EXHIBIT 99

                                     GENTEX
                                   CORPORATION


CONTACT:    Connie Hamblin                   RELEASE:  October 15, 2003
            (616) 772-1800

                   GENTEX REPORTS RECORD THIRD QUARTER RESULTS

      ZEELAND,  Michigan,  October 15, 2003 -- Gentex Corporation,  the Zeeland,
Michigan-based manufacturer of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and commercial
fire protection products, today reported financial results for the third quarter
and nine months ended September 30, 2003.

      The Company reported an 11 percent increase in revenues to a third-quarter
record of $112.9  million for the quarter  ended  September  30, 2003,  and a 20
percent increase in net income to a third-quarter record of $25.7 million, or 33
cents per diluted share.  In the comparable 2002 quarter,  the Company  reported
revenues  of $101.5  million  and net income of $21.4  million,  or 28 cents per
diluted share.

      For the first  nine  months of 2003,  the  Company  reported  a 20 percent
increase in revenues to a record $345.1  million,  and a 26 percent  increase in
net  income to a record  $77.7  million,  or $1.01 per  diluted  share.  For the
comparable  2002  period,  Gentex  reported  revenues of $287.9  million and net
income of $61.7 million, or 81 cents per diluted share.

      "We had another  very good  quarter and are on track to deliver  excellent
performance  for the rest of the year," said  Gentex  Executive  Vice  President
Garth Deur.  "During the third quarter,  we demonstrated our ability to grow our
auto-dimming  mirror business,  despite declines in light vehicle  production in
North America and Western Europe of about five percent each."

      Deur said that he  believes  the Company  will show  mirror unit  shipment
growth in the fourth quarter of approximately 15 to 20 percent compared with the
fourth quarter of 2002.

      "Achieving  that rate of growth in the fourth  quarter puts us on the path
to achieve a 15 percent growth rate in unit shipments for all of calendar 2003,"
said Deur.

      The Company utilizes the light vehicle production  forecasting services of
J.D.  Power  and  Associates,  and  its  current  forecasts  for  light  vehicle
production  for calendar  2003 are  approximately  16.0 million  units for North
America,  16.0  million  for  Western  Europe  and 20.3  million  units  for the
Asia/Pacific  region.  For the fourth quarter of 2003, J.D. Power is forecasting
light  vehicle  production of 4.0 million  units in North  America;  3.9 million
units in Western Europe; and 5.1 million units in the Asia/Pacific region.




      Automotive revenues increased by 11 percent to $107.0 million in the third
quarter  and by 21 percent to $328.1  million  for the first nine months of 2003
compared with the same periods last year. Fire Protection  revenues increased by
six percent to $5.9 million in the third  quarter and by three  percent to $17.0
million  for the first  nine  months of 2003  compared  with the same prior year
periods.

      Night Vision  Safety(TM)  (NVS(R))  Mirror unit  shipments to customers in
North America  increased by seven percent in the third quarter and by 10 percent
for the first nine months of 2003  compared  with the same 2002  periods.  North
American light vehicle  production  decreased by about five percent in the third
quarter and four  percent for the first nine  months of calendar  2003  compared
with the same periods last year.

      Unit shipments to offshore customers  increased by 19 percent in the third
quarter and 23 percent for the first nine months of 2003, compared with the same
periods last year.  The higher  growth in offshore  unit  shipments is primarily
attributable to increased  vehicle  penetration in the European and Asia-Pacific
regions.

      Total Night Vision  Safety(TM)  (NVS(R))  Mirror shipments in the third
quarter  were  approximately  2.5  million,  a  12  percent  increase  over  the
approximately  2.2 million units  reported in the same period last year. For the
first nine months of 2003, total unit shipments reached a record 7.5 million,  a
15 percent  increase over the 6.5 million  units  shipped  during the first nine
months of 2002.

      Certain  matters  discussed in this news  release,  including  growth rate
projections and estimates, are forward-looking  statements which involve certain
risks and  uncertainties,  and are  subject to change  based on various  market,
industry  and other  important  factors.  The Company  cautions  investors  that
numerous  factors (some of which are outlined in the  Company's  Form 10-K filed
with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  and other  interim  reports) and
future  events may affect the  Company's  actual  results,  and may cause  those
results  to  differ  materially  from  those  expressed  in this  news  release.
Furthermore,  Gentex  undertakes  no  obligation  to update,  amend,  or clarify
forward-looking  statements  whether  as a  result  of new  information,  future
events, or otherwise.

      A conference  call related to this news release will be simulcast  live on
the Internet  beginning at 1:30 p.m.  Eastern  Daylight  Savings Time today.  To
access that call, go to  www.gentex.com  and select  "Investor  Information" and
"Audio  Archives."  Other  conference  calls  hosted by the Company will also be
available at that site in the future.

      Gentex  Corporation  (The Nasdaq Stock Market:  GNTX) is an  international
company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive industry
and North American fire protection market.

      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.  More than 95 percent of the Company's revenue
is derived from the sale of those products to the world automotive industry.

