Alan Aerts

Last updated

Alan Aerts was a world powerlifting and benchpress champion. [1] Born May 6, 1956, he died unexpectedly on August 23, 2023. Aerts had polycythemia,[ clarification needed ] a fatal blood disease; however, this was not his cause of death. He was also the former owner and operator of the largest vending machine business in the San Jose, California area, Custom Vending Systems. [2] Aerts served on the city council of Monte Sereno, California. [3]

Contents

Powerlifting and bench press

In 2009 Alan achieved the men's benchpress world record in the 140 kg weight class for men 50 and over, at 202.5 kg (446 lb). [4] Aerts held numerous powerlifting and benchpress championships and records in both open and master's competitions, including California, [5] US, [6] [7] [8] and World champion. [4]

Alan Aerts served as a California state powerlifting referee. [9] He also served as the World Powerlifting Federation records chairman. [10]

On December 30, 2016, Aerts was inducted into the US Powerlifting Association's Hall of Fame. [11]

His wife, Bonnie Aerts, is also a powerlifting and benchpress champion and bodybuilder, holding the United States Powerlifting Federation bench press record in her weight class in 2006. Bonnie Aerts was inducted into the US Powerlifting Association's Hall of Fame in 2022. [12] Alan Aerts presented his wife with the award. [13]

Polycythemia

Aerts had a rare blood disease called polycythemia, which causes the body to produce excess red blood cells. Although the disease can be treated for a time, this disease is always fatal.[ clarification needed ] Despite this condition, Aerts continued to compete in powerlifting and bench press competitions, and became world champion in his weight class after being diagnosed with the disease.

Public citizen

Aerts was prominent in Monte Sereno, California where he resided in the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2006 he was awarded "Citizen of the Year" by the city of Campbell, California. He ran for Monte Sereno City Council 2006, and was a commissioner (?-2006) and a city councilman (2007, 2008) for the City of Monte Sereno, California. [3] He has been a very generous philanthropist, donating significant money and time to charities including Guide Dogs for the Blind, Special Olympics, and local charities.

His business, "Custom Vending Systems," was named "Business of the Year" by the city of Campbell, California in 2005, and was the leading vending machine business in Silicon Valley. [2] [14] [15] [16] In 2013 Aerts retired from vending, sold his business, and moved to Nevada. [17]

After years of creating elaborate Christmas season displays (including cookies and punch for visiting children) at his home, with decorations costing in excess of $150,000 and drawing tens of thousands of visitors, Aerts became the target of neighborhood controversy over the traffic, parking, and other disruption to the neighborhood resulting from all the attention to the displays. Aerts attempted to alleviate concerns by hiring private security to help with traffic management on the four-home court where he lived.

Local residents signed a petition, and the city council voted in an ordinance, often referred to as the "Alan Aerts" ordinance, that prevented the popular display starting in 2003. In protest, the Aerts' raised a statue of The Grinch, which garnered the event attention and coverage in media including The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Daily Show on Comedy Central, MSNBC, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, National Public Radio (NPR), and local newspapers and television shows. [18] [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Sereno, California</span> City in California, United States

Monte Sereno is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 3,479 at the 2020 census. The city is located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of San Jose, and is bordered by the town of Los Gatos to the north, east, and south, the Santa Cruz Mountains to the southwest, and the city of Saratoga to the northwest. The city is named for the 2,580-foot (790 m) El Sereno Mountain, upon the slopes of which the southern portion of the city is built. The community is entirely residential with no commercial zoning and 99% single-family housing. It is an upscale Silicon Valley commuter town. Monte Sereno shares the 95030 ZIP code with the town of Los Gatos. Many municipal services are provided under contract by Los Gatos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Gambril</span> American swimming coach

