Ronnie Hershberger ‘79 was selected as the vocational alumni award recipient this year as a result of his success in building highly reputable tire and auto service businesses in four different communities. Hershberger is known for his willingness to go out of his way to serve others in a time of need 24/7. He services all sizes of vehicles, from small carts to RVs to semi tractors to farm equipment. His willingness to be open to a wide variety of business and his commitment to high standards in providing quality products and exceptional service are the staples of his business.

Hershberger graduated in 1979 and immediately started working in the tiling business. He grew up on a farm and enjoyed helping other farmers with their fields. He then worked at Rediger Tire, which was the spark to his passion for learning the tire business. He credits Jerry Rediger with teaching him a great deal about the tire business. He also worked at English River Pellets before starting out on his own.

Hershberger started his first business by renting some space from Earl Swantz ‘74 on Highway 22. He then purchased a building by the middle school in Kalona in 2000. Two years later he expanded to Lone Tree, opening Lone Tree Tire and Service. In 2010 his facility in Kalona was totaled by a fire. His commitment to his vocation and serving the community motivated him to build a new facility on Highway 1 on the south end of Kalona. Hershberger feels that the best form of advertising is by word of mouth from satisfied customers. As an increased amount of business was coming from the west, he looked to grow his business in that direction. He opened up Williamsburg Tire and Service in 2015. The most recent expansion was the addition of Washington Discount Tire in 2020. The growth of his business provides additional employment opportunities, better pricing through volume discounts and expanded potential of a broader network.

Hershberger is quick to give credit for his success to a variety of sources. His family has been very supportive throughout the years. His wife, Cindy ‘81, has always been willing to serve a variety of roles from the very beginning. In the early stages of building the business, Hershberger was spending 12-15 hours a day to meet the needs of his customers. Cindy was in charge of taking care of the kids, keeping the books, running business errands and anything else that was needed.

He also credits his high school principal, Gilbert Christianson, for showing interest in his students and providing opportunities that were relevant to them. On one occasion he filled in for the Industrial Technology teacher for a few weeks due to the teacher’s leave of absence. Gilbert’s instructional style and enthusiasm for the drafting class Hershberger was taking made a lasting impact. The principal went on to provide an additional drafting class to meet the students’ interest. He credits Alan Kos and Ed Hershberger, who he has worked alongside on a variety of projects. Their work ethic, troubleshooting skills and commitment to not taking shortcuts was something that made a lasting impression on him.

Hershberger’s entrepreneurial success has certainly extended through his whole family. Son, Blake ‘02, and Blake’s wife, Jenni (Kiefer ‘02), own and operate Hershberger Enterprises. Daughter, Kyra ‘04, is the office manager at Kalona Tire, and her husband, James Gardiner ‘04, owns and operates English River Plumbing. Younger son, Tommy ‘06, was the former owner and operator of Superior Carpet and is currently a health coach in Arizona. Daughter, Megan ‘09, and her husband, Jared Holmes, own and operate Holmes Livestock and Logistics. Youngest daughter, Taylor ‘13, currently works at the University of Iowa Hospital in the Radiology Department.

Hershberger understands the importance of having a dedicated and talented staff at the core of a successful business. He is very appreciative of the employees he has working in all four locations and their ability to meet the needs of their customers.

Hershberger enjoys being a part of the community and giving back to build an even stronger community. He has supported the Kalona Volunteer Fire Department, Mid-Prairie Schools and Kalona Historical Village. He also provides a golf tournament every other year as an appreciation to his customers. His advice to current students is not to underestimate a strong work ethic, be conscious of treating people right and continue to learn something new every day.