Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> May 9, 2005
BRUCE HERTZKE, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Winnebago Industries, Inc., started on the motor home assembly line at
Winnebago Industries in 1971. While the hourly assembly position wasn't
exactly what Mr. Hertzke had in mind when graduating from Iowa Lakes
Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in Business
Administration, it was his only job offer at the time. Being an astute
accountant, he knew an entry-level job was better than no job at all.
Mr. Hertzke was a quick study and quickly climbed the job ladder,
working his way through various manufacturing positions and a few years
in design and development. He then served as Vice President of
Operations for seven years and was in charge of 18 sub-assembly and
final assembly plants. In December 1997, Mr. Hertzke was elected to the
position of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and in 1998 assumed the
additional position of President. He is currently Chairman of the
Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. He received the Entrepreneur of
the Year Award 2004 for Iowa/Nebraska by Ernst & Young, LLP, and was a
recipient of the Newsmaker of the Year Award from RVBusiness magazine in
1999, 2003 and 2004. Profile
that investors should focus on?
Mr. Hertzke: Without a doubt, I'm sure, everybody is aware that gas
prices and interest
