First 5 gain induction into business Hall of Fame

COLUMBUS - The imagination, initiative and discipline of the five men continue to benefit the area. As the inaugural inductees into the Columbus Area Business Hall of Fame, their notable accomplishments are again in the spotlight.

Former Columbus businessmen Phil Hockenberger Sr., Harold Kramer and Walt, Gilbert and Mike Behlen were inducted posthumously to the local hall of fame during a Tuesday night banquet at the New World Inn.

“We would do well to emulate the successes of these trailblazers,” Gov. Dave Heineman said. “They believed in God. They believed in themselves. They believed in Columbus. They believed in Nebraska.”

Master of ceremonies for the event was University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken, who said the legacy left behind by the five men profoundly impacted the development of this area.

Kramer was a general manager of the Loup Power District, who achieved national recognition for his state and national public power leadership.

He first became active in Nebraska's public power systems in 1932 when he assisted in bringing about the passage of the state law that permitted the establishment of public power districts. An active member of many civic enterprises, Kramer became the secretary and general manager of the Loup River hydro system when it came into existence.

He played an important role in the combining of Tri-County, Platte Valley and Loup districts into the Nebraska Public Power System. On a national scale, Kramer became one of the principal organizers of the American Public Power Association and served as its first general manager.

Kramer's daughter, Katharine Wilkins, accepted the hall of fame award and said her father would have been proud of where Columbus is today.

Hockenberger was a civic leader for more than 60 years. He was instrumental in the promotion of the Loup Public Power District in 1932 and also promoted the Consumer Public Power District, now Nebraska Public Power District, in 1938.

He conceived the idea of creating an industrial site to bring industry to Columbus. The first 12 acres were sold to the Behlen family for construction of the Behlen Mfg. Co. Several other companies followed in quick succession.

In 1930, Hockenberger promoted a new viaduct over the railroad on 33rd Avenue, eliminating the branch tracks that used to run on what is now known as Howard Boulevard. He also was instrumental in getting U.S. Highway 30 to go around Columbus via 33rd Avenue and east on 23rd street before the north side of the city was developed.

Accepting the award were Hockenberger's children, Barbra Ferguson and Phil Hockenberger Jr. Ferguson said Columbus was her father's idea of a wonderful place to live, and although he may be remembered as a great businessman, she remembers him as a great father.

The Behlen brothers took a business from the family garage to one of Columbus' premier employers. Production of steel toe caps for industrial wooden-soled shoes was the first product of Behlen Mfg. Co. More products and innovations would follow as Walt was joined in the business by his brothers, Gilbert and Mike Behlen. With the success of toe caps and reusable egg case lid clamps, Behlen was a full-time manufacturer by 1943. Behlen had built a 200-foot by 200-foot plant on an industrial site on the east edge of Columbus by 1946.

The company's innovations continued into the 1950s with the introduction of what was known at the time as a “honeycomb” building. Built from rolled steel panels that served as both the structural component and skin of the building, the need for interior framing was eliminated. Using the new building concept, the company expanded with a 40,000-square-foot addition to the existing plant. The brothers expanded the plant again in 1956 and grew the firm to a worldwide manufacturer before selling the company to the Wickes Corp. in 1969.

The company was returned to local ownership under the leadership of Tony Raimondo in 1984.

The Behlen family has invested in its hometown and state many times. Among the family's many contributions, the brothers generously donated to the Columbus Family YMCA and the Columbus Hospital, as well as two University of Nebraska properties - the Behlen Observatory in Mead and the Behlen Laboratory of Physics on the Lincoln Campus.

Walt, Mike, and Gilbert were elected to the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame in 2004.

Accepting the Hall of Fame award for the Behlens were Rod Behlen, Lois Behlen, Mary Ann Hruska and Kent Behlen. Hruska said the brothers owed their work ethic and curiosity to their parents.

The Columbus Area Business Hall of Fame was established by the Columbus S-150 Committee and will be overseen in future years by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Induction ceremonies were presented in conjunction with annual Small and Large Business of the Year Awards presented by The Columbus Telegram. The banquet was sponsored by BankFirst.

Keynote speaker was marketing guru Orvel Ray Wilson, who is the co-author of five of the legendary Guerrilla business books, including “Guerrilla Selling,” Guerrilla Trade Show Selling,” “Guerrilla TeleSelling,” “Guerrilla Negotiating,” and “Guerrilla Retailing.”