The Vander Haag auto recycling company is big. It consists of four locations in Iowa and South Dakota and has a reputation to match. And John "Mike" Vander Haag is the man to fill those respectable and historical shoes.

In 1939 John's father, John Vander Haag Jr., opened a small "junkyard" in Sanborn, Iowa. In the 68 years that followed, the business grew to four locations. Earlier this year, John took over the reigns of Vander Haag's, Inc.

Tom O'Brien, an employee at Vander Haag's, Inc. nominated John for Boss of the Year and boasted that he was a visionary leader. "He is an inspirational person that is dedicated to Vander Haag's, Inc. and to taking the business to the next level and beyond," he wrote.

In the late 1960s the Sanborn headquarters was moved to Spencer, Iowa and since then, additional locations have opened in Des Moines and Council Bluffs, Iowa and Sioux Falls, S.D. The company has grown to collectively encompass more than 146 acres and more than 190,000-square-feet of warehousing. The business has grown to become one of the largest truck part recyclers in the Midwest.

"I've grown up in the business," John said in a recent interview. I always knew that this is what I wanted to do."