A CELEBRATION IN #YPWEEK
Congratulations to the 2017 award recipients! FUTURE 15 & YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
SARAH BECKMAN MIRANDA J. BONDE BEN BRAUN KATIE GUTH LYDIA HARRER
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
LEE-ANN KLINGSPORN: AARDVARK WINE LOUNGE BROOKE MCMILLAN: PURE BARRE GREEN BAY BRANDON ROHDE: LIVETIME, LLC
NEXT GENERATION BEST PLACE TO WORK FINALISTS
BAY TEK GAMES SCHNEIDER EINSTEIN PROJECT
PRESENTED BY:
EMILY JACOBSON ANDRÉ JACQUE JENNIFER JONES VANYA KOEPKE MAI J. LO LEE
JOSH MOSER LAURA ROWELL TONY STEFFEK JOE VANDEN AVOND ALEXIA WOOD
IS YOUR CAREER READY FOR AN
MBA? Apply today
snc.edu/mba
2 | Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018
Current is a program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber
PRESENTED BY:
A CELEBRATION IN #YPWEEK
Please Join Us... We will be celebrating the 2017 Future 15 class at a special awards reception on Thursday, April 26, 2018 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the KI Convention Center during YPWeek. From the class of 15 recipients, one will be selected as Young Professional of the Year. A Young Entrepreneur of the Year and a Next Generation Best Place to Work award winner will also be selected. Community members are encouraged to attend and celebrate with the recipients and finalists.
AGENDA 5 - 6:15 P.M. RECEPTION, RAFFLE TICKETS SOLD AND CASH BAR 6:15 P.M. DINNER AND PROGRAM 8:30 P.M. LIVE AUCTION FOR ARTWORK CREATED BY ARTISTS 9 P.M. CONCLUSION
Throughout the night, artwork will be created by local area artists from the ARTgarage.
TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT, VISIT GREATERGBC.ORG/FUTURE15
COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY
WE’RE PROUD TO CALL WISCONSIN HOME. IT’S WHY GREEN
BAY PRESS GAZETTE IS DEDICATED TO HELPING YOU CONNECT, UNDERSTAND, ACT AND THRIVE. Because we have a steadfast commitment to you and the area, and whether by giving back or keeping you informed, we strive to make a difference. PROUD TO CALL WISCONSIN HOME. | DEDICATED TO MAKING AN IMPACT.
To register for this event, visit greatergbc.org/current
Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018 | 3
Green Bay Country Club On Saturday, August 5th, Dr. Mehul Doshi hit his ball within a foot of the hole just before his partner Dr. Anthony Eclavea hit a hole-in-one.
Where work & play
INTRODUCING GREATER GREEN BAY’S
overlap and success is contagious! Golf, Tennis, Dining, Swim & Leisure
EST
1995
Green Bay Country Club 2400 Klondike Road, Green Bay, WI 54311 ● 920-339-4222 www.greenbaycountryclub.com ● czehms@greenbaycc.org
Insta
A CELEBRATION IN #YPWEEK
finalists YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESENTED BY
Congratulations Future 15!
Nicoletbank.com
* Recipient’s biographies written by Starla Golie, Green Bay Press-Gazette
800.369.0226 4 | Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018
Current is a program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber
Sarah Beckman
Miranda J. Bonde
Development Director, Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity
Financial Planner, Laura Mossakowski, LLC
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olunteering has always been important to Sarah ever since she was young. She currently volunteers for the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. After she graduated college, she volunteered at a nonprofit in Guatemala and attended a Spanish language school for the summer. Sarah assisted social workers in the area while completing home visits to assess the different needs that each family had. She interacted with children and adults at a school, malnutrition center, homeless shelter and local hospital. Once she returned to the states, she felt inspired to continue giving back so she served two years in AmeriCorps with the National Corporation for Community Service before settling back down in Green Bay. “By this time, I knew my life was going to be dedicated to service to others,” said Sarah. She even wears a ring with her favorite quote engrained in it which reads “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Her hope is to leave this world a better place than when she entered it. She was also a part of the Leadership Green Bay small group that created the event Wrecked at the Weidner. The event was essentially a reality based performance that showed over 2,500 high school students what can happen when teens partake in risky behaviors prior to or during driving. Her giving nature continued as she was the store ambassador for Burlington’s Light the Night Campaign, chaired the fall fest event for one year for the Emerging Leaders Society and chaired the YPWeek Amazing Race event for two years.
Even before she became employed with the Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity, she was a volunteer first. It’s her goal to one day volunteer with a Habitat affiliate in every state. She served on the hard hats and heels event planning committee and was a forming member of the Habitat Young Professionals group in Green Bay. Sarah was also a volunteer race director for the Home Run 5k which was a race that helped raise a little over $10,000 for the Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity. In the past she has worked for Family Services, Girl Scouts, March of Dimes and Big Brothers Big Sisters in a variety of roles before she was led to her current role at the Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity. The mission of the Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope. As the development director, her primary responsibility is to plan and execute the organization’s overall fundraising strategy. She annually fundraises over $800,000 to support Habitat’s homeownership program and home repair program. Beyond fundraising, she also facilitated the sessions for the current strategic plan which outlines the work plans for the next three fiscal years. Sarah was the recipient of the Chancellor’s Medallion from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay in 2008 and in 2014 she received the quarterly employee award from Family Services. In 2015, she graduated from the Women in Leadership series and the following year, she graduated from the Leadership Green Bay program. At the 2018 Brown County United Way annual meeting she was awarded the Outstanding Emerging Leader Award. It’s important to Sarah to continue expanding her intellect so she is currently enrolled in graduate school at St. Norbert College to pursue her master’s degree in business administration with an anticipated graduation date in May of 2019.
