| Herman
Gundlach, P.E., Honorary Member
A native of Houghton, Mr. Herman 'Winks'
Gundlach received his baccalaureate in civil engineering from
Harvard University in 1935. During his student years, he played
varsity football and lacrosse for the Crimson and captained
the 1934 football team. He was named to various All-Eastern
and All-American football teams and played for the College
All-Star Squad against the Chicago Bears in the 1935 All-Star
Game.
Following graduation, he played professional
football with the Boston Redskins for a brief period before
returning to Houghton to manage his family's construction
business. From 1941 to 1946, he served in the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers and was discharged with the rank of Major. Following
the war, he returned to Houghton and built Gundlach Construction
into one of the largest and most respected general contracting
firms in Michigan. From 1946 until he retired in 1988, Gundlach
Construction built many, if not most, of the major structures
in the upper peninsula. Among the buildings constructed by
Gundlach are many of the Michigan Tech buildings including
Dillman Hall, the home of the Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department.
Herman is past President of Copper Country
Concrete Corporation, President of Douglass House Hotel Corporation,
former Chair and President of Houghton National Bank and serves
on the boards of several other corporations. Included in Mr.
Gundlach's impressive list of honors are: Past President and
Honorary Life Member of the Michigan Chapter, Associated General
Contractors; Fellow of ASCE; Director and Chair, Barbara Kettle
Gundlach Shelter Home; Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame;
Dial Help Outstanding Service Award; National Organization
for Women, Outstanding Service Award; Harvard Sports Hall
of Fame; and others too numerous to mention. Herman is a member
of the Michigan Tech President's Club, received the Michigan
Tech Distinguished Service Award in 1983, and was elected
to the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. Over the
years, he has been a special friend of the civil and environmental
engineering students at Michigan Tech. Herman was married
to Barbara Kettle Gundlach who passed away in 1983. He has
four daughters and four grandchildren. |
