Bauer Built celebrates 70 years in style

May 19, 2014

After 70 years in business, Bauer Built Inc. is not slowing down. Just the opposite.

As part of its year-long anniversary celebration, the Durand, Wis.-based commercial tire dealership recently announced two 70th Anniversary Sweepstakes programs for its associates. One is in appreciation for their dedication and loyalty and is directly related to their years of service to the company. The other is an incentive for its salespeople to increase sales in 2014.

Sweepstakes prizes include pickup trucks, fishing boats and all-terrain vehicles.

"Our company slogan is ‘Our Strength is in our People,’ and this is our way of telling them we mean that and how much we appreciate their efforts, past and present,” says President Tad Bauer.

Bauer Built also honored its founders by announcing the six winners of the 20th G.F. “Sam” and Ethel V. Bauer/Bauer Built Inc. Scholarship Award Program. Since 1994, the program has awarded close to $85,000 in scholarships.

To be eligible, applicants must be either a Bauer Built employee, or a son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter or grandchild of a Bauer Built employee. They also must be graduating from high school and enrolled in a post-secondary course of instruction.

Each applicant must submit a hand-written essay on his or her field of study being pursued, along with their career goals, two letters of recommendation, and verification of grade-point average with their application.

This year, the following high school students were each awarded $1,000 for higher education:

1. Ricki Eisenhut, Martinsville High School in Martinsville, Ind. Eisenhut is the granddaughter of Bill Cassens, a salesman at Bauer Built’s tire center in Indianapolis. She will be attending the University of Indiana-Bloomington to study in the field of medicine.

2. Jenna Jiskra, Mondovi High School in Mondovi, Wis. Jiskra is the daughter of Troy Jiskra, an operations team specialist at Bauer Built’s corporate offices in Durand. She will be attending the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire to study psychology.

3. Allison Yingst, Colfax High School in Colfax, Wis. Yingst is the granddaughter of Bill Yingst Sr., the retired vice president of human resources for the company. She will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison and major in international studies.

4. Sarah Weber, Durand High School. Weber is the daughter of Todd Weber, the executive vice president of tire sales and operations; the granddaughter of Larry and Marcia Weber, former owners of Bauer Built Inc.; and the great granddaughter of Sam and Ethel Bauer. She will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study physical therapy.

5. Brett Hayden, Durand High School. Hayden is the daughter of Dan Hayden, manager of Bauer Built's tire center in LeRoy, Minn. She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to obtain a degree in marketing.

6. Cole Waldhauser, Freeman Public High School in Freeman, S.D. Waldhauser is the grandson of Gordy Waldhauser, an outside salesperson at Bauer Built's tire center in St. Paul, Minn. He will be attending the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities as an English major.

Bauer Built, which opened for business on April, 18, 1944, recently opened its 31st tire center. It ranks ninth on Modern Tire Dealer's "Top 25 U.S. Commercial Tire Dealers" list. The company also runs seven Michelin Retread Technology plants and 11 wholesale distribution centers.