03/27/2008
CONTACT: John Hodges, 304-345-4535 or Todd Pack, 615-872-5897
Herb Colker, 87, has been a strong supporter of small business, NFIB
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Herb Colker, the 87-year-old chairman of West Virginia Electric Supply in Huntington, has been named the 2008 Solveras/NFIB Small Business Champion for West Virginia by the National Federation of Independent Business, the state's leading small business association.
Colker, a member of NFIB/West Virginia since 1962, was named this year's champion because of his commitment to small business as well as his community, said John Hodges, state director of NFIB/West Virginia.
"Herb Colker epitomizes the successful small business owner," Hodges said. "When his family business was founded in 1935, it had maybe $70 worth of inventory. It has survived the Great Depression, a flood, World War II, a devastating fire and countless other obstacles to become an institution.
"Mr. Colker joined the company after serving in World War II, where he landed on Omaha Beach and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Since then, he has contributed to the NFIB Legal Foundation, which is the voice of small business in the nation's courts, and he has served on our state Legislative Council, which advises the association on issues affecting small business owners throughout the state," Hodges said.
"He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Huntington for 58 years and is a lifetime member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board. He has been a member of the Tri-State Area of Boy Scouts for 20 years, and he's a patron of the arts, supporting the West Virginia Symphony, the Huntington Symphony and the Huntington Museum of Art.
West Virginia Electric Supply was founded by Colker's brother, Joseph, and uncle, Charles Mandell. It was selling flashlight batteries, bulbs and small electric goods in 1937, the year the Ohio River flooded much of downtown Huntington. West Virginia Electric Supply was able to survive in big part because St. Mary's Medical Center bought $400 worth of supplies.
The Colker family's business was devastated by fire in 1950 but reopened within six weeks. Over the years, it has continued to grow. In 1986, West Virginia Electric Supply provided the massive fuses needed to light the refurbished Statute of Liberty.
"West Virginia Electric Supply is a family business that is committed to success," Hodges said. One of Colker's nephews, Matt Colker, is now president of the company, and another, Lee Colker, is executive vice president. Matt Colker's son, Jared, recently jointed the company as well.
"Herb Colker exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit. He could have retired years ago but goes to work every day," Hodges said. "He truly is a role model for small business owners who want to make a difference."
