From captain of the Houghton High School and Harvard University football teams to a captain of industry, Herman “Winks” Gundlach Jr. was a man of many passions. From 1946 until he retired in 1988, his Gundlach Construction company built many of the major structures in the Upper Peninsula. A humble man, Winks gave credit for many of his accomplishments to others. He revered the tradesmen of the area, and Winks stayed up late looking over his payroll, knowing that these names didn’t just represent employees, but local families.

Besides being a successful businessman, he was a prominent activist. Upon his death at age 91 in 2005, instructions were laid out about how to continue his legacy of giving back to the community he grew up in and worked in.

Through the Herman Gundlach Fund, Winks continues to leave his mark on the community For Good. For Ever.

As he said at a Houghton High School Commencement, he believed in “the collective efforts of all of us” to resolve conflicts, “to live and act with a social conscience, according to a rigorous affirmation of the rights of all to an improved quality of life.” He concluded, “Go for it. Go for that.”