Gentex Increases Quarterly Cash Dividend

ZEELAND, Mich., Aug. 18, 2005 -- Gentex Corporation , the Zeeland, Michigan-based manufacturer of automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors and commercial fire protection products, today announced that its Board of Directors approved a six percent increase in its quarterly cash dividend rate from $0.085 (8-1/2 cents) to $0.09 (9 cents) per share. The Board subsequently declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.09 per share that will be payable October 21, 2005, to shareholders of record of the common stock at the close of business on October 7, 2005. The ex-dividend date is October 5, 2005. Due to the required period of time for the settlement of stock trades, this means that a holder must have purchased shares of Gentex common stock on or before October 4, 2005, in order to receive this cash dividend.

The Company's Board of Directors believes that this increase in the cash dividend signifies its confidence in the Company's future growth prospects, and continues to be an appropriate means of returning value to shareholders.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended, that are based on management's belief, assumptions, current expectations, estimates and projections about the global automotive industry, the economy and the Company itself. Comments regarding future growth prospects and words like "anticipates," "believes," "confident," "estimates," "expects," "forecast," "likely," "plans," "projects," and "should," and variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These statements do not guarantee future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict with regard to timing, expense, likelihood and degree of occurrence. These risks include, without limitation, employment and general economic conditions, the pace of economic recovery in the U.S. and in international markets, the pace of automotive production worldwide, the types of products purchased by customers, competitive pricing pressures, currency fluctuations, the financial strength of the Company's customers, the mix of products purchased by customers, the ability to continue to make product innovations, the success of certain products, and other risks identified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Therefore actual results and outcomes may materially differ from what is expressed or forecasted. Furthermore, the Company undertakes no obligation to update, amend, or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation is an international company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive industry and North American fire protection market. Based in Zeeland, Michigan, the Company develops, manufactures and markets interior and exterior automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors that utilize proprietary electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. Many of the mirrors are sold with advanced electronic features, and approximately 95 percent of the Company's revenues are derived from the sales of auto-dimming mirrors to nearly every major automaker in the world.