HR1355 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1355 LRB094 20769 HSS 59088 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois are pleased to recognize milestone events of businesses in this State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, During 2006, the Home Telephone Co. of St. Jacob is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding; and

WHEREAS, Home Telephone Co. is a family business that has a long-standing goal to provide the latest high-tech services to area residents; the company has a history of ensuring that its customers have the best services possible as soon as possible; and

WHEREAS, Home Telephone Co. was formed on July 6, 1906, when 75 local residents met to expand the service beyond the single phone available at a local store; the first owners of Home Telephone Co. were Frank Virgin and his son, Bert, and Phillip Baer and his son, Harold; the name, Home Telephone Co., was chosen because the business was operated out of a house; the first switchboard was located in a room attached to the east side of Gaffner's Drug Store; and

WHEREAS, Today, the telephone central office is located at 501 N. Douglas Street; to join the nationwide convergence to digital technology, a new central office and business office was built in 1993; the conversion to digital technology enabled Home Telephone Co. to become one of the first rural telephone providers to offer digital calling features and voice mail; and

WHEREAS, As of 2006, Home Telephone Co. serves over 1,000 access lines in its 52 square-mile service area; the company offers advanced services such as high-speed Internet, long distance, digital cable television, and data storage services; it still operates as a family business, now in its third generation; and

WHEREAS, Richard Schmidt operates Home Telephone Co. with his four children, Eric, Jason, Justin, and Rachel; Gwen Kunz, Bill Holman, Brian Kuhl, Terri Burroughs, Bill Flesch, Robert Butler, and Nic Farley complete the team at Home Telephone Co.; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the 100th anniversary of the Home Telephone Co.; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Home Telephone Co. as an expression of our esteem and with best wishes for continued success.