UW Oshkosh alumni Class Notes: April 2024

'70 Ken Loest (LS) and '78 (MS) of Plymouth, is retiring from teaching math after 51 years. Loest will speak at graduation this year as his final swan song at Glenbeulah High School. Loest and his wife '71 Carol (Guse) Loest (EHS) plan to travel in their retirement.

'84 George Kroeninger (EHS) of Madison, was named Milwaukee School of Engineering's (MSOE) inaugural executive director of professional education. Along with his new role, he will be launching the Center for Professional Education. Kroeninger's vision includes supporting MSOE alumni and other professionals by providing access to continuing education.

'85 Erin Murphy (N) of Saint Paul, Minnesota, took over as Senate majority leader in Minnesota. Murphy served for 12 years in the Minnesota House as well as ran for governor in 2018. She also chairs the Rules and Administration Committee and serves on the Higher Education and Finance committees.

'95 Maurice Wince (EHS) of Milwaukee, and his wife Yashica Spears, were awarded a $25,000 grant by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago's Accelerate Grant for their grocery store Sherman Park Grocery. Wince and Yashica opened Sherman Park Grocery in 2022 in hopes of addressing Milwaukee's food desert problems. This grant will allow them to further invest in their community's well-being.

'97 Tom Swigert (LS) of Hartford, joined the seven-piece horn rock band Part Time Models as the lead trumpet. While in school at UWO, Swigert studied trumpet under Al Butcher, jazz under John Harmon and music recording under Wally Messner. Part Time Models performs in the Milwaukee area.

'98 Stephen Powers (LS) of Thomaston, Georgia, published his fourth poetry collection, Hail my Attention Kindly. The collection is a mix of lyric and narrative poetry about a tour through India, Ireland, Jekyll Island, New York City, London, Berlin, Hawaii, the Northwoods of Wisconsin and the world of Dolly Parton.

'91 John Schroeder (LS) of Waukesha, is the chairman of the planning committee for the 49^th annual Convention of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA). The event will be held at the EAA grounds in Oshkosh in September.

'01 William Krautkramer (EHS) of Kaukauna, has been hired as the head coach of the Kaukauna girls soccer team. Krautkramer has 22 years of teaching experience and was named the 2023 teacher of the year for Neenah Joint School District. He also comes to the head coach position with over 30 years of playing and coaching experience in the Fox Valley area.

'02 Melissa Johnston (LS) of Berlin, is completing her 21^st year at Berlin High School as the licensed athletic trainer. She lives with her two Yorkies Isabelle and Teddy.

'06 Timothy Ziegler (LS) of New York, New York, was the editor on multiple highly regarded docuseries including Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street on Netflix, FDR on the History Channel, and Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffery Dahmer Tales on Netflix.

'07 Kevin Chevalier (LS) of Greenville, has been named an associate of the company at McMahon. Chevalier is an architecture, engineering, and construction professional with more than 25 years of experience.

'07 Jeff Potts (LS) and '16 (MBA) of Wytheville, Virginia, was hired as the first managing director for GableStage Theatre. He will manage the company's administrative functions and oversee day-to-day operations at the theatre.

'09 Jessica Johnson (MS) of Ripon, was selected by members of the school board, administration, parents, students, teachers and staff to be the principal of the Murray Park Quest Elementary School. Johnson comes with 20 years of experience in education.

'12 Tanya Reynen (LS) of Oconomowoc, was appointed as the City of Watertown fire chief. Reynen served as deputy chief of training center at Lake County Fire Rescue and as an adjunct fire/EMS instructor at Waukesha County Technical College. She also served as a firefighter/paramedic in Watertown and the Town of Brookfield.

'12 Rebecca (Dyreson) O'Connell (N) of Stevens Point, has been working as a bedside nurse at Marshfield Medical Center in the surgical ICU since graduation. Taking inspiration from one of her professors, she is completing her master's degree this spring. She is married to '12 Jason O'Connell (B).

'15 Daniel Zamost (MSE) of Appleton, will become the principal of Ripon Middle School July 1. He was the unanimous choice of a 17-member selection team.

'15 Ryan Steiskal (LS) of Neshkoro, has a gallery opening in the Annex Gallery on the UWO campus April 4-18. Steiskal is an illustrator, painter and draftsmen that uses acrylic inks to create images of animals and sci-fi or supernatural elements.

'19 Samuel Pedersen (EHS) of Muskego, was hired as Stewartville's volleyball coach. Pedersen comes with a host of assistant coaching experience at the high school level, one year of head coaching experience and two years of assistant coaching experience at the collegiate level.

'21 Alixandria Talady (EHS) of Milwaukee, is a third-year fourth grade teacher at the Sharon Community School. Talady was the featured Service Above Self Award honoree this past February for her service to her students and the school's community.

'22 Reagan Fritts (LS) of Oswego, Illinois is the social media coordinator at Red Shoes Inc. Fritts started as an account assistant and has been with the company since 2023.

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