The owner and founder of Milk Transport Inc. apologized to about 20 former employees for the company’s financial woes during a bankruptcy court meeting last Tuesday.

Blaine Hovis Sr., who created MTI 55 years ago, could only manage a few statements before breaking down in tears.

“I want you (all) to know how I feel about you,” he said to a crowd of his former employees. But before Hovis, 83, could say anything else, emotion got the best of him and he was forced to stop talking.

MTI, formerly of 99 Cranberry Road, Pine Township, filed for bankruptcy on Feb. 13, 2008, according to documents from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

A meeting of creditors, which included former employees, was held at Woodland Place, 745 Greenville Road, Mercer, April 8.

A creditor is a party, person, organization or company that has a claim to the services of a second party. In most cases, the first party provides service to the second party under a contract that the second party will return an equivalent property or service.

The meeting was run by bankruptcy trustee Tamera Ochs Rothschild, who questioned Hovis under oath over the finances of MTI.

Hovis was represented by attorneys Francis E. Corbett, of Calaiaro & Corbett P.C., and Tim McNickle, of McNickle and Bonner.

Rothschild asked Hovis if MTl was operating at anytime in 2008.

He replied that the company had ceased all activity in December 2007 and stated that there were no financial returns for the new year.

Hovis said he owned 60 percent of the shares at MTI, although he retired from day-to-day operations of the company in 1995. His son-in-law, Louis Perna, was the operating manager at MTI from his retirement until the company declared bankruptcy.

According to Hovis, Perna and his wife Priscilla, who is Hovis’s daughter, own 20 percent of the shares, while his son, Blaine Hovis Jr., owns the other 20 percent.

The Pernas and Hovis Jr. did not attend the meeting of creditors.

Rothschild also questioned Hovis on the various types of equipment that were still stored at MTI. She said the items would be up for auction, pending approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Creditors also had the opportunity to question Hovis during the meeting.