Fred Bauer
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Fred Bauer grew up in the Midwest. He graduated cum laude from Michigan State University with a major in electrical engineering and a minor in business. At Michigan State, he was a member of Etta Kappa Knu, a collegiate honors fraternity. In the late 1960s, Bauer founded Simicon Company, a manufacturer of electronic control devices for heating and air conditioning products. He sold the company in 1972 to Robertshaw Controls, a major manufacturer of automatic control systems for buildings and appliances. Shortly thereafter, Bauer joined Robertshaw, where he held positions of division manager, corporate officer, and vice president. Bauer founded Gentex in 1974 to develop, manufacture and market photoelectric smoke detection devices. In 1982, the Company introduced the world's first electromechanical (motorized) auto-dimming mirror. Five years later, Fred and a team of research scientists and electrical engineers developed the world's first electrochromic auto-dimming rearview mirror. Bauer is currently Gentex's chairman and CEO. He was the 1998 recipient of Ernst & Young's Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He is a former director of Junior Achievement in Holland/Zeeland, and a former advisory-board member for Underwriters Laboratories Industry Council. Bauer resides in Holland, Michigan, with his wife and family.
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Enoch Jen
Senior Vice President
Enoch Jen was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He lived in Grand Rapids, Chicago and Taiwan before attending Michigan State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in Mathematics (1973) and an MBA degree in Accounting (1974). Jen began work at the Grand Rapids office of the international public accounting firm of Ernst & Young, obtaining his CPA certificate. He has previously been employed as Controller and Treasurer at Hi-Ram, Inc., Chief Financial Officer at Porter-Hadley Company and American Lumber Sales Corporation, Senior Controller at The Hager Group Companies, and Chief Financial Officer at Hope Rehabilitation Network, Inc. He joined Gentex as Controller in 1990, and is currently senior vice president. Jen is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants. He resides in Hudsonville, Michigan, with his wife and family.
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Jim Hollars
Senior Vice President, International
Hollars came to Gentex with over 35 years of automotive experience, beginning at Chrysler Corporation followed by 26 years with Lear Corporation, including six years in Germany. His career at Lear included a number of senior positions, and most recently he was group vice president of the Premium Car Interiors Group, with responsibility for all activities with Audi, BMW, Daimler Chrysler and Porsche.
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John Carter
Vice President of Quality
John Carter, a Michigan native, attended U.S.A.F. University of Wisconsin and graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He spent 14 years with Prince Corporation (now Johnson Controls, Inc.), a supplier of automotive trim systems, in a variety of engineering management positions, including director of engineering in the company's automotive products group. Carter then spent 10 years with Donnelly Corporation, a supplier of automotive trim systems, rising to the position of vice president, engineering USA and international. At Donnelly, John directed the company's Molded Windows operation. Carter also spent several years running CS Technology, a plastic molding and tooling operation in Cedar Springs, Michigan. While president, the company's combined operations grew 200% in just two years. He also co-founded Pyramid Incorporated, a meat processor/manufacturer founded 1993. In 1997, the company name changed to Quincy Street Inc. John served on the Board thru 2001. His present position is as a shareholder. Today, Carter directs Gentex's mechanical engineering operations, overseeing the company's various mirror programs as well as new product development. Carter and his family reside in Holland, Michigan.
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Connie Hamblin
Vice President of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications; Corporate Secretary
Connie Hamblin is a West Michigan native. She graduated with a bachelors degree from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, with studies in corporate communications and engineering science. Connie joined Gentex in 1991, after working as a consultant to the Company for four years. Upon joining Gentex, she developed the Company's Investor Relations and Corporate Communications department and is responsible for those areas, including investor relations, automotive marketing, public and media relations, and advertising. In 2000, she was featured in Automotive News, the auto industry's leading trade publication, as a top investor relations officer. Prior to joining Gentex, Connie spent seven years as a senior investor relations account executive at a public relations counseling firm in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She also spent five years in the public relations division of Ada, Michigan-based Amway Corporation (Alticor). Connie is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Society of Automotive Analysts, the National Investor Relations Institute and the National Association of Corporate Directors. She resides in Holland, Michigan.
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Scott Edwards
Vice President, Fire Protection Products
Scott Edwards, a 20-year veteran and vice president of Gentex Fire Protection Products Group, is responsible for strategic and business planning, marketing, engineering, sales, and customer and field service operations. Prior to this position, Edwards was the Business Unit Manager of the Fire Protection Products Group.
He received his undergraduate degree from Grand Valley State College and his master's degree in management from Aquinas College. Edwards is a member of the Technical Committee of the National Fire Protection Association; member of the International Fire Code and International Code Council; member of the Standards Committee of the Building Owners and Managers Association; and serves on the Underwriters Laboratories Standards-Making Panel for Signaling Appliances. He is a past board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Education Foundation; past chairman of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Signaling and Communications Section; and a past board member of the Automatic Fire Alarm Association.
Edwards is a member of the National Association of State Fire Marshals; the International Code Council; the Southern Building Code Congress International; the International Conference of Building Officials; the Building Owners and Managers Association; the Automatic Fire Alarm Association; the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, and the National Fire Protection Association.
Edwards and his wife, Barbara, reside in Hudsonville, Michigan.
