Front Rail

THE TIME HAS COME

BY PETE MADLAND, TLW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

All good things must come to an end and so it is that I am retiring as executive director of the TLW. Needless to say, the decision was not an easy one. I debated with myself and my wife many hours before deciding what to do, but finally realized the time has come.

After doing a little research, I found that I was elected to the state board of directors in 1989, and served as president in both Pierce and Barron counties. I was elected state president in 1995 and served until 2001. I then served as the Tavern League’s field representative until 2005, when I was hired as your executive director. Thirty-one years is a long time and so the time has come for a new face with a new perspective and new ideas.

There are so many “thank yous” to send that I cannot begin to do justice to those of you I owe gratitude to. First and foremost, I want to thank you, the members. No matter where I traveled in Wisconsin, you made me feel welcome. The pats on the back and demonstration of appreciation meant more to me than you will ever know. That occasional “thank you for all you do” more than made up for the complaints, nasty emails, etc. You treated me well and fed me chicken in more ways than I can count. Because of you and my job, I get to brag that I have drank in more bars in Wisconsin than anyone alive. You people are the best!

I have worked with many different board members over the years. We did not always agree, but in that lies our strength. You hired me even though I had no experience as an executive director. I always appreciated the confidence you had in me. I hope, looking back, that you feel it was a good choice. Understand that the board of directors plays a very important role regarding how our association functions. Don’t take your role lightly. Each and every one of you are important. Swearingen, Terry Harvath and Chris Marsicano. They all had different styles, but I like to think we were able to work together to get things done for the betterment of the league. I want to also thank Scott Stenger who walked me through the halls of the Capitol and taught me much on how the political process works. And though I had several staff members help me through the years, this last year was the most challenging. With that in mind, a special thanks to my current staff, Becca Williams and Steve Van, for your hard work and support. You rock!

That brings me to my final acknowledgement, my wife, LuAnn. She is the strongest person I have ever met. I cannot begin to list the many issues she had to face by herself during her hundreds of days and nights alone while I was on the road. I recall pipes freezing, sewers backing up, our dogs dying and yes, even a tornado. She dealt with these events and countless others by herself. She is incredible! Louie, thank you for your never-ending strength and support through all these years, and yes, we will take that vacation I have been promising for years.

So the time has come for me to step aside, and make room for new ideas and new perspectives. I will look back on this stage of my life with great fondness. When I accepted this position, I promised that I would work hard and never embarrass this association. I like to believe I kept my promise. The TLW will always be a part of me and your kindness will never be forgotten.

“BECAUSE OF YOU AND MY JOB, I GET TO BRAG THAT I HAVE DRANK IN MORE BARS IN WISCONSIN THAN ANYONE ALIVE. YOU PEOPLE ARE THE BEST!”