that has almost doubled in capacity since its creation; and

WHEREAS, Richard C. Siemer, son of Quintin A. Siemer, became the fourth generation of Siemers to lead the company in 1986; their Illinois operations currently employ 65 people, process 6.3 million bushels of wheat annually with a current market value of about 35 million dollars, and produce 185,000 tons of processed wheat products annually; the company also operates flour mills in Hopkinsville, Kentucky; and

WHEREAS, In 2000, the Siemer Milling Company established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, which placed a significant percentage of company stock in a trust with all eligible employees as beneficiaries, so that the company's success will be translated into greater financial security for its participants; and

WHEREAS, The Siemer Milling Company's commitment to creating quality products and its sincere desire for customer and employee satisfaction makes the company a wonderful asset to the citizens of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the owners and staff of the Siemer Milling Company on the company's 125th anniversary of service and wish them continued success in their future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Siemer Milling Company owner Richard C. Siemer as a symbol of our esteem and respect.