Carl Gerstacker

Early years Carl Gerstacker was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1916. He was the younger of two children of Rollin Gerstacker, an engineer at a boat machinery manufacturer, and his wife, Edna Helen Uhinck. From age 5, Carl and sister Elsa spent their summers in Midland, Michigan with their Aunt Elsa and Uncle James. At the time, James Pardee was chairman of the board at Dow Chemical. Gerstacker saved money earned from a paper route and other jobs in a bank account. In 1930, his father urged him to invest his savings in the Dow Chemical Company, which he did.

Business After graduating from Lincoln High School Gerstacker was hired as a lab assistant at Dow Chemical and enrolled at the University of Michigan through Dow's employee education program. He also joined Reserve Officers' Training Corps to get paid 20¢ per day. Gerstacker commented, "Twenty cents a day was good stuff. When I graduated, I was a second lieutenant in the reserves. I made up my mind to resign as soon as I could, but you couldn't resign immediately." offering re-employment, and he liked the company. He ascended the corporate ladder quickly, added to Dow's board of directors in 1948 and named company assistant treasurer in 1949. Gerstacker purchased the Pardee House from his mother for their home. The couple had two children: Bette (1951) and Lisa (1955). Doan relinquished the presidency in 1971, and Ben Branch became president and CEO.

Retirement Ted Doan and Gerstacker believed that competent younger employees should be placed in senior positions because they have the new ideas and energy to advance the company. They established a policy that presidents, CEOs and board chairpersons must relinquish their post at age 60 and retire from the company at 65. The five-year period became known as "deceleration". Gerstacker remained chairman until 1976, when he was required to become an inside board member. Five years later, in 1981, he retired.

Personal Gerstacker married Esther Little Schuette in 1975 People should do good deeds because it's the right thing to do. You'll be much happier to give money to society and see it used while you are still alive.

Death After battling leukemia since the early 1990s, Gerstacker died April 23, 1995, at his home in Midland. He had excellent judgment and made quick decisions that resulted in the consistent, stable corporate growth of Dow. He loved the company and devoted most of his life to it at the expense of his first family. Dundee Cement Company, board member Consolidated Foods Corporation, board member Hartford Insurance Group, board member National City Corporation, board member Trustee Michigan Molecular Institute Board member, Masters and Johnson Institute Chairman, Michigan State Mental Health Society 1963-1967 Co-founder, Midland Area Community Foundation President, Dow Employees Credit Union 1949 Book of Golden Deeds Award, Midland Exchange Club Second Order of the Rising Sun, Emperor Hirohito

Tributes The Carl A. Gerstacker Nature Preserve is 879 acres at Dudley Bay on M-134 near Cedarville, Michigan. The tract, located in Michigan's upper peninsula, includes five miles of cobbled lakeshore, two small islands in four bays on Lake Huron and a large section of mixed hardwood forest with two creeks plus Big and Little Trout Lakes. There are also conifer swamps plus interdunal wetlands. The trails are maintained and marked. The preserve, managed by The Nature Conservancy, supports migratory birds and protects animal species and endangered plants. The Carl A Gerstacker Building on the University of Michigan campus contains almost of space for the Gerstacker research labs. Research in the Biomedical Ultrasonic lab includes imaging. The Takayama lab features micro and nano molecular biotechnology. The Bio-fluid Mechanics lab focuses on lung research, including artificial lung development. The Carl A Gerstacker Commerce Center is an building in Midland, Michigan constructed in 1996 in honor of the late businessman and philanthropist. It was funded by the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation and is home to the Midland Business Alliance (MBA), the business hub of Midland County. After 25 years of service, the structure needed renovation, which began May 15, 2023. The project was budgeted at $3.9 million and was expected to be completed in 2024. An open house and ribbon cutting was held on May 1, 2025, to celebrate completion of the major renovation lasting nearly two years. The targeted upgrades included HVAC system, lobby and reception area, first floor meeting room, building security, parking lot enhancements for storm drainage and a new roof. The Gerstacker Business Institute is a facility at Albion College prepares students for the business world. Students network with visiting executives, attain business and leadership skills from off-campus study and internships. Opportunities are available at nonprofit organizations, major corporations, start-ups, small businesses and accounting firms. The Gerstacker Bridge is an international bridge that crosses the Rio Grande River in the Big Bend region of Texas. The single-lane structure was built by Dow Chemical in 1964 to truck fluorite from Coahuila mines to the U.S. The unmonitored bridge was closed in 1997 for suspected smuggling, but litigation is proceeding to reopen it because it's nearly between the Presidio–Ojinaga and Del Rio–Acuña crossing stations. The Gerstacker Building is a physician's office building on the campus of Midland's Hospital, MyMichigan Medical Center, a 501-c-3 organization. The Carl A. Gerstacker Fair Center is the prominent structure at the Midland County Fairgrounds, built in 1990. The Gerstacker foundation also funded a two-year renovation project in 2023 to "freshen-up" the building.

Awards Chemical Industry Medal, 1946 Society of Chemical Industry Outstanding Achievement Award, 1982 University of Michigan Alumni Society Medal, 1992 from UM College of Engineering Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, 1993 University of Michigan