To register for this event, visit greatergbc.org/current
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iranda focuses on providing each of her clients with a holistic retirement plan that addresses and anticipates life’s most important financial security concerns as they matter to her clients. She helps them get more out of retirement by developing strategies to manage wealth accumulation, income planning and legacy planning based on their goals as well as desires. “I love watching people take ownership and create the ability to make amazing change, not only in their lives but through philanthropic means as well,” stated Miranda. “I am so blessed to have the opportunity to build such deeply trusted relationships with people. I love understanding other people’s goals, dreams, and fears and helping them build a plan that gets them one step closer to what they want.” Miranda is actively involved in the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) which promotes ethics and best business practices in the industry. In 2017 through NAIFA, she received the 4 under 40 award which is a statewide award that honors four outstanding members age 40 or under who have risen to the top while also being involved in their communities as well as industry. She strives to meet the financial planning needs of her clients especially nontraditional families in Brown County and the surrounding areas. “I saw a need to make nontraditional families, specifically the LGBT population, feel comfortable and confident with their financial options. I specifically hold myself out as a LGBT focused advisor which is unique to the industry I practice in.” Miranda continued, “My goal is to allow my clients to feel fully in control of their financial situation and to grow within that space. On top of
that, I’ve partnered with a senior advisor that allows both of us to expand and grow our practice beyond where we were, which allows us to hire more employees and serve a larger client base more effectively.” Miranda continues to advocate for diversity and has started the Green Bay LGBT professional networking group whose goal is to create community awareness to diversity as well as mentorship to LGBT youth. The idea behind the group is to create a healthy relationship within the professional community while making positive changes in diversity in Green Bay. This group encourages LGBT professionals from Green Bay to Appleton to get involved in the area and provide resources to the LGBT community. She has also been a part of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce for the past four years. “Don’t let others make you feel that who you are isn’t exactly who you should be,” encouraged Miranda. She is currently the president of the Rotary Club of Green Bay and is the youngest female to hold that position within the club. To make an even larger impact, she is involved with the community service committee, the foundation board and a district wide committee for the Rotary youth leadership award. “My community involvement is centered on things I love to do as well as things that I believe can help change the world for the better,” she explained. Another way she positively impacts the area is by being actively involved in the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay Alumni Association board. “This board allows me to connect the college with the community as much as possible and help raise scholarship dollars which positively impact current students, which in turn, they develop within our community as thriving adults,” said Miranda.
Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018 | 5
Ben Braun
Katie Guth
Associate Director of Finance, Associated Bank
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ssociated Bank was Ben’s first offer out of college and it exposed him to three different departments within the bank. He worked his way from an entry level corporate trainee to the associate director of finance. He leads a department that collects, calculates and analyzes internal profitability at Associated Bank. They provide insight to management that help advise better business decisions. He is also a certified management accountant as well as provides financial analysis and support for key business partners within the bank. One of the most rewarding parts of his work is being able to make a financial impact that drives the bottom line value for the organization and its shareholders. Due to his expertise, he was a speaker at the national conference for the Association for Management Information in Financial Services in 2015. The following year, he was a profitability speaker for the Winnebagoland IMA. Then in 2017, he received the president’s award at Associated Bank for his impactful contributions to the organization in 2016. It’s awarded by the CEO to select individuals that perform above and beyond to help the organization become more successful. His contributions to the strategic projects, analysis recommendations and additional responsibilities contributed to the reception of the award. Currently, he is working full time while attending school at night in order to earn a master’s degree in business administration from St. Norbert College with an anticipated graduation date in May of 2018.
Ben was the volunteer commissioner for the Thunder Youth Football program in Seymour for the past five seasons. His main focus was on safety and development for youth ages eleven and twelve. For roughly a year, he was also the volunteer vice president of administration for the Packerland chapter of Institute of Management Accountants. He helped plan and coordinate speakers for monthly meetings, assisted in social media efforts and was a resource on behalf of the chapter. He participated in volunteer events on behalf of the chapter such as the red kettle collection counting and he led a group that volunteered at the Golden House annually. They provided various fall cleaning services for the home, cooked a meal for individuals staying at the house and restocked any items the house needed. “It’s a good connection to provide support to those affected by domestic abuse,” he explained. Ben believes the keys to personal and professional success are communication, patience and hard work. “Patience is key because individuals typically want something now but the opportunity isn’t right. Opportunities will present themselves. It’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Without patience, you might not be in that spot. Communication is key because individuals need to understand how you think about things and it will also help with your ability to influence others. At the end of the day, patience and communication don’t help if you don’t work hard for what you believe in.” He continued, “One needs to put the dedication and effort into a goal they’re looking to achieve. Others will notice and you’ll be rewarded.”
6 | Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018
Marketing Coordinator, KerberRose S.C.
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atie was formerly the small business initiative program coordinator at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College until early this year. She then made the transition to become the marketing coordinator at KerberRose S.C. where she specializes in building brand awareness for the firm by supporting all aspects of internal marketing, external marketing, branding and lead generation events. Not only does she coordinate digital marketing campaigns as well as internal newsletters but she also handles the website content, social media advertising, press releases, blog content management and traditional advertising. In her previous role at NWTC, she took part in coordinating as well as hosting an annual business summit that drew in hundreds of business owners and service providers throughout Northeast Wisconsin. This event helped provide business owners with a better knowledge of their entrepreneurial talents and how to leverage them for maximum success. She had also collaborated with the Green Bay Boys and Girls Club to create an entrepreneurial program for their ‘Creative Crew.’ It was a three-part series that provided insight on how people start businesses as well as brand and market them successfully. Katie is a firm believer of following your dreams and pursuing the goals your heart desires most. “Believe in yourself and get out there.
