John C. Hertel, Chief Executive Officer, Regional Transportation Coordinating Commission; and, also, former General Manager of the Michigan State Fair and former Chairman of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, was appointed as one of two Governor appointees on the HCMA Board of Commissioners for a term expiring May 2, 2009. He was previously appointed by the Macomb County Board of Commissioners to represent Macomb County on the HCMA Board of Commissioners for a term that expired on April 30, 2005. At the time of that appointment, Mr. Hertel had served as a Governor Appointee since 1995 on the HCMA Board of Commissioners.
Previously, Mr. Hertel was appointed to the HCMA Board in May 1983, to serve a six-year term representing Wayne County. While a resident of Wayne County, he was elected to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners and, also, served as its Chairman. John Hertel is the only person in Michigan history to have served as Chairman of two County Commissions.
Mr. Hertel, a former professor of Political Science at Lawrence Technological University, was a Michigan State Senator from March 1974 through December 1982. During this time, he was the author of key legislation aimed at protecting and enhancing Michigan's environment. He chaired the Senate Committee on Agriculture for seven years and chaired the Senate Environmental Affairs Committee for four years.
Throughout his career, John Hertel has been the recipient of numerous environmental awards, including Conservationist of the Year from the Michigan United Conservation Clubs and Legislative Conservationist of the Year from the Michigan Audubon Society. In 2001, the Michigan Association for Local Public Health honored him for his significant contributions to the improvement of water quality and, earlier, he was given the prestigious Johanna Roskapp Award from the Clinton River Watershed Council for his leadership in the effort to clean up Lake St. Clair. In 2002, Mr. Hertel was presented with the “Conservation Teamwork Award” by the Macomb Conservation District for his ongoing efforts to safeguard Macomb County’s natural resources. John Hertel is also the first recipient of the “Heart of the Great Lakes Award,” presented to him in the Spring of 2003 by the Macomb County Citizens Water Quality Board for his creation of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Lake St. Clair and the Macomb Surface Water Improvement (SWIM) team.
After serving seven terms as a Macomb County Commissioner and six years as its Chairman, Mr. Hertel decided in 2002 not to seek re-election to the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. In addition to his service on the HCMA Board of Commissioners, he is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Detroit Visitors and Convention Bureau.
Mr. Hertel raises Percheron horses on his farm in Lenox Township. He has won three national championships with his horses, and has exported horses to France, Mexico and Canada.
