August 01, 2011

Freshman Aaron Mueller wins scholarship

by Greg Scott

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Aaron M. Mueller of Fults, a freshman at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is the 2011 recipient of the Harrisonville Telephone Company/Henry W. Gentsch Memorial Scholarship.

Mueller is the son of Larry and Mary Mueller. His award is $1,000 a year for four years. A 2011 graduate of Waterloo High School, Mueller was an honor roll student who earned perfect attendance during his junior year. He was active in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and German Club.

As an incoming freshman at SIUC, Mueller says: “I would like to expand my current potential in the field of agricultural sciences and technology and improve the lives of agriculture specialists. I intend to succeed in the courses offered to me at SIUC, and get involved with related groups offered on campus, such as the collegiate FFA organization.”

For more than 115 years, Harrisonville Telephone Company has served customers in Monroe, Randolph and St. Clair counties. Harrisonville Telephone Company provides local telephone service, long distance, high speed broadband, wireless, and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services, allowing the company to give back generously to the residents of its customer service area.

H.R. Gentsch, president and CEO, says the scholarship fund honors his late father, Henry W. Gentsch, whose telecommunications career spanned nearly 73 years. The elder Gentsch, who was born in Campbell Hill, began his tenure with Harrisonville Telephone Company in 1945 as a director. Following a 35-year career with AT&T Corp., he joined Harrisonville Telephone Company full-time in 1962, serving as president and chairman of the board until his retirement, and continued serving as a director until his death in 2000.

To qualify for this scholarship award, applicants must reside in the Harrisonville Telephone Company exchange areas of Waterloo, Columbia, Red Bud, Renault, Valmeyer, Prairie du Rocher, or Dupo, and parents or guardians of the candidates must be current and continuing land line telephone customers of Harrisonville Telephone Company. The award is focused on recognizing academic merit, school and community service, and financial need.