Paul A. Gerding

Class of 1939 Paul Gerding received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois. He began his professional career as a mechanical engineer for the Ottawa Silica Company, rising to the level of vice president of operations. He later purchased Bellrose Sand Company, renaming it Bellrose Silica Company and served as the company president through a prosperous 20 year period until the company was sold to Unimin Corporation. He was a longtime director of the First National Bank of Ottawa. He chaired with Andrew O’Conor a committee to raise funds for the construction of Community Hospital of Ottawa, at its current location. He continued to serve on the CHO Board of Governors for 21 years. Paul Gerding also served on the Ottawa Township High School Board of Education, the Mental Health Board, the Campfire Board, the YMCA Board of Trustees, and the Scouting Museum Board. In 2004 he received the Distinguished Alumnus award from the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois. He received the Jaycees Citizen of the Year Award in 1968. He headed a Blue Ribbon Committee which was established to alleviate flooding problems at OTHS.