Find what you are passionate about and get involved. Attend meetings, make connections, watch yourself and your career options bloom,” she encouraged. She has applied to be an ambassador of the Greater Green Bay Chamber and looks forward to being an advocate as well as working closer with the community. In the past, Katie has also assisted the Greater Green Bay Chamber with planning the Business Expo as a committee member. Her reach continues further as she is an active member of the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of the American Marketing Association and Management Women Inc. It’s fulfilling for her to participate on committees that impact the area such as the NEW Manufacturing Alliance Communications Task Force as well as New North Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. For several years, she has been a marathon runner for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. Additionally, she volunteers with the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of Girls on the Run. This is a local organization that helps young girls develop confidence and self-respect through coaching and a running program. Katie is grateful for the privileges she had throughout the years to participate and volunteer for several organizations close to her heart. She has always been a creative person with an appreciation for art at an early age which fueled her passion for graphic design. “I find myself gravitating to anything that promotes physical activity and building your personal brand,” she confirmed.
Current is a program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber
Emily Jacobson
Lydia Harrer
Owner/Director, Green Bay Doulas
Community Relations Specialist, Capital Credit Union
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ydia began her work as a community relations specialist in 2014 and focuses on program development, social media management and employee empowerment. Her role also encompasses general marketing duties, donation management, sponsorship management and community outreach initiatives. Within Capital Credit Union, she serves on the Young Professionals Steering Council to make a positive impact in the area. In May of 2017, she worked with staff members to raise $28,000 for Capital Credit Union’s homeless shelter partners. This marketing campaign involved the coordination of twenty-five locations and over three hundred employees. “It is amazing to craft activities that empower employees but also make a difference in their communities,” she said. She adores working with local nonprofits and over the last few years Capital Credit Union has selected a major nonprofit to partner with. Then the nonprofits are provided with assistance in fundraising, remodeling, basic volunteer tasks, upgrades, raising awareness and even more. “We believe we are helping our nonprofits to achieve more stable environments and reach their next potential levels of service to our communities,” she elaborated. The reason she volunteers is because she feels a sense of responsibility to do so. Her hope is to show others that it’s possible to make life better regardless of where you start out. She wants to empower and encourage others to fight through the fears as well as stresses to help make a difference
in the area. Lydia is actively involved with many nonprofit groups and enjoys volunteering with the Teens2Work program through the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay. She has been doing so for the past two years and works with roughly fifty teens per year in a job readiness program. The teens are from a variety of backgrounds and the sessions are personalized since the needs of each student differs. Not only does she assist them with learning more about work environments, interviews, money as well as provide them with their first part time job that can be used on a resume but she also makes a positive impact in their personal lives. “We are a point of contact for students to have open conversations about issues at home, school or other life concerns. We talk with them about dreams and life plans when most tell them they don’t have any,” she explained. By doing this, it helps break through generational cycles while helping teens expand their knowledge on what they can expect in a work environment. Moreover, she is part of the Green Bay Leadership Program and serves as the vice president of the Brown County Chapter of Credit Unions Board. Lydia was also a judge for the WPS Volunteer Awards and participated in the 2017 Wisconsin Credit Union League where she was a presenter at the Young Professionals Conference. Additionally, she was a 2016 convention crasher for the annual convention for the Wisconsin Credit Union League where roughly twenty young professionals are selected from around the state to participate in a special track of activities.
To register for this event, visit greatergbc.org/current
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mily founded the very first doula agency in the state of Wisconsin. She built it from a one-woman business into an organization that has eight doulas working as independent contractors. “The ultimate goal of a doula is to reduce fear and instill strength. That’s what a doula does so whether that’s birth or postpartum, that’s our goal. We want you to feel confident about your decisions and we want you to feel supported in those decisions,” explained Emily. The emotional, physical and informational assistance given by a doula allows parents to make their own choices with confidence that they are doing what is best for their family. When families are supported in the birthing experience, it enhances their confidence in self, bonding with their baby and are less likely to suffer from postpartum disorders such as depression as well as anxiety. By hiring a postpartum doula, families can gain a stronger quality of life through confident parenting and family bonds while being properly supported though this momentous occasion. Currently, health savings accounts and flex spending accounts can be utilized for doulas services. Emily holds a four-star certification with only twelve others in the entire nation who are labor certified, postpartum and infant care certified, a certified postpartum placenta specialist and a certified childbirth educator with the ProDoula training organization. She is the only one in Wisconsin with this fourstar distinction. In the fall of 2012, she created the belly to baby expo which is a grassroots effort to bring local businesses and community
resources to those expecting and growing families in the Green Bay area. Giving back means a lot to her so she also participates in the neighbor snow removal program through the Volunteer Center of Brown County. This program matches her family with an older family in their neighborhood and her family clears the snow for them. Additionally, she is a member of the Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care and the Greater Green Bay Chamber. She serves as a resident board member of NeighborWorks Green Bay because she enjoys tying her business as well as drive to serve the community through volunteering opportunities. She serves as the chair of the marketing committee and secretary on the executive committee. Emily was also a founding member of the home and life workshops that support renters and homeowners in continued education through various topics like winterizing your home, budgeting, home repairs and gardening. In 2016 and 2017, she was nominated for entrepreneur of the year by the Future 15 as well as Young Professionals. In addition, she was nominated for business person of the year for the business recognition luncheon through the Greater Green Bay Chamber in 2016. Her heart knows no limits as she continues to positively impact the community. “One in three mothers in America struggles to provide their babies with clean diapers,” she confirmed. To help alleviate this problem, Green Bay Doulas partners with The National Diaper Bank of America to raise awareness. Through a yearly diaper drive, over 31,000 diapers were donated to the United Way of Brown County that were distributed to local nonprofits and throughout the community.
Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018 7
André Jacque
Jennifer Jones
State Representative, 2nd Assembly District, Wisconsin State Assembly
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elping others and being active in the community has always been of central importance to André. As a state legislator for the past seven years, he has taken the lead in authoring several new laws that protect victims of crime, particularly domestic violence. The successful legislative efforts of his first legislative term earned him the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence Legislative Champion award and for the past five years, he has served as a board member on the Wisconsin Council on Domestic Abuse to further enact positive change. He is also a member of the Golden House Domestic Abuse Shelter Community Leadership Council where over the past four years he volunteers for a variety of projects from special events to a few hours of yard work. The incredible impact he is making extends further. He serves as a board member for the Small Business Environmental Council, Family and Childcare Resources of Northeast Wisconsin, Green Bay Area Crime Stoppers and Paul Van Handel Memorial Foundation which provides assistance for families with disabled children. André is a former member of the Brown County United Way Marketing and Communications Committee as well as for Brown County Teen Leadership program. In 2010, he was elected to the state legislature where he is able to make a profound difference while helping protect the most vulnerable. He wants to create a brighter future for generations to come and hopes to get elected to the Wisconsin State Senate this fall so he can be an even more effective voice for his neighbors here in Northeast Wisconsin. One of his goals is to get the southern bridge funded and built in De Pere. “It has been an honor to author laws that help victims of domestic violence, drunk driving and human trafficking and crime victims in general. I am proud of my work protecting the sanctity and dignity of human
life including the unborn.” He elaborated, “Being able to see and hear stories of how bills I’ve written have helped real people, and the thanks I get just from people on the street for the work I do is just the greatest blessing and affirmation of why I got into public service.” André served in local government in a variety of roles for which he previously received the Greater Green Bay Chamber’s Future 15 award and recognition for the 25 People You Should Know. He is proud to have worked collaboratively with a broad array of stakeholders to pass a number of bills. Some of these bills include assisting brownfields redevelopment, restoring the prohibition on social hosting (Parents Who Host Lose the Most), preventing child enticement as well as removing work disincentives for individuals with disabilities within the Medicaid Purchase Plan Program. In addition, he has helped pass bills out of the committee unanimously to address human trafficking as well as to keep artificial wetlands from delaying or preventing development in which he worked closely with the Greater Green Bay Chamber. Due to his success, he has received more than two dozen awards during his time in the legislature. These awards include the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce Legislator of the Year, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform State Legislative Achievement award, National Federation of Independent Business Guardian of Small Business award, Brown County Crime Prevention Foundation Crimefighter award, Wisconsin Counties Association Outstanding Legislator award and the Wisconsin Family Council Legislator of the Year award. He also earned the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Legislator of the Year three times due to his efforts. Furthermore, he received the Brown County Legislative Leadership award and the Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers Relentless Badger award. André also received recognition from the Manitowoc County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and earned the Wisconsin Towns Association’s “Friend of Towns” award.
8 | Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018
Director of Admissions, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
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ennifer has served higher education providers in Northeast Wisconsin for over eighteen years and understands the transformative power of education personally as well as from countless others who have allowed her to be a part of their journey. Over the past two years serving as the director of admissions, she has led a team of nineteen people to see a growth of over 20% in new student enrollment. In her role, she oversees the recruitment and application processing team for undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. Also, she is the acting assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management where she directs advising, financial aid, registrar, the one-stop-shop and the precollege TRIO program. She also created a collaborative program that serves local high school students by bringing in three different types of educational opportunities to speak as a team to the students to expose them to all their postsecondary options. This program provides access to information for students who are the first in their family to go to college. Her work in higher education is rewarding because she enjoys being a part of ensuring that everyone has the opportunity for a better life. “I believe I am inspiring future leaders to challenge themselves, realize their full potential and know their value in a community. I am leading an amazing team of individuals who care deeply about students and helping them achieve success. I hope that by being my best self every day, I can show others what is possible so they can keep the positive momentum moving forward,” Jennifer explained.
She believes her calling in this community is to ensure she does everything possible to build bridges to higher education and to remove barriers for students who cannot overcome them on their own. “I will continue to work towards creating policies, procedures and opportunities that allow students to see that college is possible for them and then show them the pathway to get there. In my role at my institution, I am positioned to influence the future of higher education in Green Bay and to fight hard to keep a collaborative student focused implementation of education. My plan is to increase the higher education opportunities for all students,” she elaborated. Jennifer is involved with Brown County Teen Leadership, now known as Greater Green Bay Teen Leadership, by having served on the Steering Committee and hosts an event each year on the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay campus which helps her feel connected to the youth in the area. Furthermore, she was asked to be the graduation speaker for the class of 2017. She also served on the Ecumenical Center Board from 2006 until 2016. This organization helps serve student’s spiritual needs. It provides her with immense joy to volunteer in the community to make a positive difference in other’s lives. She is a member of Picnic in the Park which consists of a group of volunteers that serve dinner to families at Joannes Park in Green Bay every Wednesday night during the summertime. Additionally, she was the student club adviser for the Habitat for Humanity group at UWGB for five years where she supported students in fundraising and overcoming organizational hurdles they encountered. Currently, she serves on a collaborative board called Turbocharge which has a mission to ensure that every Green Bay public high school student has access to fifteen college credits before they graduate from high school. “My goal every day is ‘to be inspired and inspire others,’” she stated.
Current is a program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber
Mai J. Lo Lee Diversity Director, University of Wisconsin Green Bay
Vanya Koepke Senior Carrier Sales Executive, Schneider
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anya is proud to be part of Schneider where he has met or exceeded his monthly goals for the majority of his career. He has been flourishing with the company for over sixteen months as Schneider continues to deliver excellence for its customers. The fast paced and driven atmosphere drew him in instantly and he adores the opportunities to volunteer and serve the community through the Schneider foundation. “I enjoy seeing how people are encouraged and how our community is improved,” explained Vanya. This was a large part of what motivated him to run for Green Bay’s City Council in the most recent election. In addition, he managed the successful campaign of a state representative. While he admits that English as a second language was not easy, thanks to the guidance from his strong homeschool education as well as perseverance, he has mastered it. He still speaks Russian as well and his ultimate dream job is to be the offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. He enjoys serving on the board of directors at the Howe Community Resource Center to help make a positive impact in the
community. On a regular basis, they help over two hundred individuals to social, educational and personal services that are included in their partnership with Howe Elementary School. “I see the need for investing into our youth. Having been adopted from Russia at the age of ten, I see myself in the eyes of many of the kids that the resource center helps.” Vanya continued, “Because my parents gave me a second chance at life, I want to invest into these kids the same way. I want to see these kids on the same stage at Future 15 as me. I want to give them hope and a purpose.” He is originally from Tomsk, Russia and loves volunteering for various events in Green Bay. This includes service projects with the volunteer center, the Greater Green Bay Chamber and he judged this year’s WPS Brown County volunteer awards. It’s important to him to give back to the area so he serves on the UW-Green Bay alumni board of directors, music team of Spring Lake Church and is the chair of the Current Young Professional’s Ambassador’s Committee. He also helps attract, engage, develop and retain young talent in Greater Green Bay by being a part of Current’s Steering Committee. “Under my leadership, the committee has almost doubled in size and has made significant progress with our corporate partners as well as individual engagement,” he explained.
