[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO FLUHRER BAKERIES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. FRANK RIGGS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 22, 1998

  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay 
tribute to a Northern California Institution at its 100th Anniversary: 
Fluhrer Bakeries, Inc.
  Fluhrer Bakeries, the largest wholesale bakery north of San Francisco 
and south of Eugene, Oregon, is located in California's First 
Congressional District behind the ``Redwood Curtain,'' in the City of 
Eureka. Eureka is 265 miles north of San Francisco, California, and 100 
miles south of the Oregon border. Its market area includes: Humboldt, 
Del Norte, Mendocino, Shasta, Trinity, Tehama, Siskiyou, Butte, Sutter 
counties in California, and Curry County in Southern Oregon.
  Fluhrer bakes daily a full range of pan breads, hearth breads, rolls 
and buns. The company serves the retail trade, and also carries a full 
line of restaurant and institutional products.
  Fluhrer Bakeries started out as Log Cabin Bakery in 1898. It was 
located at 621 5th Street, Eureka, California and was owned by Ira S. 
Mulford. The 1898 Eureka City Directory also lists the same address as 
his place of residence.
  Log Cabin Bakery, under the direction of Arthur Hunting, was 
incorporated on February 15th, 1923. At one point, Log Cabin Bakery 
suffered a disastrous fire that demolished the bakery. They were able 
to continue baking through the generosity of the Casagrande Family, 
owners of the Humboldt Bakery. They were also able to bake at the Roma 
Bakery (later the Butternut Bakery) owned by the Pinochi Family.
  Log Cabin Bakery moved into the present site in the early 1930's. 
This site was originally built to house a creamery.
  On August 19, 1939, William ``Heine'' Fluhrer and his wife Margaret 
sold \6/10\ interest in Fluhrer's Log Cabin Bakery to F.A. Schoenlen, 
W.T. Molloy, and Grover Hillman for the sum of $33,786.82. It was 
incorporated as Fluhrer Bakeries, Inc. Lucien ``Dick'' Koenig was 
brought in from Klamath Falls, as General Manager of the Eureka 
facility in 1937. Fluhrer Bakeries, Inc., at the time, consisted of a 
chain of bakeries including locations in Medford, Klamath Falls, Salem, 
Portland, Roseburg, Grants Pass, and Walla Walla, Washington.
  On August 22, 1948, William ``Heine'' Fluhrer, along with three other 
State of Oregon Republican Party leaders, was killed in an airplane 
crash. The Eureka facility was eventually purchased by a group of 
investors led by Lucien ``Dick'' Koenig, the General Manager.
  The Butternut (Roma) Bakery in Eureka was purchased by Fluhrer 
Bakeries, Inc. from the Pinochi Family on April 6th, 1955 for the sum 
of Ten ($10.00) and ``other valuable considerations.'' The Butternut, 
Roma, and Logger Loaf brands as well as the routes, and employees were 
incorporated into the Fluhrer system.
  The Koenig family operated the bakery until 1973, and during their 
tenure instituted a number of improvements including the shipping 
building that was completed in 1962. Fluhrer Bakeries started the move 
to automation in the 1960's with the installation of a ``state-of-the-
art'' Baker-Perkins Model 970 Single Lap Oven at the cost of $75,000. 
Further improvements included cooling conveyors, and other efficient 
machinery. Fluhrer Bakeries, Inc. was one of the first bakeries to use 
poly bags; now the industry standard.
  As the result of a labor strike that closed down the bakery for 6 
months, Fluhrer Bakeries, Inc. was sold to a partnership including 
Robert A. Dunaway and Darrel Norberry in 1973. Mr. Dunaway, a local 
attorney, gradually bought out his other partners and presided over the 
company until his death in 1989. The heirs of Mr. Dunaway sold the 
assets of the bakery to an investment group in August of 1990.
  The current President of Fluhrer Bakeries, Inc. is Mr. Kerry R. 
Glavich who is a 4th generation Humboldt County native and a 1971 
graduate of Eureka High School. Mr. Glavich started at an entry-level 
position in the production department and has worked for Fluhrer 
Bakeries, Inc. since 1974.
  The Director of Sales and Marketing is Bert Cortez. Bert went through 
the local school system graduating from Arcata High School in 1976. He 
has worked for Fluhrer Bakeries, Inc. since 1991 after a 17-year career 
in the local supermarket business.
  Alan Hillyard is the Bakery Operations Manager. He graduated from Del 
Norte High School in Crescent City in 1971. He has been with Fluhrer 
Bakeries, Inc. since 1985, starting at an entry-level position and 
working his way into his present position.
  Linda A. Graham serves as the Financial Services Manager. She is a 
1976 graduate (Summa Cum Laude) from St. Louis University with a B.S. 
Degree in Accounting. She has held CPA licenses in the States of 
Missouri, Washington, and Oregon. She joined Fluhrer Bakeries, Inc. in 
1995.
  Mr. Speaker, Fluhrer Bakeries is an American success story. Starting 
out as a small business operated out of a home, it has grown to become 
a well-respected regional company. As the company enters its second 
century, I wish it and all its employees continued success.

                          ____________________