Ernie Renzel
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (August 2014) |
Ernie Renzel | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of San Jose, California | |
| In office 1945–1946 | |
| Preceded by | |
| Succeeded by | Albert J. Ruffo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 7, 1907 |
| Died | September 15, 2007 (aged 100) San Jose, California |
| Spouse(s) | Emily Hillebrand (?–1999; her death) |
| Alma mater | Stanford University |
Ernest E. Renzel (August 7, 1907 – September 15, 2007) was an American politician who served as the mayor of San Jose, California, from 1945 until 1946.[1] He was known as the "Father of the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport" for his work in establishing a major airport in the city.[1]
Early life[]
Ernie Renzel was born as a third-generation resident of San Jose.[1] His grandfather, Conrad Renzel, was a San Jose baker who gradually expanded his South First Street bakery into a grocery store in the 1860s.[1] Renzel's father, E.H. Renzel Sr., further expanded the family business to a wholesale grocery distributor by the 1880s.[1] Renzel Sr. would become vice president and manager of the family grocery firm, Keystone Co., by the turn of the 20th century.[1]
Renzel was active in leadership activities while enrolled at San Jose High School. He served as student body president of the high school, joined the Rotary Club and held a perfect attendance record.[1] Renzel was also an accomplished athlete during his early years and excelled at basketball, swimming and tennis.[1] Renzel went on to study economics at Stanford University following his graduation from high school.[1] He remained with the family grocery business after completing his degree at Stanford.[1]
Renzel held a wide range of interests throughout his life including economics, athletics and classical Greek philosophy.[1]
He was married to his wife, Emily Hillebrand for 63 years, until her death in 1999.[1]
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport[]
Ernie Renzel became an important advocate for the establishment and development of a new airport to serve San Jose and the surrounding region. Renzel personally scouted land for his project. Renzel located a suitable site, which at the time was a ranch, for the future airport in the late 1930s. He negotiated a price with the ranch owner in order to purchase the land.[1] Renzel then championed a citywide ballot measure in 1940, which passed, in order to pay for the land acquisition.[1]
Renzel remained actively involved in the airport, even after its expansion from a municipal airport into San Jose International Airport. He served as from 1969 until 1977.[1] He oversaw much of the expansion of the airport during his tenure as commissioner.
Renzel was honored for his work in establishing Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport with a bust of his image, which was dedicated in Terminal C in 1994.[1] In 2004, the airport's airfield, which includes all of the airport's taxiways and runways, were renamed in his honor.[1]
Political career[]
Renzel was introduced to city politics during World War II. According to the San Jose Mercury News, , a San Josean taxi operator, was a major political boss in San Jose in the years before and during World War II.[1] Bigley was consistently able to get a majority of his supporters elected to the San Jose City Council.[1] However, Bigley's grip on power began to slip during the war. Two incumbent city council members left the city government in order to enlist in the U.S. military during World War II.[1] Their departure left six of the seven city council seats open during the 1944 San Jose municipal election.[1]
Bigley's political foes joined forces to form a group called the Progress Committee to counteract Bigley's influence in the upcoming election.[1] The committee's campaign manager, lawyer Harvey Miller, convinced Ernie Renzel, as well as Albert J. Ruffo and four other important San Josean figures, to run as an anti-Bigley ticket.[1]
The Progress Committee succeeded. Ernie Renzel was elected in 1944 and was selected as president of the city council in 1945.[1] Renzel also assumed the then-unofficial title of Mayor of San Jose simultaneously.[1] He remained mayor until 1946, when he was succeeded by Al Ruffo.[1]
Renzel remained in the city council for just one term in office.[1] He spent the rest of his career as a "low-profile" citizen of influence in the larger San Jose community.[1] Renzel explained why he chose this lower profile career in a 1980 interview, "Sometimes you can do more from the outside than the inside."[1]
His influence and works extended beyond San Jose City Hall or San Jose International Airport. For example, Renzel used his influence to purchase a property in the 1960s for the 's historical museum.[1]
He was actively involved in several San Jose metropolitan area and Santa Clara County nonprofit groups throughout his lifetime. He served on the board of directors for such organizations as the , the and the .[1]
Death[]
Ernie Renzel celebrated his 100th birthday in August 2007.[1] He died on September 15, 2007, at his home in San Jose.[1]
References[]
- 1907 births
- 2007 deaths
- Mayors of San Jose, California
- San Jose City Council members
- American centenarians
- Men centenarians
- Stanford University alumni
- 20th-century American politicians