A graduate of Augustana College will be honored by the state of Illinois this weekend for his professional achievements and public service. David Rydell is one of eight people who'll receive the Order of Lincoln.
Rydell majored in accounting at Augustana, graduated in 1963, and went to work for Bergstrom Inc. in his hometown of Rockford. He'd started with the company during summers in high school, and in fact he's still with it now, but instead of the production floor, he's chairman.
He doesn't know why he was nominated for the Order of Lincoln, but thinks it's probably for his several decades of volunteering to serve various non-profit organizations.
"Our company has a foundation that supports many worthy causes, such as people in crisis, health care, education, the arts, and other civic things, with our emphasis on people in crisis. I presume that's part of it too."
Bergstrom makes climate systems for just about every type of vehicle, including trucks and construction and farm equipment, but not passenger cars. And from a workforce of about 25 in the early 1960's, it now has up to 17-hundred employees - in the US, Europe, and Asia.
The Order of Lincoln ceremony will be held Saturday (5/5) night at the Coronado Theater in Rockford. Another recipient will be Edward McMillan, president and ceo of Purina Mills. A native of McDonough County in western Illinois, he's served on the University of Illinois board of trustees, including a term as chairman.
