Dave Heuring - Paul Heuring Ford

Hobart, Indiana. For Dave Heuring of Hobart, Indiana, community involvement has been as much a trademark as the blue Ford oval that has soared over the dealership that bears his family name for more than a half century.

Heuring's father, J. Paul Heuring, founded Paul Heuring Ford at the end of World War II, immersed himself in his products and his community, and in 1973 was awarded the prestigious Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award (TMQDA). Thirty years later and true to his family's legacy of service and excellence in business, the TMQDA was presented to Dave Heuring in 1993. The award speaks volumes of how this automotive family has ingrained itself into the Lake County, Indiana tapestry of business, family and civic duty.

The list of Heuring's local civic and charitable activities is long and admirable. For example:

Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Indiana: Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Indiana is an organization dedicated to the continued total financial support of our own school that provides care and education to clients afflicted with Cerebral Palsy.  This organization is not funded by any governmental agency; therefore, they rely solely on our financial support.  Heuring is one of the primary members of an association known as "Hunkee Hollow Athletic Association," (HHAC) who is the sole financial provider to Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Indiana.  Most recently, he helped them to procure a bus that is handicap-accessible and provides transportation for Cerebral Palsy clients.  On an on-going basis, his dealership provides routine maintenance and necessary service free of charge to ensure the reliability of this solitary means of transportation for our clients.  Without his support, this program would be discontinued.

Ivy Tech of Northwest Indiana: Dave was instrumental in setting up the automotive department at this local college, and assisted Ivy Tech establish a body and paint facility, and a service training facility for the training of future body repairmen and mechanics.  As a former working line mechanic, his aspirations for this valuable training program was to provide these individuals with the skills necessary to become ASE Certified.

4-H: Dave is very interested and involved in 4-H, mainly because he has done a great deal of farm work in my lifetime, including, but not limited to, raising hogs, cattle and sheep.  He believes 4-H is a great organization, raising the youth of our country to be wholesome, responsible and food-producing citizens for the future growth of our nation.  He supports 4-H during the year and is one of the largest contributors and bidders at the Lake County Fair Auction, purchasing the grand champion and runner-up animals, which always seem to bring the most money!

Hobart Chamber of Commerce: Dave's father was one of the founders of the Hobart Chamber of Commerce in the 1950s and, needless to say, have been members ever since.  In addition to being honored multiple times as the area's "Business of the Year,", the Chamber sponsors a pig roast with all proceeds going to improving Hobart's lakefront (onLake George).  In addition to these Chamber awards, he has also been awarded a "Key to the City of Hobart" from the mayor, as well as an "Outstanding Citizen Award."

Hobart F.O.P (Fraternal Order of Police): As one of the founders of the Hobart F.O.P., Heuring continues to strongly support the group.  In addition to the continual donations for their fund-raiser raffles, he also initiated the Policeman's Ball, which continues to be an immense money-maker for the F.O.P He was also involved in the campaign and fundraising to purchase bulletproof vests for all officers in the city. 

American Legion Post #54: Being a domestic automobile dealer, I strongly feel it is important to support our great country and display my patriotism whenever possible.  As a result, I have been a dedicated member of the American Legion Post #54 since the early 1990's. Heuring also supports, through the American Legion, the annual Hoosier Boy and Girl State, which is a summer program for boys and girls to be educated in our governmental and political system.

Heuring says his most meaningful and important civic achievement was establishing the Hobart Police Department's K-9 Core Unit. 

"This achievement is most meaningful to me for many reasons," said Heuring. "First, I learned and helped train the first K-9 dog in our city and donated the first K-9 police vehicle to the city.  Since this program's inception, I have continued to be involved in its growth and prosperity.  We have trained these dogs not only to perform everyday police work, but most importantly, to find and detect drugs in our school systems to prevent the drugs from entering the hands of innocent school children.  From the time when the K-9 Unit was initiated, it has expanded greatly.  In addition to dogs professionally trained to detect drugs, the K-9 Unit now has dogs specially trained to track humans.  For me, it is extremely gratifying to see what a successful K-9 program we have here in Hobart and to know that I was instrumental in starting it."

The CATA salutes Dave Heuring-a dedicated Ford dealer and more importantly, another in the long list of dealers who have served their communities for more than a century.