To register for this event, visit greatergbc.org/current
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ai and her partner,Tou Ger were born in Ban Vinai Refugee Camp in Thailand when both sets of their parents became war refugees after the U.S. military pulled from the Southeast Asian regions. At a young age, she came to the United States living in Green Bay as well as Central Wisconsin. Currently, at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, she serves as the diversity director where she and her staff promote the academic success, personal growth and development for multicultural students. Over the past decade, she has directed educational programs that enhance learning and promote respect as well as appreciation for ethnic diversity. Some examples of diversity programs that she has led are cultural immersion trips, innovative films, speakers, expert panels, book discussions and an ‘up’stander scenario series. Students provide input for each event held and the activities are executed with student involvement to ensure excellent results in experience as well as learning. Mai has accomplished much and earned many awards due to the positive impact she is making. She received the Institutional Staff Member of the Year Award from the Residence Hall and Apartment Association for her outstanding dedication and service. Moreover, she earned the Woman of Color Education Award through the UW System where she was recognized for her advocacy and activism in social justice as well as her efforts to improve the climate for people of color through educational programs. She was nominated for the Diversity
Individual Award while being recognized for her work that fostered access and success in university life for historically underrepresented populations. In addition, she was nominated for the Diversity Program Award due to the social justice conference she held which educated students about ally development and current social justice issues. The positive impact she makes reaches further. She was a planning committee member for the Green Bay Juneteenth Celebration where she was responsible for the marketing of this community event. Furthermore, she collaborated with numerous community constituents for families to gather and learn about the end of slavery as well as the importance of this African American historical event. She founded Diversity Discovery Free Day which is an event that uses interactive activities to educate community members about diversity at The Building for Kids Children’s Museum. This event was created in partnership with Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities, where Mai is a board member, and the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. It’s rewarding for Mai to serve as the book chairperson for the Back to School Store through the Service League of Green Bay. Annually, she is responsible for working with local businesses to collect roughly 1,500 new or gently used books. Additionally, she is part of the planning committee for the Brown County Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration event as well as served as a judge for the Green Bay Hmong Community New Year and the Golden Apple Awards through the Greater Green Bay Chamber and Partners in Education. In the future, she hopes to obtain her doctoral degree in education and dreams of publishing a children’s book.
Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018 9
Josh Moser
Laura Rowell
Sports Director, WLUK-TV, FOX 11
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osh moved to Green Bay in July of 2015 to work as the weekend sports anchor. He was promoted to sports director in September of 2016 where he has flourished. There are one hundred and twenty of these jobs nationwide and he is the youngest sports director in the country in an NFL market. He is the host of “Inside the Huddle,” which is the highest rated Packers television show in the state of Wisconsin. Green Bay Packers stars Jordy Nelson and Devante Adams are co-hosts on the show. Josh makes appearances on radio shows throughout the country, while managing the largest local television sports team in Green Bay. “In an ever-changing world, we need good journalists to tell an accurate account of what is taking place. Credibility is all we have as journalists, once that’s gone our words are worth nothing,” Josh stated. Additionally, he serves as the main sports anchor for Fox 11 on the 5 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. nightly newscasts, as well as oversees the sports section of the website. “I love the fact that I get to interact and meet so many different people and learn their stories. Sports is the one entity that I believe everyone in a community can relate to and rally around. With the Packers at the center point of our community, it makes my job truly special. I feel like I truly have my dream job,” he said. Before making his way to Wisconsin, Josh kicked off his career as the weekend sports anchor in Grand Junction, Colorado and was later promoted to sports director. To follow, he became a sports reporter at KUSA-TV in Denver, Colorado. KUSA-TV is a top-five local news station in the country.
In the first market that he worked, he met a high school athlete named Jordan Jones who eventually passed away from testicular cancer. Since his passing three years ago, Josh has helped raise more than $50,000 to fight the disease. His work on a story about Jordan made him an owner of an Emmy award. He also received an excellence award for his coverage of the X-Games on a story specifically relating to the first death in X-Games history. He had the pleasure of interviewing David Beckham at his debut for the LA Galaxy and covered Brett Favre’s induction into the pro football hall of fame in 2016, as well as the “Hall of Fame Game” that never happened. Furthermore, he covered the Stanley Cup Finals, the Final Four, Rose Bowl, NFL playoffs, NBA playoffs, MLB playoffs, U.S. Open and PGA Championship.” Giving back to the community is important to him so he coaches youth basketball, is a personal trainer on the side, speaks at senior citizen workout classes and attends multiple high school sporting events on a weekly basis. He emceed the Packers Welcome Back Luncheon and was the host of the annual Jordy Nelson softball game, as well. He is an active member of the Current Young Professionals group, Tap Your Potential Young Professionals group and the Southern California Packer Backers group. Josh also spoke at the De Pere Chamber of Commerce. It’s fulfilling for him to spend time volunteering at the Freedom House and he helped serve meals during the holidays there. He also offers seats at his Packers show to organizations at no expense in order to give them a chance to see a few Packers players without their helmets on. “Each night it is my goal to bring people together through sports. It’s the one entity that everyone can relate to especially in Green Bay! I’m a public servant in a way and feel I connect with the community every night,” Josh explained.
