September 30, 2004
Freshman Andrew Langrehr wins scholarship
CARBONDALE, Ill. - - Andrew S. Langrehr of Red Bud, a freshman at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is the third recipient of a Harrisonville Telephone Company/Henry W. Gentsch Memorial Scholarship. He received his award during a Thursday, Sept. 30, presentation at the Harrisonville Telephone Co., headquartered in Waterloo (213 S. Main St.). H.R. Gentsch, the phone company's president and CEO, presented him with the award. The Harrisonville Telephone Co. contributed $101,000 to the University to create the endowed award, first given two years ago.
Langrehr is the son of Kenneth and Lori Langrehr of Red Bud. As the scholarship's recipient, he will receive about $1,000 a year for four years. He is majoring in civil engineering and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
More than 100 years of providing local telephone service, long distance, Internet, wireless and DIRECTV satellite services allows Harrisonville Telephone Co. to give back generously to the residents of its customer service area. Today, Harrisonville Telephone Co. serves more than 20,000 customers in Monroe, Randolph and St. Clair counties and includes HTC Holding Co., HTC Communications and HTC Technologies. Harrisonville Telephone Co. has sales in excess of $20 million and employs more than 100 people.
To qualify for the scholarship, candidates must reside in the Harrisonville Telephone Co. exchange areas of Waterloo, Columbia, Red Bud, Renault, Valmeyer, Prairie du Rocher or Dupo, and parents or guardians of the candidates must be customers of Harrisonville Telephone Co. The award is highly based on academic merit, school and community service, and financial need.
Gentsch said the scholarship fund is a bow to 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 Co. in 1945 as a director. Following a 35-year career with AT&T Corp., he joined Harrisonville Telephone Co. 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.