      Gentex was the first  company  in the world to  successfully  develop  and
produce a commercial automatic-dimming rearview mirror. After more than 15 years
of  supplying  these  products  in  the  highly  competitive  global  automotive
industry, the Company remains the leading supplier of these mirrors.  Gentex OEM
customers  include Acura,  Audi,  Bentley,  BMW,  DaimlerChrysler,  Fiat,  Ford,
General Motors,  Honda,  Hyundai,  Infiniti,  Isuzu, Kia Motors,  Lexus,  Mazda,
Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Renault Samsung, Rover, Rolls Royce, SsangYong Motors,
Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo Car Corporation.


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      Founded  in 1974,  Gentex has its  manufacturing  facilities  in  Zeeland,
Michigan,  and automotive  sales and engineering  offices in Detroit,  Michigan;
Germany,  Japan, the United Kingdom, France and Korea. The Company is recognized
for its quality products; for its proprietary manufacturing skills and equipment
and application of world class manufacturing  principles;  for its commitment to
developing  and  maintaining a highly  skilled  workforce,  and for  encouraging
employee ownership of the Company's stock.


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                       GENTEX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME


                                                                                       (unaudited)
                                                               Three Months Ended                       Nine Months Ended
                                                                  September 30,                            September 30,
                                                            2003                2002                 2003                  2002
                                                       -------------        -------------        -------------        -------------
                                                                                                          
Net Sales                                              $ 112,878,954        $ 101,516,275        $ 345,104,850        $ 287,911,087

Costs and Expenses
  Cost of Goods Sold                                      65,793,563           60,820,878          201,621,876          172,959,610
  Engineering, Research & Development                      6,944,138            5,974,215           19,462,760           17,183,818
  Selling, General & Administrative                        5,693,743            5,142,636           17,310,739           15,426,934
  Other Expense (Income)                                  (3,597,615)          (2,164,715)          (8,370,527)          (9,056,029)
                                                       -------------        -------------        -------------        -------------

Total Costs and Expenses                                  74,833,829           69,773,014          230,024,848          196,514,333
                                                       -------------        -------------        -------------        -------------

Income Before Provision
  for Income Taxes                                        38,045,125           31,743,261          115,080,002           91,396,754

Provision for Income Taxes                                12,364,000           10,316,000           37,400,000           29,705,500
                                                       -------------        -------------        -------------        -------------

Net Income                                             $  25,681,125        $  21,427,261        $  77,680,002        $  61,691,254
                                                       =============        =============        =============        =============

Earnings Per Share
  Basic                                                        $0.34                $0.28                $1.02                $0.82
  Diluted                                                      $0.33                $0.28                $1.01                $0.81
Weighted Average Shares:
  Basic                                                   76,348,527           75,688,349           76,106,950           75,379,342
  Diluted                                                 77,568,861           76,585,241           77,067,148           76,521,515


                      CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS



                                                                     (unaudited)
                                                                       Sept. 30,                  Dec. 31,
                                                                         2003                       2002
                                                                     ------------               ------------
                                                                                          
ASSETS
Cash and Short-Term Investments                                      $385,726,313               $215,650,801
Other Current Assets                                                   93,416,465                 61,147,608
                                                                     ------------               ------------

Total Current Assets                                                  479,142,778                276,798,409

Plant and Equipment - Net                                             124,947,036                124,982,665
Long-Term Investments and Other Assets                                119,094,265                207,391,593
                                                                     ------------               ------------

Total Assets                                                         $723,184,079               $609,172,667
                                                                     ============               ============

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' INVESTMENT
Current Liabilities                                                  $ 47,407,935               $ 29,060,035
Long-Term Debt                                                                  0                          0
Deferred Income Taxes                                                  13,972,998                  6,472,270
Shareholders' Investment                                              661,803,146                573,640,362
                                                                     ------------               ------------

Total Liabilities & Shareholders' Investment                         $723,184,079               $609,172,667
                                                                     ============               ============



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- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      NVS MIRROR UNIT SHIPMENTS
                                                             (Thousands)

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Third Quarter                           Nine Months Ended
                                   Ended September 30,                         September 30,
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   2003          2002          % Change      2003          2002          % Change
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          
Domestic Interior                   913           843             8%         2,836         2,627             8%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Domestic Exterior                   434           412             5%         1,293         1,143            13%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Domestic Units              1,348         1,256             7%         4,130         3,769            10%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foreign Interior                    774           710             9%         2,378         2,047            16%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foreign Exterior                    353           241            47%         1,036           723            43%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Foreign Units               1,127           951            19%         3,414         2,770            23%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Interior Mirrors            1,688         1,553             9%         5,215         4,674            12%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Exterior Mirrors              787           653            21%         2,329         1,866            25%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Mirror Units                2,475         2,206            12%         7,544         6,540            15%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Note:  Certain  prior year  amounts have been  reclassified  to conform with the
current year presentation. Amounts may not total due to rounding.


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