Ernie Renzel
Encyclopedia
Ernest E. Renzel was an American
politician who served as the mayor of San Jose, California
from 1945 until 1946. He was known as the "Father of the San Jose International Airport
" for his work in establishing a major airport
in San Jose.
into a grocery store
in the 1860s. Renzel's father, E.H. Renzel Sr., further expanded the family business to a wholesale
grocery distributor by the 1880s. Renzel Sr. would became vice president and manager of the family grocery firm, Keystone Co., by the turn of the 20th century.
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. Renzel was also an accomplished athlete during his early years and excelled at basketball
, swimming
and tennis
. Renzel went on to study economics
at Stanford University
following his graduation from high school. He remained with the family grocery business after completing his degree at Stanford.
Renzel held a wide range of interests throughout his life including economics, athletics and classical Greek philosophy
.
He was married to his wife, Emily Hillebrand for 63 years, until her death in 1999.
, for the future airport in the late 1930s. He negotiated a price with the ranch owner in order to purchase the land. Renzel then championed a city wide ballot measure in 1940, which passed, in order to pay for the land acquisition.
Renzel remained actively involved in the airport, even after its expansion from a municipal airport into San Jose International Airport
. He served as airport commissioner from 1969 until 1977. He oversaw much of the expansion of the aiprort during his tenure as commissioner.
Renzel was honored for his work in establishing San Jose International Airport with a bust
of his image, which was dedicated in Terminal C in 1994. In 2004, the airport's airfield, which includes all of the airport's taxiway
s and runway
s, were renamed in his honor.
. According to the San Jose Mercury News
, Charlie Bigley, a San Josean ambulance company operator, was a major political boss
in San Jose in the years before and during World War II. Bigley was consistently able to get a majority of his supporters elected to the San Jose City Council
. 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. Their departure left six of the seven city council seats open during the 1944 San Jose municipal election.
Bigley's political foes joined forces to form a group called the Progress Committee to counteract Bigley's influence in the upcoming election. 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.
The Progress Committee succeeded. Ernie Renzel was elected in 1944 and was selected as president of the city council in 1945. Renzel also assumed the then-unofficial title of Mayor of San Jose simultaneously. He remained mayor until 1946, when he was succeeded by Al Ruffo.
Renzel remained in the city council for just one term in office. He spent the rest of his career as a "low-profile" citizen of influence in the larger San Jose community.
Renzel explained why he chose this lower profile career in a 1980 interview, "Sometimes you can do more from the outside than the inside."
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 San Jose Historical Landmarks Commission's historical museum
.
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 San Jose Hospital, the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury and the Santa Clara County Housing Board.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as the mayor of San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
from 1945 until 1946. He was known as the "Father of the San Jose International Airport
San Jose International Airport
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...
" for his work in establishing a major airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in San Jose.
Early life
Ernie Renzel was born as a third-generation resident of San Jose. His grandfather, Conrad Renzel, was a San Jose baker who gradually expanded his South First Street bakeryBakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
into a grocery store
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
in the 1860s. Renzel's father, E.H. Renzel Sr., further expanded the family business to a wholesale
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
grocery distributor by the 1880s. Renzel Sr. would became vice president and manager of the family grocery firm, Keystone Co., by the turn of the 20th century.
Renzel was active in leadership activities while enrolled at San Jose High School. He served as student body president
Student body president
The President of the Student Government is the highest ranking officer of a student government or student union association on the high school, college, or university level...
of the high school, joined the Rotary Club
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
and held a perfect attendance record. Renzel was also an accomplished athlete during his early years and excelled at basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
. Renzel went on to study economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
following his graduation from high school. He remained with the family grocery business after completing his degree at Stanford.
Renzel held a wide range of interests throughout his life including economics, athletics and classical Greek philosophy
Greek philosophy
Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BCE and continued through the Hellenistic period, at which point Ancient Greece was incorporated in the Roman Empire...
.
He was married to his wife, Emily Hillebrand for 63 years, until her death in 1999.