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John Arnold
Vice President of Operations
John Arnold received his bachelor's degree in materials science from General Motors Institute, and his master's degree in engineering management from the University of Detroit. John came to Gentex after 14 years at Prince Corporation/Johnson Controls in various quality, program and plant management positions. Most recently, he served as Vice President and General Manager of JCI's Interiors Division. Prior to his employment at Prince/JCI, John was Vice President - Engineering & Operations at automotive supplier AutoStyle Plastics, Inc. John began his career in advanced process development and manufacturing leadership at General Motors Corporation, where he served for 15 years. John enjoys boating and car restoration. He resides in Holland, Michigan, with his wife and son.
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Bill Tonar
Vice President of Advanced Materials and Process Development
Bill Tonar joined Gentex in August of 1989 as Director of Applied Materials. Prior to joining Gentex, Bill had 15 years of experience developing and manufacturing Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs). He started his career in 1974 at Hamlin Inc., in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Hamlin was, a pioneer in the LCD field, and Bill held various positions in process development and engineering management there. He also worked as Manager of Research and Development for General Electric Display Products in Cleveland, Ohio, and subsequently as vice president of Research and Development and Manufacturing Services for LXD, Inc., when it acquired GE's Display Products Operations. Bill has a bachelors degree in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has two children and resides with his wife in the Holland, Michigan area.
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Tom Guarr
Vice President of Chemical Research
Tom Guarr leads Gentex's Synthetic Chemistry Group and indirectly supervises the Analytical Chemistry Group. He's responsible for devising and implementing corporate strategy in chemistry, evaluating competitive technologies and intellectual property, and consulting in licensing negotiations. Tom has served in a variety of chemical development and research positions at Gentex, going back to 1994. Prior to joining Gentex, he held various teaching and research positions at a number of leading universities, including Iowa State University, The University of Rochester, California Institute of Technology, and the University of Kentucky. Tom received his bachelor's degree from Benedictine College, and his master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. Tom has numerous patents and published technical papers to his credit. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, Electrochemical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He and his wife and three children reside in Holland, Michigan.
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Bruce Los
Vice President of Human Resources
Bruce Los joined Gentex in 2004, bringing over 20 years of experience in human resource management to his role as Vice President of Human Resources. In 1977, he began his career at Prince Corporation (acquired by Johnson Controls, Inc., in 1996), serving in various leadership positions including Vice President of Human Resources for four years. Los holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from Calvin College. He serves on many local volunteer boards.
Bruce and his wife, Deb, reside in Holland, Michigan.
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Steve Dykman
Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Steve Dykman is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He graduated from Davenport College with an associate's degree in accounting, and earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from Ferris State University. His career began with Price Waterhouse at their Battle Creek, Michigan, office, and he completed his public accounting work at Beene, Garter & Co. in Grand Rapids. Following his tenure in public accounting, he joined Gantos, Inc., as Corporate Tax Manager. He joined Gentex as Finance & Tax Manager in 1993, and served as the Company's Controller from 1995-2002. He is currently Treasurer and Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Steve is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants. He resides in Hudsonville, Michigan, with his wife and two children.
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Robert Vance
Vice President, Business Development-Japan Automakers
Robert Vance is the Vice president of Asian Business Development. He is responsible for the support and development of strategies to grow and manage the Company’s business with Asian automakers.
A native of Pennsylvania, Vance has lived in several parts of the United States, Japan, and England. He received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Foreign Languages from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and he is conversant in Japanese, German, and Spanish. Vance attended graduate school at Meiji Gaukuin University in Japan where he focused on Japanese language as well as international business and economics.
Prior to his arrival at Gentex, Vance worked for Johnson Controls, Inc. for over ten years. He has a background in finance, program management, sales, and business management. He is an active member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Vance resides in Grand Haven, Michigan, with his wife, Lori, and two sons.
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Mark Newton
Senior Vice President - Electronics, Purchasing, and North American Sales
Mark Newton joined Gentex in 2004 after working as a Gentex supplier of optoelectronics for six years. He began his career in 1984 with a startup company that had invented an infrared touch computer interface, where he served in manufacturing engineering and manufacturing management positions in Illinois and Texas. Over the years, Newton has worked for several optoelectronics and automotive lighting companies in manufacturing, engineering, sales, marketing and management positions.
He brings over 22 years of manufacturing, engineering, sales and marketing experience in optoelectronics and automotive lighting to the Company. In addition to the area of photonics, Newton is responsible for Gentex's worldwide purchasing operations for both the automotive and fire protection divisions.
He earned a bachelors degree in English at Eastern Illinois University and an associates degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from Parkland College, and has pursued graduate coursework in business. He and his wife, Jean, have three children and reside in Holland, Michigan.
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Jeremy Fogg
Vice President - Mechanical Engineering and Program Management
Jeremy Fogg was born and raised in Holland, Michigan. He graduated from Michigan State University’s Mechanical Engineering Program with honors. Jeremy began his career at Gentex in 1992 as an industrial engineering intern, and has held increasingly responsible positions from a project engineer up through his current role as Vice President of Mechanical Engineering and Program Management. Jeremy is primarily responsible for overseeing the mechanical design and development of the Company’s products, mainly in the areas of interior and exterior auto-dimming rearview mirrors, and advanced mechanical projects. Additionally, he is responsible for program and project management of all active programs in the Company’s global customer launch teams. Jeremy resides in Holland with his wife and two daughters.
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