The Stern Family of the Straus Clothing stores has been selected to receive Minnesota State University Moorhead's 30th annual L.B. Hartz Professional Achievement Award. Accepting the award on behalf of the Stern family were John and Rick Stern.
An awards reception was held Wednesday in the Comstock Memorial Union ballroom on MSUM campus, Moorhead, Minn.
The award is named in honor of the late L.B. Hartz, the founder of Hartz Wholesale Company headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minn. It's presented annually by MSUM's College of Business and Industry to an individual who has created economic opportunities for others through innovation, entrepreneurship and community service.
The Stern family has been in business in North Dakota since 1879, when cousin Adolf Sternberg opened a clothing store in Sanborn. When nearby Valley City was named the county seat, Sternberg moved his store there. His cousin M G Straus bought that store from Sternberg's estate, to go with his own store in Casselton, and brought his nephew, Herman Stern, over from Germany in 1903 to learn the business. Herman Stern took over management of the two stores in 1920. His son, Edward, began his 60-plus year career at Straus Clothing and as a community leader in 1938 after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania. John and Rick have followed in their forefathers' footsteps in every way.
From the beginning, the Stern family has been extremely involved in building the communities where they had stores. The Sterns are recognized community leaders and are involved in numerous local, state and national organizations.
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During the Wednesday reception honoring the Stern family, two students received $2,000 L.B. Hartz Academic Achievement Scholarships: Sara Beattie, Sauke Centre, Minn., and Kyle Blake, Harvey, N.D.
