SAN ANTONIO -- A San Antonio-based convenience-store chain is among three retail businesses inducted into the San Antonio Business Hall of Fame this past Thursday night.
Tetco convenience stores joined the families that created Bill Miller Bar-B-Q and the Sun Harvest grocery chain were the stars of the evening sponsored by Junior Achievement of South Texas.
Tetco is run by CEO Tom E. Turner Jr. and his son and Tetco vice chairman John Turner. Tom E. Turner Sr., now deceased, owned the Sigmor gas station chain from the 1950[image-nocss] s to 1983 when he sold it to Diamond Shamrock.
Turner Sr. got into a variety of other enterprises in the 1980s but always distributed gasoline through his Mission Petroleum Carriers holding. The family re-entered the convenience store market with Tetco Stores in the 1990s.
Also joining the Hall of Fame was Nelson Wolff , who with family was in the lumber business and once owned Alamo Enterprises and Building Supplies. Wolff later entered the grocery business and built up the Sun Harvest chain. He sold Sun Harvest in 1999.
And brothers Balous, Doug and John Miller and sister Vivian Vance, all partners in the Bill Miller Bar-B-Q Enterprises Inc. a restaurant chain were added to the Hall of Fame.
"We're very honored to be recognized like this," said Balous Miller. "I just think my mom and dad and our employees should also be recognized. The work force is a very integral part of our success."
Bill and Faye Miller, both deceased, started the restaurant chain in 1953. Today there are 67 restaurants across South Texas.
The Miller family is also known for its civic contributions; the Millers bought land west of downtown for $1 million and donated it to the University of Texas at San Antonio for what was later to become its downtown campus.
The three companies' achievements were recognized during Thursday's annual dinner and fundraiser in the Marriott Rivercenter ballroom. "The honorees are people successful in the business world that we can set up as an example to students," Junior Achievement banquet coordinator Jennie Hughes said.
Junior Achievement of South Texas, a nonprofit organization, depends on the efforts of 3,000 South Texas volunteers to work with children from elementary through high school, teaching them basic economic and business principles.
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