The following appeared in the Rock County Star Herald on March 20, 1958.
Organization Of Industrial Group Completed
Corporation To Promote New Business Here
Articles of incorporation for the Luverne Industrial Corp. were completed this week and sent to the Minnesota Secretary of State for filing, it was reported yesterday.
The new corporation is the group that will spearhead this community’s drive to obtain new industry and business. It will become an active, functioning body as soon as the secretary of state signs the certificate of incorporation.
Meeting Today
A meeting for members of the corporation and anyone else who is interested in promoting the community will be held at 4 p.m. today in the room above the city hall.
Membership to the new organization, which is strictly a non-profit group, is $25. That is a minimum but the top is “wide open.” All funds will be used for the betterment and development of the city of Luverne and for benevolent purposes.
The articles of incorporation point out that the organization is designed to encourage and promote development of industries and business, commercial and otherwise, to benefit the community. Income will not benefit members or directors.
Nine Directors
There are to be nine directors in the new corporation. The first directors, which are included in the articles, are Ray R. Frick, L. R. Brinkman, Lloyd Rapp, W. J. Brakke, Mort Skewes, Rodger Jensen, L. U. Tollefson, Magnus Christensen and Jack Smith.
Eight of the directors are elected by members, while the ninth director will automatically be the president of the Luverne Civic and Commerce Association, during his tenure in office. If he cannot accept the position, he may delegate it to another C & C officer.
Pilot Committee
Early interest in forming the corporation was initiated by the C & C’s business development committee, with Ray Frick and Larry Brinkman as co-chairmen. The committee has already contacted various business and industrial firms about the advantages of moving to Luverne.
Members who signed the articles of incorporation, besides the directors, are: R. H. Creeger, C. H. Hatting, W. J. Estenson, Dr. D. M. Odland, L. A. McClure, William J. Wendt, H. S. Hansen, Chester Holm and Donald Hanson.
Benefits that a city and its surrounding area receive from added industry and business has been outlined in talks here and has been a factor in the origination of industrial development corporations in many Minnesota cities.
Support Necessary
Strong support of Luverne’s corporation is the key to success, members of the group emphasize, and everyone is invited to join the group and contribute as much as they can.
The non-profit corporation will not subject its members to personal liability and no corporate stock will be issued. If it should dissolve at any time, funds left in the corporation’s treasury will revert to the C & C or its successor, and if there is no such group as that, the city of Luverne will inherit the funds.
Directors will elect their officers at a meeting as soon as the articles of incorporation are approved by the state. That is expected in a few days.
In the meantime, the public is invited to attend the meeting today to help chart the progress of the city and the surrounding community.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.