From campus to community — Gentex facilities director serves

Gentex may be a global company, but it has deep Zeeland roots and connections to its hometown community. 

Scott Heerema feels that connection in his role as Gentex’s director of facilities as well as in his dual roles in local public safety. As captain of the Park Township Fire Department and as a Zeeland Police Department reserve officer, Heerema finds ways to assist the community beyond the Gentex campus.

“Being a part of the community not only provides a sense of belonging, but also allows me to contribute and give back by sharing knowledge and experiences, mentoring, and participating in events that benefit others,” Heerema says. “I also enjoy helping others and watching them grow in their career either as a firefighter or at Gentex.”

Growing a career

With a degree in construction management from Ferris State, Heerema started his career at a small construction firm and moved up to manage projects for a cabinet company. He worked with the Christman Co. for a decade, overseeing large construction projects in the area. 

Since 2006, Heerema has been the director of facilities at Gentex where he manages a team that makes sure projects get done, that facilities are all up-to-date and usable, and the company’s buildings are maintained.

Heerema and his team oversee the physical components and infrastructure at Gentex’s Zeeland campus from the floor to the roof (as well as electrical and plumbing systems, housekeeping, and parking lots, too).

He first joined the Park Township Fire Department 25 years ago. In 2005, he was promoted first to lieutenant, then to captain.

“I feel like in both roles (at Gentex and the PTFD), you have normal days interspersed with hectic moments,” Heerema says. 

In both jobs, he says, he works with a tight-knit group of people “who will stop and help each other without question — be it at work or lending a helping hand after hours.”

“I love the fact that Gentex is a large global company, based out of West Michigan, with a hometown feel that we get from being rooted in the city of Zeeland,” Heerema says. “I also enjoy the facilities team we’ve developed over time, it feels like an extension of family. When people ask me about Gentex, there is one thing I always tell them: There’s never a day when I don’t feel like coming to work!”

The company offers employees an opportunity to support the community outside its campus through its Community Share program, an employee-run giveback program to support nonprofit organizations in West Michigan. Employees can donate a portion of their paycheck to Community Share, organize on-site fundraisers, or spend time volunteering at an organization.