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 ranchRanch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
, for the future airport in the late 1930s. He negotiated a price with the ranch owner in order to purchase the land. Renzel then championed a city wide ballot measure in 1940, which passed, in order to pay for the land acquisition.
Renzel remained actively involved in the airport, even after its expansion from a municipal airport into San Jose International Airport
San Jose International Airport
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...
. He served as airport commissioner from 1969 until 1977. He oversaw much of the expansion of the aiprort during his tenure as commissioner.
Renzel was honored for his work in establishing San Jose International Airport with a bust
Bust (sculpture)
A bust is a sculpted or cast representation of the upper part of the human figure, depicting a person's head and neck, as well as a variable portion of the chest and shoulders. The piece is normally supported by a plinth. These forms recreate the likeness of an individual...
of his image, which was dedicated in Terminal C in 1994. In 2004, the airport's airfield, which includes all of the airport's taxiway
Taxiway
A taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass....
s and runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s, were renamed in his honor.
Political career
Renzel was introduced to city politics during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. According to the San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News
The San Jose Mercury News is a daily newspaper in San Jose, California. On its web site, however, it calls itself Silicon Valley Mercury News. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group...
, Charlie Bigley, a San Josean ambulance company operator, was a major political boss
Political boss
A boss, in politics, is a person who wields the power over a particular political region or constituency. Bosses may dictate voting patterns, control appointments, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves...
in San Jose in the years before and during World War II. Bigley was consistently able to get a majority of his supporters elected to the San Jose City Council
San Jose City Council
San Jose City Council is the municipal government of the city of San Jose, California.- 2006 Elections :Primary Election, June 6, 2006Mayor Chuck Reed*Cindy ChavezCouncil District 1Jay JamesPete Constant*Ross Signorino...
. However, Bigley's grip on power began to slip during the war. Two incumbent city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
members left the city government in order to enlist in the U.S. military during World War II. Their departure left six of the seven city council seats open during the 1944 San Jose municipal election.
Bigley's political foes joined forces to form a group called the Progress Committee to counteract Bigley's influence in the upcoming election. The committee's campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
, lawyer Harvey Miller
Harvey Miller
Harvey Miller may refer to:* Harvey R. Miller, New York lawyer* SS Harvey C. Miller, a Liberty ship, see List of Liberty ships: G-Je* A character from the TV show "Baywatch" played by Tom McTigue* The main character of the film The Caddy-See also:...
, convinced Ernie Renzel, as well as Albert J. Ruffo
Albert J. Ruffo
Albert J. Ruffo was a politician, philanthropist, educator, lawyer, and football coach.Ruffo grew up in Tacoma, Washington. In 1927 he moved to San Jose, California to attend nearby Santa Clara University, where he played football, and graduated with degrees in political science, electrical...
and four other important San Josean figures, to run as an anti-Bigley ticket.
The Progress Committee succeeded. Ernie Renzel was elected in 1944 and was selected as president of the city council in 1945. Renzel also assumed the then-unofficial title of Mayor of San Jose simultaneously. He remained mayor until 1946, when he was succeeded by Al Ruffo.
Renzel remained in the city council for just one term in office. He spent the rest of his career as a "low-profile" citizen of influence in the larger San Jose community.
Renzel explained why he chose this lower profile career in a 1980 interview, "Sometimes you can do more from the outside than the inside."
His influence and works extended beyond San Jose City Hall
San Jose City Hall
The current City Hall of San José California was opened to the public on October 15, 2005, and is located at 200 East Santa Clara Street, San José, California. It was designed by Richard Meier.- History :...
or San Jose International Airport. For example, Renzel used his influence to purchase a property in the 1960s for the San Jose Historical Landmarks Commission's historical museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
.
He was actively involved in several San Jose metropolitan area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
and Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County, California
Santa Clara County is a county located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 it had a population of 1,781,642. The county seat is San Jose. The highly urbanized Santa Clara Valley within Santa Clara County is also known as Silicon Valley...
nonprofit groups throughout his lifetime. He served on the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
for such organizations as the San Jose Hospital, the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury and the Santa Clara County Housing Board.