New hires
Bellin and Gundersen Health System welcomed John Ceelen as chief financial officer. Ceelen most recently served as CFO of Banner Health’s Western Division and has more than 30 years of executive health care finance leadership.
Skogen’s Festival Foods announced Adam Whitney has joined its senior leadership team as senior vice president of merchandising and marketing. Whitney brings 25 years of leadership experience spanning the grocery, general merchandise, convenience and online channels.
First Business Bank welcomed Teresa Rogers to its SBA Lending team.
McCarty Law LLP has hired Jayme L. Lehman as a trial attorney and civil litigator for its litigation practice.
Prevea Health welcomed Alex Barr, a board-certified otolaryngologist now caring for adults and children in Green Bay.
Bank First announced Nikki Schmidt recently became assistant vice president – deposit operations for the bank, where she will oversee customer service, card services and automated clearing house operations.
Promotions
Miron Construction Co., Inc. recently promoted Kurt Wolfgram to vice president, business development at its Neenah office. Wolfgram has been with Miron for more than 18 years and has served as a project manager and most recently as project executive.
The Green Bay Packers announced Justin Wolf has been promoted to director of corporate partnerships sales and activations. Wolf, who previously served as assistant director of corporate sales, has been with the Packers since he joined as a corporate sales executive in 2010.
The Potawatomi Business Development Corporation named Jeff Johnson as the company’s chief operating officer for the commercial group. Johnson is a member of the Forest County Potawatomi Community and was previously vice chairman of the PBDC board of directors.
First Business Bank announced Mike Groth’s promotion to vice president – SBA Lending. Groth started at First Business Bank in 2018 as portfolio manager.
Immel Construction recently promoted three employees. Max Rango was promoted to senior project manager. Josh Krueger has been promoted from foreman to superintendent. Laura Reed was promoted to estimator.
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce announced the promotion of Evan Umpir. In addition to his role as director of tax, transportation and legal affairs, Umpir will also serve as the organization’s general counsel.
The Wisconsin Realtors Association announced Tom Larson as its new president and chief executive officer. Larson takes over for Mike Theo, who retired Dec. 31.
Jewelers Mutual Group announced the leadership team appointments of Nick Tenekedes as senior vice president, digital solutions and Howard Stone as vice president, global risk and analytics.
The Boldt Company announced two executives have been promoted to vice presidents within the organization. Linda Rosati has been named vice president of business development. Donna Van Dyke has been promoted to vice president and treasurer for the firm.
Northern Sky Theater announced that long-time staff member Holly Feldman has assumed the role of managing director. Former managing director Dave Maier will continue with the organization in the role of company manager.
JPMorgan Chase Bank has promoted Eric Guzowski from vice president to executive director – commercial banker in middle market banking.
Fox Cities Builders promoted Andy Kneisler to senior superintendent, Cody Erdmann to senior architectural drafter and structural detailer, and Nick Evers to senior agricultural designer/drafter.
Board appointments
The Gateway Collective, a Green Bay-based nonprofit, named the following steering committee members: Jody Anderson, Bellin Health; Amy Budd, Schneider National; Aaron Faulkner, Bank First; Rhonda Halron, Halron Oil; Bill Kinnard, Grandy & Associates; Sarah Klapper, Bay Area Workforce Development; Troy Murphy, Green Bay Community Church; Theresa Ostert, Humana (retired); Joe Shefchik, Paper Transport; Laurie Riedy Timmerman, Associated Bank (retired); and Andy Wilson, Fox Communities Credit Union.
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Austin E. Cofrin School of Business has named Erik Losby, vice president, digital product management and analytics at Milwaukee Tool, as the newest member of its advisory board.
Voith announced the appointment of Jeff Berg, vice president operations, Voith Paper Fabric & Roll Systems North America, as chair of the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance board of directors.
The Manitowoc Company, Inc. announced that Ryan Gwillim has been elected to the company’s board of directors.
