UW Oshkosh alumni Class Notes: May 2024

'75 Kirk Ruhnke (LS), of Hurricane, Utah, was inducted into the Wisconsin Advertising Hall of Fame.

'80 Russ Van Gompel (B), of Oshkosh, retired as the City of Oshkosh finance director. Van Gompel received a key to the city by Oshkosh Mayor Matt Mugerauer.

'82 Scott Roberts (B), of Naples, Florida, is chief revenue officer for Segra, one of the nation's largest independent fiber network companies. Roberts has over 30 years of sales and marketing leadership experience.

'84 Ted Tornow (LS), of Surprise, Arizona, works at Surprise Stadium, spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers. Tornow is married to '86 Ruth (Ostenso) Tornow (N).

'93 Wendy Haase-Roberts (LS), of Long Beach, California, is the president and CEO of Travel Santa Ana. Haase-Roberts has been in the travel and tourism industry for 25 years and is a three-time Ironman.

'97 Michelle Dalton (LS), and '10 (MBA), of Omro, is vice president of strategic partner development for Proforma. Dalton is a volunteer business mentor, sits on the board of Omro's Chamber and Development Group, and received the 2023 Gold Titan Award for Women in Business.

'97 Molly Gilbertson (LS), of Waupun, is the operations officer at National Exchange Bank & Trust. Gilbertson is an active board member of the Kiwanis Club in Beaver Dam.

'00 Rev James Droste (EHS), of Plymouth, is the pastor of Yorkville United Methodist Church. Droste previously served as pastor at Wesley UMC in Sheboygan and church planter at Plymouth Area New Church Start.

'00 Jason Mathwig (LS), of Menomonee, was named one of Insight on Business' 40 Under 40 Award recipients as one of the region's influential young professionals. Mathwig currently works for New North, Inc.

'00 Anne (McCarthy) Michels (EHS), of Oregon, is currently the executive director of Green Pastures Living, a non-profit organization founded to help provide affordable, independent senior housing. Michels founded Green Pastures in 2019 and she and her husband '99 Scott Michels (LS) both serve on the board of directors.

'04 Andrew Selgrad (LS), of Beaver Dam is the incoming coach of the Ripon High School football team. Selgrad spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the Columbus Cardinals, leading them to a 35-4 record.

'05 Robert Benzinger (B), of St. Peter, is the senior vice president of retail banking with National Exchange Bank & Trust. Benzinger joined the bank in 2017 as a loan project officer and has over ten years of experience in the finance industry.

'05 Heather (Bartel) Winscher (LS), of Oshkosh, is president of Watermark47, a family-owned printing, packaging, and finishing business founded by her grandfather, Roy Bartel.

'09 Virginia (Pliska) Maus (BA) of Hortonville, was named one of Insight on Business' 40 Under 40 Award recipients as one of the region's influential young professionals. Maus works at Snow Fox Data.

'12 Tanya Reynen (LS), of Oconomowoc, is Watertown's new fire chief. Reynen has a 20-year career in public service and previously served as deputy chief of training center at Lake County Fire and Rescue.

'13 Kimberly Klaetsch (MBA), of Fond du Lac, is the vice president of business and private banking with National Exchange Bank & Trust. Klaetsch joined the bank nearly ten years ago and held several other positions including assistant vice president and retail lending supervisor.

'14 Jolene Schatzinger (MSE), of Ripon, was named one of Insight on Business' 40 Under 40 Award recipients as one of the region's influential young professionals. Schatzinger is the executive director for the Fond du Lac Area Women's Fund.

'14 Liz (Cookle) Wollenberg (EHS), of Appleton, was named one of Insight on Business' 40 Under 40 Award recipients as one of the region's influential young professionals. Wollenberg is currently the vice president of regional strategy and resource development for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.

'15 Katelyn (Wendt) Lothary (N), of Brooklyn, is a certified medical examiner in SSM Health's Occupational Health Clinic. Lothary previously worked in the UW Health Transplant Unit for six years and earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice-Family Medicine degree in 2020.

'15 Daniel Brosman (BBA), of Oshkosh, was named one of Insight on Business' 40 Under 40 Award recipients as one of the region's influential young professionals. Brosman is director of the Small Business Development Center at UW Oshkosh.

'16 Reginald Parson (MPA), of Portland, Maine, serves as the first deputy director of the Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave Program.

'17 Jennifer Faris (LS), of Oshkosh, was named one of Insight on Business' 40 Under 40 Award recipients as one of the region's influential young professionals. Faris works at United Manufacturers, Inc.; Faris Gourmet Popcorn & Treats.

'17 Mai Nu (Thao) Vang (EHS) and '22 (MS), of Green Bay, was named one of Insight on Business' 40 Under 40 Award recipients as one of the region's influential young professionals. Vang works for the Green Bay Area Public School District.

'18 Courtney Hansen (B), of Oshkosh, was named one of Insight on Business' 40 Under 40 Award recipients as one of the region's influential young professionals. Hansen works for the City of Manitowoc.

'18 Renee Smith (MBA), of Findlay, Ohio, is the associate chief medical officer for Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc. Smith previously served as system chief medical officer with the Blanchard Valley Health System in Ohio.

'22 Wanda Burnley (EHS), of Roberts, is program director at Have A Heart, a social service organization that services individuals with disabilities throughout the River Falls area. Burnley is also a Lion's Club member and the founders of the Hudson Hometown Music Festival.

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