Proud of his hometown roots

In a day and age where many people are anxious to leave their small towns for the bright lights of a bigger city, it is rare to find someone committed to the place where he grew up.

Ron Hoehne is one such person.

A true product of Fox Lake and Ingleside, Hoehne is certainly no stranger to the residents of the western Lake County communities. Ever since he graduated from Fox Lake’s own Grant Community High School in 1974, Hoehne has worked in and for the community where he grew up.

The former superintendent of public works for the village of Fox Lake and current chief of the Fox Lake Fire Protection District said there is nowhere else he would rather live and work.

“I have always been very fond of the community,” Hoehne said. “I’ve never really considered outside employment or looking elsewhere.”

Residents of Fox Lake and Ingleside should be glad they have Hoehne on their side.

A hometown kid
Hoehne, 54, got his first look at what it means to be a public servant from none other than his father, Stu Hoehne. The elder Hoehne served as chief of the Fox Lake Fire Department for nearly 20 years, prior to when Ron Hoehne became chief in 2001. Stu Hoehne also worked as a firefighter in Fox Lake throughout his son's childhood.

The Hoehne household was one where public service and a solid work ethic were encouraged, said Nancy Rogers, Ron Hoehne’s sister and coordinator of the Fox Lake Parks and Recreation Department. Hoehne quickly took an interest in the work their father did with the fire department, she said, and wanted to tag along whenever he could.

“He was always following my father around,” Rogers said. “I can’t remember a time when he wasn’t interested in the fire department.”

As a child, Hoehne would come and watch the firefighters at the station, eager to get in on the action, Stu Hoehne said.

“He loved the fire department ever since he was a kid,” Stu Hoehne said. “He couldn’t wait until he could get on the department.”

But Hoehne did have to do at least a little waiting before he could become a full-time member of the department after graduating from GCHS.

Since regulations stipulated that members of the fire department had to be 21, Hoehne started working as a water operator for the village of Fox Lake at age 18. As a part of that position, Hoehne also got the opportunity to take classes for further certification in public works.

“It gave me an opportunity for free schooling, and to work in the community I lived in and was raised in,” he said.

Hoehne eventually became a foreman with the streets department, and superintendent of public works in 1996, a position he held until 2008. And he did, of course, get his chance to join the fire department.

A dangerous job
The training involved with becoming a full-time firefighter is not easy, Hoehne said. But early on, he could tell it was the profession for him.

The danger involved with the job is something he is always aware of, Hoehne said.

“For the most part, you’re in areas where you can’t see anything,” Hoehne said. “You can hear the crackling ... You’re crawling, and a lot of times it’s so dark. So, then you try to listen to where fire is even before you can see a glow.”

One particular fire in a basement put Hoehne and another firefighter in the hospital with smoke inhalation. Another fire left him trapped in a burning garage for a brief time, he said.

But the training he and other firefighters receive helps prepare them for the hairy situations they encounter while on the job, Hoehne said.

He also learned plenty about the job from his father.

"He's the one who taught me," Hoehne said. "I was referred to as Stu's kid for a long time ... before I could get a name of my own. But I never begrudged it. I was very proud."

A dedicated man
Proud also is the word Hoehne uses when describing the many members of the fire department who serve under him.

“They treat me with a lot of respect, and I respect them tremendously, too,” Hoehne said. “From my officers right down to the newest [member], they are all dedicated personnel.”

Hoehne’s involvement in the community and dedication to his job provides a solid example to the department’s newer members, Battalion Chief Ed Lescher said.

“He’s a great role model,” Lescher said. “The younger members all seem to look up to him and respect him tremendously.”

Since he is so active in the Fox Lake community, Hoehne knows many of the department’s firefighters even before they join up full-time.

Once they do join, Hoehne has always encouraged members of the department to bring him concerns or new ideas, said Jon Mumford, a part-time firefighter with the Fox Lake Fire Protection District and trustee on the Fox Lake Village Board.

“He has always had an open-door policy,” Mumford said. “He was always very receptive to new ideas. That always was a good thing.

“A lot of times, employers won’t listen.”

It's not uncommon to see Hoehne go above and beyond for his fellow staff members, Lescher said.
"He's been doing this job for 35 years," Lescher said. "It takes a special kind of person to do the job that long."

One of the unique aspects about the community Hoehne loves is the importance of its history to its residents, he said. The fire department is an integral part of that history and celebrated its centennial anniversary just two years ago.

As the department moves into the next 100 years, Hoehne seems to be the right man to lead the way.

“I’ve always been very proud of [Fox Lake],” he said. “I’ve never sat back and let anybody talk bad about our community because it’s always had a lot to offer. I am very proud to say I’m from Fox Lake.”

Getting to know ... Ron Hoehne

Occupation: Chief of the Fox Lake Fire Protection District
Age: 54
Family: Divorced with two daughters, Veronica, 24, and Joanna, 20
Village of residence: Ingleside
Education: Grant Community High School Class of 1974; associate's degree from Triton College
Hobbies: Helps run R Corner Bistro in Fox Lake, which he co-owns with his sister, Nancy Rogers, and brother-in-law, Jimmy Rogers

Read about the rest of this year's Forefronts winners at http://lakecountyjournals.com/news/forefronts.