10 | Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018
Director of Dietetic Internship, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
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aura currently leads eighteen interns each school year to educate, love and support the greater Green Bay community in becoming healthier through community based nutrition education and nutritional leadership. She is actively involved in the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (WAND), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), University of Wisconsin Dietetic Internship Selection Committee, Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors (NDEP) as well as the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Academic Staff Personnel Committee. She heavily supports continuing education opportunities through the curriculum of the university’s internship program. She is also involved with the universities policy development, student recruitment, advisement, evaluation and counseling. It is her responsibility to maintain the program accreditation records, student records and verification statements. Furthermore, she spends a lot of time within curriculum development as well as continuous assessment of the program goals and student learning outcomes. Program communication as well as coordination is required throughout 150 plus preceptors and facilities that are spread throughout Milwaukee, Iron Mountain, Michigan, Wisconsin Rapids as well as Sturgeon Bay.
Additionally, she oversees the budgetary and human resource functions of the program. “I feel as a nutrition professional, I need to be a role model and support the community in healthy efforts that develop and build others,” Laura said. She does a fine job doing so and is a group fitness instructor at Xperience Fitness. She teaches eight exercise classes each week and is body pump, RPM (spinning) as well as PiYo certified. Laura also has a certification in health coaching. It’s enjoyable for her to promote comprehensive weight and cardiovascular management through total body fitness, physical strength as well as a healthy lifestyle. “Our health is our most important asset,” assured Laura. In addition, she volunteers to make a positive difference at Life Church, the Ashwaubenon swim club, Ashwaubenon youth baseball league, Salvation Army and participates in operation Christmas child for Samaritan Purse. Moreover, to make a global impact her family sponsors a young boy named Isaac from Tanzania through Compassion International. Due to her success, Laura was awarded the Equity Gap Fellow in 2017 which is a program that helps develop instructors to be transparent while helping to increase the success of their students. In the previous year, she was honored with the Student Nominated Teaching Award through the Instructional Development Council as well as the office of the Provost. In the summer of 2014, she also earned the Starter Online Teaching Fellow scholarship. She smiled, “I love being able to make a difference one person at a time.”
Current is a program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber
Tony Steffek
Joe Vanden Avond
Labor and Employment Attorney/ Shareholder, Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.
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ony has been practicing law since 2006 after receiving his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Marquette University Law School and his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He spent the past five years focusing on labor and employment law with over ten years of litigation experience. He enjoys the fact that his career provides so many opportunities to develop and pursue creative strategies that help his clients meet their objectives. His driven nature has allowed him to thrive while positively impacting other’s lives in the community. In his present role, he proactively and reactively supports employers of all sizes through a variety of human resource related complications. He’s an impeccable resource when it comes to dealing with problems such as labor negotiations, firing, hiring, disability as well as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as well as other leave concerns, employee handbook review as well as revisions, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance, wage complications, hour issues, sensitive personnel matters as well as investigations, noncompetition agreements and other restrictive covenants. Also, Tony provides schools including primary, secondary and post-secondary as well as public entities with counsel and guidance on matters specific to those clients. Being elected to partnership in the law firm
upon initial eligibility is what he considers his biggest accomplishment and honor to date. He also serves as an ambassador on the firm’s Recruiting Committee as it continues to grow. A large part of his practice includes participating in legal groups and activities. He is a member of the Brown County Bar Association, Society for Human Resources Management, Defense Research Institute and Wisconsin School Attorneys Association. For the Honorable Robert J. Parins Legal Society, he was a former president. It’s important to him to take time to give back to the area to make a difference. Currently, he is on the board of directors for Cerebral Palsy, Inc., Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin and Partners in Education which is a program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber. Not only does he assist these organizations in overall strategy as well as governance, but he also gets to meet as well as know folks who receive their services which is the most rewarding part to him. In addition, he is the president of the Ashwaubenon Fun in the Sun Summer Camp which is a summer program for Ashwaubenon special needs students. As the parent of a camper, he is extremely glad to help fellow community members with whom he shares a common experience. Volunteering for various organizations is a priority for him so he serves in several philanthropic roles. Tony has helped make a difference by serving as a former buddy for the Miracle League of Green Bay and a former Steering Committee member for the Current Young Professionals. Moreover, he was the former president for Group Purchasing Inc. for the Greater Green Bay Chamber and is a 2014 graduate of Leadership Green Bay.
To register for this event, visit greatergbc.org/current
Director, Ryan Funeral Home
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n this profession, perspective is key for me. When the phone rings in the middle of the night, we have to sit up and realize someone needs our help,” Joe explained. “If we don’t believe in what we’re doing or if we seem inconvenienced, the family we are serving will feel it.” Funeral directors answer the call anytime, regardless if it’s day or night. They then meet the family at the place of death to begin the funeral process. The details of the funeral are coordinated in an arrangement conference, the merchandise is ordered, space is reserved in churches as well as restaurants, the body is prepared and the funeral home staff runs the funeral. The support for families continues still as aftercare and additional resources are provided. “When our work is done right, I like to think the positive impact we have on individuals and families ripples into the community.” He elaborated, “What a funeral director does for families in a time of great need is truly a part of our community’s wellness.” To further the conversation, he regularly discusses the importance of funeral preparedness. “Preparedness helps resolve grief so individuals can return to being vibrant members of our community,” he stated.
To remain licensed, a funeral director has continuing education requirements. This fall, he is enrolled in the University of Wisconsin Madison Grief Support Specialist Certificate Program to help fill those requirements and develop skills to improve how he can serve the area as a funeral director. He is currently serving as the vice president of the Brown County Chapter of the Wisconsin Alumni Association and will serve as president for 2020, as well as 2021. The chapter provides scholarship funds to local youth who will be attending the University of Wisconsin. This past year was record breaking for the amount of funds raised and scholarships the chapter distributed. Part of that was largely thanks to festivities planned around the Badger football game against Louisiana State University at Lambeau Field. Additionally, Joe is a member of the De Pere Kiwanis, Abbot Pennings Council 3955 of the Knights of Columbus, Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association and sings in the Dudley Birder Chorale through St. Norbert College. He also volunteered as a counselor for the Green Bay Muscular Dystrophy Association summer camp for five years which is a commitment that truly changed his life. “I didn’t know anything about muscular dystrophy going into the camp.” He continued, “Applying the MDA camp volunteer attitude in other areas of my life resulted in a profound shift toward wanting to help others.”
Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018 11
Alexia Wood Executive Director, St. John’s Homeless Shelter and The Micah Center
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lexia received her master’s degree at 22 years old, was hired as the executive director at 26 years old and started pursuing her doctorate of social work through the University of Southern California at 31 years old with an anticipated graduation date of December in 2019. She is passionate about being a part of ending homelessness in Wisconsin and intends to continue using her voice to advocate for change to care for the marginalized of our society. “We remain committed to never turning someone away due to capacity,” she assured. Alexia is an advocate for change within the homeless system and provides a voice for a population that is often not heard. She works to address the systemic issues of homelessness as well as poverty while ensuring that change occurs to provide adequate as well as affordable housing, access to healthcare as well treatment and equal opportunities for those struggling with poverty. Watching children age out of foster care to find themselves homeless at St. John’s drove her to become a licensed foster parent as a young and single female. She has cared for nine children between the ages of two and seventeen that have been placed in her home since 2014. It brings her immense joy to show them how deeply they’re loved and how much potential they have. “I will bring a voice to the hundreds of hurting children in our community who have suffered immeasurable pain, abuse and loss. I will bring a voice to the homeless neighbor who is now defined by his circumstances in the public’s eye and not by his character. I will continue standing with these brothers
and sisters until this community is truly a great place for all,” she said. Her eyes are set on making a global impact as well as a local impact so she sponsors children in third world countries. She also has taken service trips to Dilaire and Ouanaminthe in Haiti as well as to Bogalusa in Louisiana. “While global poverty and local poverty may look different, their impact on the human soul is the same,” she explained. The positive impacts created continue even further. She is a governing board member for the Brown County Homeless and Housing Coalition as well as serves on the Brown County Basic Needs Coalition. The coalition advocates for drug and alcohol treatment as well as mental health care. In addition, she serves on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Balance of State Continuum of Care. This is a coalition comprised of agencies who serve, support and care about those experiencing homelessness in 69 Wisconsin counties. She is the current co-chair of the emergency shelter standards and diversion committee for the coalition too. Alexia was the first recipient of the faithful servant award in 2013 by the St. Thomas More Society of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. This award is given to someone who “in the course of religious, legal, community, public or human services, has (or have) exemplified in most outstanding fashion the commitments and steadfast dedication of St. Thomas More, to God, family, the community and the law.” She finds enjoyment in being actively involved at Green Bay Community Church as well as supporting the youth at the Greater Green Bay YMCA. If there are races supporting local charities, it’s likely Alexia will be in attendance regardless if it’s a 5K or a half marathon. “It’s a great way to get out and be active while supporting the great work of so many area nonprofits,” she confirmed.
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JULY 3-8 2018 | THORNBERRY CREEK AT ONEIDA For tournament information and to purchase tickets go to www.thornberrycreeklpgaclassic.com
Congratulations to Anthony J. Steffek 2017 Greater Green Bay
Chamber Future 15 Honoree Davis & Kuelthau is proud to announce Anthony Steffek, Labor and Employment Attorney, will be honored at the 2018 Greater Green Bay Chamber’s Future 15 Awards. This award recognizes young professionals who are excelling in their career and making a positive impact in the community. BROOKFIELD
GREEN BAY MILWAUKEE www.dkattorneys.com
Current is a program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber
PRESENTED BY
Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalists Lee-Ann Klingsporn Aardvark Wine Lounge
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hen Lee-Ann Klingsporn moved to Green Bay from her native South Africa, she enjoyed the restaurants and bars in the downtown area, but was surprised to see that wine was not that common and South African wine was almost unheard of. After working as a financial advisor, the opportunity was too tempting and Lee-Ann began the process of opening Aardvark Wine Lounge. The new concept allows customers to taste two dozen different types of wine at their leisure in a setting that is more casual than a typical bar but more social than a restaurant. “We carry wine that is generally unavailable in the Green Bay area and is primarily high quality, but relatively affordable wines from boutique producers
in the United States, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand,” Lee-Ann stated. LeeAnn designed the food menu from scratch focusing on high quality ingredients, including South Africanstyle dried meats, that are perfect to pair with your wine. The food was originally intended to compliment the wine, but dishes such as the pear, brie and honey bruschetta have become the reason some of the customers keep coming back. Aardvark has also had the opportunity to give back. “We have supported dozens of nonprofit organizations with contributions to their events. We have also hosted two fundraising nights for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin,
with donations accepted and a portion of all sales donated to the organization. We also made our mark on the community by shepherding a new City ordinance that allows consumption of alcoholic beverages at licensed sidewalk cafes, and Aardvark was the first business to serve wine at a sidewalk café in Downtown Green Bay. The process has not always been easy, but with the support of the community and especially our employees, many of whom have been with us since we opened over a year ago, Aardvark has quickly become a go-to destination in Green Bay,” Lee-Ann stated. Aardvark Wine Lounge is located at 304 Pine Street, Green Bay, WI 54301.
Pure Barre Green Bay community is of none other! “Our staff and client base is extremely welcoming and supportive to all. I have found that the saying ‘empowered women, empower women’ to hold true to our studio and clients; we have created a space where our clients truly look forward to working out, meeting up with their friends, and making new ones. “I am extremely honored and humbled to be nominated for this award. Special thank you to my PBGB staff for your passion, dedication, and kindness and to my ever-so-supportive clients for embracing Pure Barre and the community we have built. Thank you for making this once a dream, a reality,” stated Brooke.