Donald Lee Gambril is an American former Hall of Fame swimming coach who is best known for coaching the University of Alabama from 1973 to 1990. His Alabama teams had top ten NCAA finishes eleven times, 3 Southeastern Conference titles, and were the runner-up at the NCAA Championship in 1977. Earlier, his Long Beach State teams had top ten NCAA finishes four times from 1968-71. He had the rare distinction of serving as a U.S. Olympic coach in five Olympics from 1968 to 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Kazmaier</span> American strongman

William Kazmaier is an American former world champion powerlifter, world champion strongman and professional wrestler. During the 1970s and 1980s, he set numerous powerlifting and strongman world records, and won two International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Championships and three World's Strongest Man titles. In the 1980s, Kazmaier became famous for his claim to be "the strongest man who ever lived" by equaling and surpassing spectacular and versatile feats of strength of famous strongmen of the 20th century. He is widely considered to be one of the all-time greatest competitors in strength competitions and was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

Donald C. Reinhoudt was an American powerlifter and strongman. He won the IPF World Powerlifting Superheavyweight Championship four consecutive times (1973–1976), and won the World's Strongest Man in 1979.

Bench press world records are the international records in bench press across the years, regardless of weight class or governing organization, for bench pressing on the back without using a bridge technique.

Frederick C. Hatfield, nicknamed Dr. Squat, was an American world champion powerlifter and PhD holder in sports sciences. He was also the co-founder and president of the International Sports Sciences Association, an organization of fitness experts which certifies personal fitness trainers from around the world. He went on to make the ICOPRO bodybuilding protein and supplements for Vince McMahon's World Bodybuilding Federation. After the promotion folded, McMahon continued to market the product until 1995.

James Gregory Henderson, also known as Big James Henderson and James "Hollywood" Henderson, is a former American powerlifter who specialized in the bench press. He competed in the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and was five times Super Heavyweight World Bench Press Champion. He was the second man to bench press over 700 pounds [lb] (317.5 kg) and the second man to bench press over 700 lbs raw. James set numerous world records throughout his career, including the all-time world record in the raw (unassisted) bench press with 711 lb (323 kg).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Coan</span> American powerlifter (born 1963)

Edward Coan is an American powerlifter. He is widely regarded throughout the powerlifting world as the greatest powerlifter of all time. Coan has set over 71 world records in powerlifting.

Stan "The White Rhino" Efferding is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder and a powerlifter competing in the Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF). He held the all-time raw world powerlifting records in the 275-pound-class in the Total without knee wraps and in the Squat without knee wraps (854 lbs). Due to his enormous physical strength, regularly competing in professional powerlifting contests along his career in professional competitive bodybuilding, Efferding is often referred to as the "world's strongest bodybuilder".

Oders Dell Wilson Jr. was an American world champion powerlifter and world champion strongman competitor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Todd</span> American powerlifter and weightlifter

Terence (Terry) Todd January 1, 1938 – July 7, 2018) was an American powerlifter, and Olympic weightlifter. Todd was co-founder of the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports, co-editor of Iron Game History: The Journal of Physical Culture, and creator and event director of the Arnold Strongman Classic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Polo Association</span> Governing body of the polo sport in the United States

The United States Polo Association (USPA) is the national governing body for the sport of polo in the United States.

Hjalti Árnason, nicknamed Hjalti Úrsus, is an Icelandic former strongman competitor and world champion powerlifter. Hjalti was known by the nickname "The Great Ursus". He first began in strength sports by competing as a junior powerlifter representing Iceland in 1983. Hjalti coached the great Jón Páll Sigmarsson and won the 1988 Le Defi Mark Ten International. He also competed with Magnús Ver Magnússon in Pure Strength team competitions in 1989 & 1990.

Brad Gillingham is an American world champion powerlifter and strongman competitor from Minnesota, United States.

John Kuc is a former world champion powerlifter from the United States. During the 1970s and 80s, he set numerous powerlifting national and world records, won three International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) world championships and numerous national championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siamand Rahman</span> Iranian Paralympic powerlifter (1988-2020)

Siamand Rahman was an Iranian Paralympic powerlifter. He won gold medals at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, and the 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou. He is the current IPC Powerlifting World Record holder in the +107 kg category with a 310.0 kilograms (683.4 lb) bench press and also holds the junior world record with 290.0 kilograms (639.3 lb) and the Paralympic Championship Record with 310.0 kilograms (683.4 lb). Siamand died on 1, March 2020 due to cardiac arrest.

Jon Frederic Cole was a discus thrower,powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter and strongman from the United States. He competed in powerlifting just prior to the formation of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF). Having set world records in the squat, deadlift and Total during his career, he was multiple times AAU US National Powerlifting Champion as well as an outstanding Olympic weightlifter, discus thrower and shot-putter. Being the "premier strongman" of the early 1970s for his overall excellence in powerlifting, Olympic lifting and strength-based track and field, Cole was at one time known as the "strongest man in the world" for holding the greatest combined powerlifting/weightlifting super total of all time. Jon Cole was not only officially the first man in history to total 2200 lbs, he also became the first man to squat over 900 lbs as well as the first to total 2300 lbs in competition on October 28, 1972. Today, he is enjoying legendary status in the powerlifting scene and is widely considered to be one of the all-time greatest powerlifters in the history of the sport. His lifts, which are considered as raw by today's standards, are still mostly unequaled in his weight class: He still holds the all-time greatest raw (unequipped) powerlifting totals in the 242 and the 308-pound division. While past his prime as a lifter, he competed in the first annual World's Strongest Man competition in 1977, where he finished in 6th place.

John Haack is an American powerlifter. Haack is considered one of the greatest powerlifters of all time along with being the greatest pound-for-pound powerlifter of the modern age. Haack is a multiple all-time world record-holder in multiple weight classes. He is the current world record holder in the raw 90 and 100 kilogram weight class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Hall (powerlifter)</span> American powerlifter

Michael Hall is a retired American powerlifter, who is perhaps best known for being a pioneer of the drug-free movement in powerlifting. Hall is considered the first African American Super Heavyweight powerlifter to win a World Powerlifting Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ana Castellain</span> Brazilian powerlifter

Ana Rosa Castellain is a Brazilian powerlifter, seven-time world champion. She became the main Brazilian athlete active in the country after originally being inducted into the IPF Hall of Fame. She currently resides and trains in the city of Garopaba on the coast of Santa Catarina.

References

  1. ↑ "American Powerlifting Committee". Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  2. 1 2 "Coin Collector". Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  3. 1 2 "City of Monte Sereno Web Site" . Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  4. 1 2 "World Championship Meet Results". Archived from the original on 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  5. ↑ "California State Championship Results, March 29–30, 2008". Archived from the original on 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  6. ↑ "APC Nationals Results" . Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  7. ↑ "USPF National Championship Results, 2007" . Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  8. ↑ "APC National Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships, 2008". Archived from the original on 27 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  9. ↑ "American Powerlifting Federation Referees". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  10. ↑ "WPF records". Archived from the original on 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2010-03-20.
  11. ↑ "USPA Hall of Fame - USPA". uspa.net. 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  12. ↑ "USPA Hall of Fame - USPA". uspa.net. 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  13. ↑ USPA Hall of Fame Alan Aerts Presents Powerlifter Inductee, Bonnie Aerts 2022 , retrieved 2023-09-25
  14. ↑ "King Vendor" . Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  15. ↑ "Yes, You Can Make a Million". Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, March 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  16. ↑ "Vending Machine Dynamo". Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, March 2007. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  17. ↑ Staff (September 2013). "Former Man of the Year Retires". Campbell Express.
  18. ↑ "Couple points Grinchly finger at neighbors". NBC News. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  19. ↑ "No lights in Whoville ... uh, Monte Sereno" . Retrieved 2008-09-15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.