The Appleton Education Foundation welcomes four new board members beginning three-year terms in 2024. New board members are: Bryson Machonga, First Business Bank; Bob Molitor, community volunteer; Eric Mueller, Plexus Corp.; Holly Stenz, Godfrey & Kahn. Officers for 2024 include: President Zach Snell, BetterLife; Vice President Mike Curry, McCarty Law; Treasurer Joe Toonen, Home Health & Therapy; and Secretary Kyle Tripp, Johnson Financial Group.
The Dairy Business Association elected three directors to its board: Greg Siegenthaler of Grande Cheese, Spencer Frost of Frost Farms in Waterford, and Travis Speirs of Shiloh Dairy in Brillion.
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative re-elected Jamie Witcpalek of Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy in Kewaunee to its board of directors. Other board members include Brody Stapel of Double Dutch Dairy in Cedar Grove.
Members of Farmers for Sustainable Food elected three directors to its board: Mike Berget of Berget Family Farms in Wiota, Mark Loehr of Loehr Dairy in Mount Calvary, and Holly Jones of Agropur as a general member of FSF.
Laurie Butz of Capital Credit Union has joined the board of directors of New North Inc., the regional economic development corporation for the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin.
Northern Sky Theater announced the addition of Bill Theisen to its board of directors.
The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau has named two new members to its 2024 board of directors: Richard Downey, town of Grand Chute, and Maria Van Laanen, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center.
The Plymouth Arts Center announced two new board members: Sherry Joseph and Thomas Reil. Board member Richard Strong was elected as the PAC’s new president in 2023.
Froedtert ThedaCare Health Inc. has announced its new board of directors: Judson Snyder, board chair, regional president, Midwest BMO Wealth Management; James Kotek, vice chair, retired president and CEO, Menasha Corporation; Catherine Jacobson, CEO, Froedtert ThedaCare Health Inc.; Imran Andrabi, president, Froedtert ThedaCare Health Inc.; Kurt Bechthold, director, CEO, The Walbec Group; John Beré, director, executive vice president, Growth and Strategy, Alta Resources; Marc Chini, director, retired, Kohl’s Corporation and General Electric; Robert Clarke, director, principal, The RJ Clarke Group, LLC; Charles Dallas, director, vice president, Cornerstone Business Services; Jacquelyn Fredrick, director, retired CEO, Versiti Inc.; David Lubar, director, president and CEO, Lubar & Co.; José Olivieri, director, senior partner, Michael Best; John Pfeifer, director, president and CEO, Oshkosh Corporation; Joan Prince, director, vice chancellor emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Mary Ellen Stanek, director, co‐chief investment officer, Baird Advisors and president, Baird Funds; Terry Timm, director, retired chief administrative officer, Thrivent Financial; Kim Underhill, director, retired group president, Kimberly-Clark/Boston Consulting Group.
Awards
The Dairy Business Association honored Tom Crave of Crave Brothers Farm with the association’s Advocate of the Year award and Doug Grotegut of Grotegut Dairy Farm Inc., as the inaugural recipient of the Community Builder Award.
John Panetti, owner and president of Team Industries, Inc. in Kaukauna, was awarded the 2023 Contractor of the Year by the Mechanical Contractors Association of North Central Wisconsin.
Becky Schmitz, an SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital physical therapy assistant, has been named the newest recipient of the organization’s BEE (Be Exceptional Every Day) Award.
Stephanie Welch, urology, has been named as a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses winner at the SSM Health Fond du Lac Regional Clinic.
Jewelers Mutual Group announced Krystle Craycraft, senior vice president of marketing and digital, has been named to Constellation Research’s 2024 AX100.
Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society will recognize Fox Valley Technical College President Chris Matheny as one of 24 recipients of the Paragon Award for New Presidents during PTK Catalyst 2024. The award is designed to recognize new college presidents for their outstanding support of student success as well as championing educational experiences that create pathways to degree completion, transfer options and employment.
