BRUCE HERTZKE RECEIVES OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD

Bruce Hertzke received the Jim Hall Outstanding Alumni Award at Iowa Lakes Community College’s spring commencement on Friday, May 13. In its 14th year, the award is presented annually by the Iowa Lakes Alumni & Friends Association to an alumna or alumnus who exemplifies outstanding support for community, business, school, service clubs, etc. – a good representative of the college.

Hertzke, a 1971 graduate of Iowa Lakes, began his career at Winnebago Industries in Forest City on the production line. Not exactly what he had in mind at the time since he had recently received an Associate in Arts degree in Business Administration at Iowa Lakes Community College.
Over the next few years Hertzke rose through the ranks of production and in 1996 was promoted to President of the company. Two years later he was named Chairman and CEO. He currently holds the position of Chairman, CEO, and President of Winnebago Industries.

Hertzke announced that since he works for a billion dollar corporation, his marketing office had prepared a speech for him. However, he wished to depart from that speech and spoke to the graduates in his own words sharing the importance of tenacity to get through what life presents to them.

Hertzke is active in the Winnebago County Pheasants Forever organization and the Forest City Rotary Club. In the summer of 2004 he was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Iowa and Nebraska in the manufacturing category.