2012 Hall of Fame: Carl Gerhardt - Exuding Trust and Integrity

Never underestimate the networking potential of a party. One never knows when a little light conversation over a few hors d'oeuvres and some drinks can turn into a life-altering event. Just ask Carl Gerhardt.

It was the mid-1980s. Gerhardt, who grew up on a central Missouri farm, graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in agriculture economics and had spent nearly 20 years in the agri business. He had done well for himself. But, this was a recessionary period, and the farm equipment industry had been impacted severely. Three years of successive contractions—10 percent to 15 percent layoffs annually—left Gerhardt at a crossroads.