2006 Hall of FAME Business of the Year 1-50 employees: E.K. McConkey & Co., Inc.

Winner

Henry J. Christ

President/CEO, York

E.K. McConkey & Co., Inc.

E.K. McConkey & Co. Inc. has come a long way.

Of course, the company's been around for 116 years, so one would expect a bit of evolution.

Back in 1890, Edwin McConkey, an employee of Farmers Fire Insurance Co. and a state senator, launched his own agency to have a local outlet to sell policies for his insurance company. The main challenge he faced? A lack of customers; at that point, insurance was a luxury for most people. And since he was the first York resident to own a car, it's no surprise that there was little demand for auto insurance.

E.K. McConkey remained …