[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 127 (Thursday, October 12, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO HANNA RUBBER COMPANY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KAREN McCARTHY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 11, 2000

  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to one 
of Kansas City, Missouri's most successful companies. This year the 
Hanna Rubber Company will celebrate 75 years as one of the nation's 
leading distributors of quality industrial rubber products and as a 
corporate leader in our community.
  In 1925, after their service in World War I, brothers J.C. and R.J. 
Hanna returned home to Kansas City, Missouri. Together the two brothers 
pooled their savings to form a partnership and a business they named 
Hanna Rubber Company. The Hanna brothers began their new business to 
fulfill the demand for fast service on select industrial rubber 
products. J.C. Hanna, now deceased, once reflected on those days when 
``we only had one desk, answered the phone ourselves, and R.J. would 
make up the orders, and I would hop the street cars to make the 
deliveries.''
  Today James B. Vandergrift, President of Hanna Rubber Company, is in 
charge of the operations and success of the Hanna Rubber Company. Under 
James Vandergrift's tenure with Hanna, he has been responsible for 
raising the company from the ashes of almost a decade ago when the 
company's headquarters suffered a three-alarm blaze that left little 
but a few company records kept in a fire-proof safe. On the very same 
day of this devastating event, Mr. Vandergrift installed phone lines in 
the basement of his home and with the help of his staff he was able to 
keep the company's operations going throughout this ordeal. Due to the 
extreme damage the facilities suffered, one week later the company 
would say goodbye to its historic headquarters on Main Street and move 
into its current offices a few blocks away. The new location would 
prove to be a blessing in disguise for the company as it provided more 
space, enabling Hanna Rubber to add new product lines to in turn 
increase its customer base.
  Hanna Rubber has experienced tremendous success since the devastating 
fire in 1991. In 1999 the company had $8 million dollars in sales, with 
this year's sales projected to reach $10 million. The company now 
encompasses a large regional, national, and international customer base 
which includes clients such as: Hallmark Cards, General Motors, Ford 
Motor Company, and Trans World Airlines. During recent debates in 
Congress on trade policy, I was proud to use Hanna Rubber Company as an 
example of a Midwestern company that has benefited from progressive 
trade policy initiatives. Hanna Rubber Company's prosperity can be 
attributed to their standard of excellence in the service they provide 
their customers, employees, and suppliers. James Vandergrift truly 
believes that the cultivation of positive people relationships at Hanna 
Rubber Company has been a key to their past accomplishments and future 
ambitions.
  The founding spirit of the Hanna Brothers continues on today in the 
hearts and minds of Hanna Rubber Company employees who are dedicated to 
quality, service, long hours, hard work, and commitment to excellence. 
Mr. Speaker, please join me in saluting the Hanna Rubber Company for 75 
years of service to our community and the world market.

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