Henry Arthur Benning
Encyclopedia
Henry Arthur Benning was the vice president and general manager of the Amalgamated Sugar Company
.
on August 8, 1879. Henry and his family lived on a farm near Lyons for his early life. He graduated from Lyons High School
, then attended the Rochester Business Institute
to become a court reporter.
Benning was about 5'6" and 160 pounds, and "had a marked inferiority complex such as that usually associated with men of small physical stature."
as a stenographer for the sales department of the chewing tobacco
division. He was a "rotten stenographer", and became a salesman. Benning was a poor salesman, because he didn't use tobacco.
In 1905, Benning left to work on the construction of a sugar beet factory being built in Glendale, Arizona
. He was a beet end foreman for the first production campaign, then left for the Great Western Sugar Company in Fort Collins, Colorado
. He worked at the Fort Collins factory for several years, then became superintendent of the Great Western factory in Sterling, Colorado
in 1911. He went on to the Holly Sugar Corporation factory in Colorado Springs, Colorado
, then to the Holly factory in Huntington Beach, California
.
In 1920, Benning joined the Amalgamated Sugar Company
, serving as Idaho District Manager, Assistant General Manager, then General Superintendent by 1923. He left due to "personal differences" with E. S. Rolapp, and rejoined the General Offices of Holly Sugar in Colorado Springs, then supervised their Torrington, Wyoming
factory in 1928, "gleefully" battling with Great Western for sugar beet acreage in the Torrington area. In 1929, Benning left Holly Sugar to reorganize American Beet Sugar Company in Denver, Colorado
, becoming vice president and general manager. Immediately after joining American Beet Sugar, they acquired Amalgamated Sugar, so Benning was also vice president and general manager of Amalgamated Sugar.
Amalgamated Sugar Company
The Amalgamated Sugar Company is a sugar beet refining company run on a cooperative basis. It was founded in 1897 in Logan, Utah, and is now located in Nampa, Idaho, United States. The company markets its sugar under the White Satin brand.-Founding:...
.
Personal life
Benning was born in Lyons (town), New YorkLyons (town), New York
Lyons is a town in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 5,831 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Lyons , France....
on August 8, 1879. Henry and his family lived on a farm near Lyons for his early life. He graduated from Lyons High School
Lyons Township High School
Lyons Township High School is a public high school located in La Grange, Illinois. Freshmen and sophomores attend class at South campus, located at 4900 S. Willow Springs Rd. in Western Springs, while juniors and seniors attend class at North campus, located at 100 S. Brainard Ave. in La Grange,...
, then attended the Rochester Business Institute
Rochester Business Institute
Everest Institute is a system of for-profit colleges in the United States. There are currently more than ninety campuses in the system. The various campuses offer career-training programs in business, health care, and technology...
to become a court reporter.
Benning was about 5'6" and 160 pounds, and "had a marked inferiority complex such as that usually associated with men of small physical stature."
Early career
After completing the course, Benning was employed at the American Tobacco CompanyAmerican Tobacco Company
The American Tobacco Company was a tobacco company founded in 1890 by J. B. Duke through a merger between a number of U.S. tobacco manufacturers including Allen and Ginter and Goodwin & Company...
as a stenographer for the sales department of the chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco (also known colloquially as hoobastank, backy, tobac, doogooos,Hogleg, chewpoos, chits, chewsky, chawsky, dip, flab, chowers, guy, or a wad, as well as referred to as dipsky, snuff, a pinch, a yopper, a Packing a bomb, a tobbackey or packing a...
division. He was a "rotten stenographer", and became a salesman. Benning was a poor salesman, because he didn't use tobacco.
Sugar beet factories
Benning worked for a Lyons beet sugar factory that was built in 1900, working during construction and for the first several production campaigns.In 1905, Benning left to work on the construction of a sugar beet factory being built in Glendale, Arizona
Glendale, Arizona
Glendale is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, located about nine miles northwest from Downtown Phoenix. According to 2010 Census Bureau, the population of the city is 226,721....
. He was a beet end foreman for the first production campaign, then left for the Great Western Sugar Company in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
. He worked at the Fort Collins factory for several years, then became superintendent of the Great Western factory in Sterling, Colorado
Sterling, Colorado
The City of Sterling is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Logan County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 14,777 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sterling is located at...
in 1911. He went on to the Holly Sugar Corporation factory in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, then to the Holly factory in Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
.
In 1920, Benning joined the Amalgamated Sugar Company
Amalgamated Sugar Company
The Amalgamated Sugar Company is a sugar beet refining company run on a cooperative basis. It was founded in 1897 in Logan, Utah, and is now located in Nampa, Idaho, United States. The company markets its sugar under the White Satin brand.-Founding:...
, serving as Idaho District Manager, Assistant General Manager, then General Superintendent by 1923. He left due to "personal differences" with E. S. Rolapp, and rejoined the General Offices of Holly Sugar in Colorado Springs, then supervised their Torrington, Wyoming
Torrington, Wyoming
Torrington is a city in and the county seat of Goshen County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,776 at the 2000 census. Torrington is the home of Eastern Wyoming College....
factory in 1928, "gleefully" battling with Great Western for sugar beet acreage in the Torrington area. In 1929, Benning left Holly Sugar to reorganize American Beet Sugar Company in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, becoming vice president and general manager. Immediately after joining American Beet Sugar, they acquired Amalgamated Sugar, so Benning was also vice president and general manager of Amalgamated Sugar.