Don Van Houweling bought his first car wash in the early 1970s with a $10,000 loan after working for his father-in-law's car wash business. Through hard work and trust-building principles learned from mentors he ended up becoming a John Deere dealer, surviving the 1980 agricultural crisis by serving the customers of 7 closed competing dealerships. He eventually operated 5 locations and participated in a 20-dealer group program that taught financial management fundamentals.
The 2026 Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame video series is brought to you by Geringhoff.
Since 1880, Geringhoff has specialized in the development of high-class and innovative harvesting heads that are head of the class no matter the crop. Since then, a lot has changed, but our dedication to providing superior products and our passion for agriculture has remained steadfast.
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