If you are looking for a workout or to try something different, Brooke encourages you to come try a class. Pure Barre offers three different class types- Pure Barre Classic: low impact, isometric movements, Pure Empower: high energy, cardio class, and Pure Foundations: an intro-styled class (every Tuesday at 6:30pm). The schedule accommodates 36 classes a week and is open every day. Find the schedule and more information at purebarre.com/wi-greenbay. Give them a call at 920.770.5095 or email at greenbay@purebarre.com with questions or to sign up for class. The studio is located at 2621 S. Oneida street, behind Panera Bread in Ashwaubenon.
their phones. Additionally, LiveTime has launched a sister company, LiveRaceMedia, which specializes in broadcasting live video of each and every race, serving millions of viewers per month. Now, closing in on just the third year since its initial launch, LiveTime is used by thousands of tracks around the world, from grass roots amateur racing to some of the top professional series in
racing. LiveTime has also recently expanded into distribution of scoring hardware to complement its software systems. Within just one year, it has become the largest scoring hardware distributor in the world with clients in industries from radio controlled car racing to the Indy 500. For more information on LiveTime, LLC, please visit livetimescoring.com.
Brooke McMillan Pure Barre Green Bay
“I
opened Pure Barre upon moving back to my hometown of Green Bay, Wisconsin from Savannah, Georgia; where I first found Pure Barre. Since then my life has completely changed and I knew I had to bring Pure Barre and the technique to Green Bay and share this workout and community to this area,” stated Brooke McMillan. Pure Barre is a total body workout utilizing a ballet barre for support and balance while performing small, isometric movements that sculpt and shape each muscle group of the body. The beauty about Pure Barre is it’s challenging and effective – you will see results – yet, extremely low impact so most everyone can do this workout no matter your age, fitness level etc. The
Brandon Rohde LiveTime, LLC
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iveTime is a company that was founded to help revolutionize the way that fans and racers consume content from amateur motorsports racing events around the world. LiveTime has developed cutting edge software that is designed to simplify running a complex race with hundreds of entries, all while streaming real-time lap-by-lap results and video to anyone who would like to watch - from friends and family back home to fans in the grandstands on
To register for this event, visit greatergbc.org/current
Green Bay Press-Gazette | Sunday, February 19, 2017 | 13
PRESENTED BY
Next Generation Best Place to Work Finalists
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stablished in 1977, Bay Tek Games, Inc. is one of the largest redemption game manufacturers in the United States.The organization specializes in ticket redemption games for the Family Entertainment Center industry with a vision to be the best in the world at developing and manufacturing innovative coin-operated games, all while providing fun and profit for its customers. The family-owned business had a humble start in the basement of the owner’s home, however has since experienced significant growth and purchased five additional companies, with the most notable acquisition of Skee-Ball, Inc. in 2016. To Bay Tek, family includes its 180
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he Einstein Project is helping create a society of critical thinkers, problem solvers, leaders, strong communicators and the next generation of workers who have an understanding of STEM. For more 27 years the Einstein Project has used its history to guide itself and continues to strive to be innovative, influential, and a community resource for all educational institutions. It elevates STEM education by providing materials and curriculum in kits
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chneider is more than orange trucks. It is a premier provider of transportation and logistics services, offering one of the broadest portfolios in the industry. From office associates to drivers, warehouse crews to diesel mechanics — its one big team working together to make the company better than it was yesterday. Schneider has been
14 | Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018
employees and their families, its customers, vendors, and the community. In an effort to support and provide for its family, Bay Tek implemented a profit-sharing program for its employees more than 15 years ago. It was important to Bay Tek to ensure that each employee receive the same amount of profit at the end of the year to reinforce that it takes each person to make Bay Tek the best. The company also donates 10 percent of its profits to its community family through charities and local educational programs.
for quality, interactive science, engineering, maker and math lessons. At the most basic level, Einstein Project is a resource management center. It is an inquiry-based education solution for teachers in private or public schools and for the community’s educational centers, such as libraries, daycare centers, out-of-school programs and clubs. The Einstein Project also provides online and in-person professional development training for educators, preparing them to teach inquiry-based curriculum.
the pioneers of the industry since 1935, and today we are a $4 billion dollar company that still strives to push our standards higher. For more information about Schneider and our current career opportunities visit www.schneiderjobs.com.
Current is a program of the Greater Green Bay Chamber
CONGRATULATIONS 2017 AWARD RECIPIENTS
YOU ARE A PHOENIX. You rise. You inspire. You gain perspective. You explore. You analyze. You respect. You succeed.
And today, you soar. Congratulations to these accomplished UW-Green Bay alumni and University leaders inducted into the 2018 Future 15 Class: MIRANDA BONDE ’10 SARAH BECKMAN ’08 JENNIFER JONES ’99 VANYA KOEPKE ’15
HEADQUARTERED IN GREEN BAY
Laura Mossakowski, LLC Financial Planning for Women and Their Families Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity UW-Green Bay Schneider
MAI J. LO LEE
UW-Green Bay
LAURA ROWELL
UW-Green Bay
“Future 15 recipients and nominees, thank you for your outstanding contributions to our community.”
Proud sponsor of the Future 15
www.gp.com/careers
Congratulations Kate Guth Marketing Coordinator at KerberRose S.C.
“ I feel the key to personal and professional success is knowing who you are and believing in yourself. We are all driven by different passions and interests. Being able to identify those factors and being true to yourself is very important to me .
“
- Kate Guth
CONGRATULATIONS 2017 FUTURE 15 & YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD RECIPIENTS
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STARS OF THIS YEAR’S FUTURE 15 AND YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARDS. SEE YOU AT THE SHOW! To register for this event, visit greatergbc.org/current
Green Bay Press-Gazette | Thursday, April 12, 2018 | 15
BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
A CELEBRATION IN #YPWEEK
GREATERGBC.ORG/FUTURE15
Current would like to thank our program’s
SUSTAINING PARTNERS
PRESENTED BY: