Downshifting into retirement

Decades spent teaching Northland kids to drive

By Andrea Busche

Withfunky glasses and fuchsia streaks in her hair, it’s clear that retired driving instructor Judy Rengo isn’t old-fashioned. But she believes that some things should be done the old-fashioned way — such as driving.

When asked about the current trend of self-driving cars, Rengo, the former owner and operator of the Duluthbased Academy of Driving, makes a disapproving face. It’s clear she isn’t a fan. “What if something happened to it where it wasn’t self-driving anymore?” she said.

If there’s anyone to ask about the rules of the road, it’s Rengo. Over the years, she and her crew have successfully taught thousands of Northland kids how to drive, with surprisingly few incidents along the way. As she “downshifts” into retirement, Rengo reflected on her life and career, and shared advice for parents and new drivers.

Rengo grew up in Duluth’s Fairmont community, near the zoo. Her dad worked at Diamond Tool as a tool and die maker, and her mom was an engineer with the phone company. After graduating from Denfeld High School, Rengo got married, had two sons, Gary and Todd, and moved to

Proctor in short order.

Although she obtained a degree in business from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, Rengo discovered she made more money working at Denfeld SuperValu than she would at several of the office jobs she interviewed for. So, she remained employed at the grocer for many years.

After her sons were grown, Rengo’s marriage ended in divorce. Newly single, she moved in with a roommate, who was a driving instructor at the time. Her roommate recommended that Rengo give teaching a try.

“At that point in my life, I definitely needed more income, and my roommate said I could work my own hours and earn good money,” Rengo said. “It was right up my alley.”

Shortly after taking the test to become an instructor, Rengo met Tim Lutz, who owned Academy of Driving. Rengo had been working for Lutz for a few short months when he told her he was leaving to be a classroom teacher and was going to close the business unless he found a buyer.

Rengo bought the business in 1992, and subsequently left her job at SuperValu to become a full-time driving instructor and business owner. It was a happy and busy year for Rengo. Valentine’s Day of 1992 was when she married her second husband, Lloyd Rengo.

Between 1992 and her retirement in 2018 (which also brought about the closure of the business), Academy of Driving moved as needs changed. It was housed in five different locations over 26 years. Rengo and her team, which fluctuated between three and seven