08/08/2006
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Herman Herkert |
Herman Herkert joined NFIB the same way as most members: "An NFIB salesperson solicited my membership in 1974, and shortly after that I made the acquaintance of Bill Smith [the state director for NFIB/Wisconsin] and the rest is history," said Herkert.
Since joining NFIB, Herkert has been a member of the NFIB Leadership Council and has served as the NFIB/Wisconsin SAFE TRUST chairman since the 1980s. Herkert was instrumental in the creation of the NFIB Patriot Club—the Small-Business Conduit for Wisconsin in 2002. This year Herkert was honored with NFIB/Wisconsin's 2006 Small-Business Champion award.
Herkert has owned two design-build general contractors firms. The first, Building Construction Inc., was located in Middleton, Wis. He started it in 1974 and sold the business in 1998. At the time he sold it, the business employed 18–20 associates and constructed an annual volume of about $18 million. In addition, Building Construction, Inc. had projects in 20 different states and three foreign countries.
Herkert's second firm, JPH Construction, LLC, is located in Madison, Wis. He started JPH in 2002 and was joined in business just this year by his son.
Herkert believes it is important for small business to be politically aware and active. Although he confesses he does not know how to fix many of the problems facing small businesses, Herkert believes "the biggest challenge to the American people is to curtail growth and spending of all government branches."
