AMBOY – Twenty years ago, Hank Gerdes never dreamed national television would one day feature the car show he started with one Chevy that he and his son restored.
Twenty years ago, Gerdes couldn't predict an annual 50-50 drawing would raise more than $200,000 for city charities and foundations.
Twenty years ago, Gerdes didn't know he would resign from the Amboy City Council with 18 months left in his term – and leave a legacy, perhaps larger than any other today, as an alderman, a businessman and a family man who helped shape his city.
"I was always kind of a bull-headed German. I like to pay my bills on time and I always thought the city should do the same," Gerdes said. "I call 'em like I see 'em. And don't have much tolerance for people who don't."
For Gerdes, 64, that meant running the city like a business. It also meant keeping costs down everywhere he could.
That mindset earned him a reputation on the council as the guy who votes no to everything.
He was aware of his reputation. And kept a sense of humor about it. He also ignored it when it came time to vote.
"People use to get a kick out of me by calling me Dr. No," Gerdes said. "But I'm more trying to say slow down and let's think about it ... I always wanted to do what I thought was best for my community."
He served 8 years as mayor, from 1993 to 2001, bringing lights to the city ball fields, wood carvings to the splintered stumps of wind damaged trees at Green River Park, and federal funding to restore the Depot Museum – all of which are now major attractions in Amboy.
Transforming Amboy into a destination is what Gerdes never foresaw when he started the car show 20 years ago. Last summer marked the 31st Depot Days carnival, a 4-day event centered around the museum, a fully restored headquarters of the Illinois Central Rail Road.
When the summer festival started 32 years ago, "there just wasn't much that we could offer people to come to town to celebrate with us," Gerdes said.
In 1997, Gerdes helped secure the lion's share of funding to complete the depot restoration. Now most proceeds from the car show's 50-50 raffle support the museum. Last year, the winner walked away with $15,000 and the museum got $15,000. All told, the museum has gotten more than $200,000 from raffle proceeds.
The committee sold most of the 16,000 or so raffle tickets in the first 6 hours of Depot Days last year. Next summer, Gerdes and the car show committee plan to print 100,000 tickets.
"That's a testament to how many people come out and how popular the 50-50 has gotten," Gerdes said.
Gerdes served on the council 4 years before he was elected mayor, then ran unopposed for Ward 2 in April 2007, winning the seat occupied by Bill Bontz, who had defeated him in the previous election. That's 14.5 years on the council, for those who are counting.
Gerdes left the council because he disagreed with the city's spending.
"We're not trying to cut costs like we should," he said. "I was starting to lose sleep over it. So rather than be a problem, I just decided to step aside. I want to be able to enjoy retirement."
As much for his public service, Gerdes is known for his businesses.
He bought a Standard Oil bulk fuel station, which served farmers and industrial clients, in 1967. It's been known as Gerdes Auto and Truck Sales and Repair ever since.
"Anything with an engine, I just had a knack for," Gerdes said. "Anything with farmers or farming I tried it ... There were a lot of days when it was almost working around the clock."
In 2001, Gerdes retired from the auto business, leaving his son Bill in charge. Bill bought the dealership in 2004. His older son, Jeff, owns the Napa Auto Parts store in Amboy.
"My boys have been in business with me since right out of high school," said Gerdes, who now owns Mowers and More.
It is family that Hank Gerdes wants to enjoy. He and high school sweetheart Cindy Gerdes have been married 44 years, and they have four grandchildren.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/BF3ZC3ZHMRWKHTBT6UJAJ2ZTGE.jpg)