TRAVEL & TOURISM
RICHARD WINN President AHC+Hospitality, Grand Rapids
Richard Winn has held his current position for over five years, beginning with the company in 1997 as Amway Grand general manager and then as vice president and managing director. In the past four years, the AHC portfolio has grown from one hotel — the Amway Grand — to seven. The company also owns the JW Marriott Grand Rapids, Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown and the AC Hotel Grand Rapids Downtown, as well as manages the Hyatt Place Grand Rapids/Downtown, Peter Island Resort & Spa in the British Virgin Islands and The Waterfront Inn in Florida. Winn has experience growing a chain of hotels in his previous job as CFO of Adam’s Mark Hotels in St. Louis, where he started by helping open a 900-room flagship hotel. His community involvement includes work with Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority, Grand Rapids DDA, Experience Grand Rapids, and the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association.
LIVING LEGENDS
FRED BAUER
Founder Gentex Corporation, Zeeland
EDUCATION: Michigan State University (B) FIRST JOB: Working at a gas station FIRST BUSINESS: Started Simicon Corp. in 1964 in an old truck garage near Tulip City Airport ACHIEVEMENTS: Grew Gentex from Ottawa County’s 10th-largest employer in 1996 to its largest 20 years later BEST ADVICE: Building and starting a new business is one of the most exciting things a person can do for a career. It’s hard to convey the thrill and suspense.
EDUCATION: Western Michigan University (B) BEST ADVICE: Never give up on anything that is important to you HOBBY: Renovating homes ADVICE TO 18-YEAR-OLD: Find out what really inspires you and go after it. Have patience, be persistent and be willing to put in the work to achieve it. GRAND RAPIDS ATTRACTION: Van Andel Arena
DAVID FREY
Chairman, CEO Union Bancorp Inc., Grand Rapids
A fourth-generation Grand Rapidian, David Frey began his banking career in 1971 with Manufacturers Hanover Corporation in New York. In 1974, he returned to Grand Rapids to join Union Bank & Trust Co. founded by his grandfather in 1918. He subsequently served as president and then chairman of Union Bank & Trust Company and Union Bancorp Inc., its parent. Union Bancorp merged with NBD Bancorp in 1986. Frey was the officer in charge of NBD Bank – West Michigan and its successor financial institutions, culminating in a merger with JPMorgan Chase in 2004. He is a civic leader in the metropolitan Grand Rapids area. He served as chair of Grand Design 2000, a capital campaign that raised $55 million to construct the Richard M. DeVos Center on Grand Valley State University’s downtown Pew Campus in Grand Rapids. He also cochaired with former Amway President Doug DeVos on the $40 million Grand Valley State University campaign to construct the L. William Seidman Center.
Fred Bauer founded Gentex in 1974 as a maker of fire-safety products. He “revolutionized” the industry with the world’s first dual-sensor, photo-electric smoke detector, which is less prone to false alarms, yet detects slow-building flames. In 1982, Gentex introduced a rear-view mirror that adjusted to glare conditions, and in 1987, it introduced the first-ever automatic dimming mirror. Today, the manufacturer develops products for the automotive, aerospace and fire protection industries. Bauer retired in 2018. During his career, Gentex grew from a startup to a company with approximately $17 million in market capitalization at its initial public offering in 1981, to approximately $6 billion in market capitalization in 2018.
THOMAS HAAS
President emeritus Grand Valley State University, Allendale
EDUCATION: University of North Carolina (B, J.D.) FIRST JOB: Houseboy at private trout fishing club TOUGHEST CHALLENGE: Corporate turnaround in a poor economy, dismal stock market and interest rates at a generational high level HIDDEN TALENT: Sang in the men’s glee club in high school FAVORITE BOOK: “Theodore Rex”
88 THE GRAND RAPIDS 200
Thomas Haas is Grand Valley State University’s second president emeritus and also a professor of chemistry. During the past almost 40 years, Haas has been a tenured faculty member, department chair, dean, vice president and president. Just prior to his appointment as GVSU’s fourth president in 2006, he was president of the State University of New York Cobleskill. Haas has served on a number of boards, including Van Andel Institute Graduate School, Spectrum Health, Citizens Research Council of Michigan, Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center, The Right Place, Economic Club of Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Opera. EDUCATION: U.S. Coast Guard Academy (B), University of Michigan (two M), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (M), University of Connecticut (Ph.D.), Yale University (fellowship); Western Michigan University (fellowship), Harvard University (leadership programs) SERVICE: Retired captain after over 23 years of commissioned service in the USCG FIRST JOB: Stocking groceries at local A&P EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP: Consultant and evaluator for North Central Association Higher Learning Commission, former chair of Michigan Public Universities Presidents Council, Governor Snyder’s Commission 21st Century Education System chair FUNNIEST WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE: Ice bucket challenge at GVSU