Focus Group & Interview Participants
The following Madison Region community and business leaders made a contribution of their time, insights, and expertise during the Advance Now stakeholder input phase. We thank these participants for their input, and we invite you to get involved with Advance Now as well.
Focus Groups were conducted in the categories of healthcare, entrepreneurship and innovation, tourism, K-12 education, manufacturing, young professionals, agriculture, small business, access to capital, workforce, real estate, and economic development professionals.
Deb Archer, Greater Madison Convention and Visitors’ Bureau
Jon Bales, DeForest Area School District
Dave Beck-Engel, J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc.
Gary Becker, Vierbicher Associates
Terry Bolz, Unity Health Plan Insurance, Inc.
Nicole Breunig, WI Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection
Curt Brink, Curt Vaughn Brink Companies
Dr. Scott Brown, McFarland Area School District
Maurice Cheeks, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce
Kent Craig, Centro Hispano
Debbie Crave, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese
Kathy Cromey, Penda Corporation
Karen Crossley, Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission
Gene Dalhoff, Sauk County Development Corporation
Mike Decker, Divine Savior Healthcare
Keith Dickinson, Dickinson Manufacturing Solutions
Beth Donley, Stemina Biomarker Discovery, Inc.
Nancy Elsing, Columbia County Economic Development Corporation
Dave Fantle, WI Dept. of Tourism
Anya Firszt, Willy Street Co-Op
Deb Frederiksen, Visit Beloit
Kaya Freiman, American Transmission Co.
Amber Fritz, Dean Health Plan
Michael Gay, UW Platteville
Aris Gialamas, Gialamas Company
Denise Gloede, HospiceCare
Vic Grassman, City of Janesville
George Hagenauer, Community Coordinated Child Care
Jon Hardin, Hardin Design & Development
Steve Harrell, Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Jack Hart, Madison College
Ken Harwood, Wisconsin Development
Neil Heinen, WISC-TV3
Dennis Heling, Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium
Leslie Ann Howard, United Way of Dane County
Greg Hyer, University Research Park
Sangtae Kim, Morgridge Institute for Research
Joe Kirgues, 94labs
Mike Klonsinski, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Jon Koch, Mortenson Construction
Scott Kohl, Filament Games
Molly Lahr, MAGNET
Greg Lawless, UW Extension
Seth Lentz, Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin
Jim Leonhart, Celebrate Children Foundation
Jeanne Lisse, Madison Computer Works
Ken Maciejewski, Opportunities, Inc
Dan MacIsaac, Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Rock Mackie, Tomo Therapy
Melissa Malott, Clean Wisconsin
Gregory Markle, Operation Fresh Start
Jessica Meier, M&I Bank
Tim Metcalfe, Sentry Metcalfe’s
Chris Meyer, Sector 67
Paul Meyer, The Alliance
Leslie Mirkin, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Gary Molz, EZ Office Products
Lucia Nunez, City of Madison
Aaron Olver, City of Madison
Walter Orzechowski, Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program
James Otterstein, Rock County – Planning, Economic Development and Community Development Agency
Olivia Parry, Dane County – Planning and Development
Dean Perlick, Dodge County Land Resources and Parks Department
Rick Phelps, M&I Bank
Rebecca Prochaska, Potter Lawson
Paul Radspinner, FluGen, Inc.
Christine Rebout, Janesville CVB
Bryan Renk, Bioforward
Jim Ring, Parke Towne Managment, Inc.
Mike Ring, Parke Towne Managment, Inc.
Ruth Rohlich, Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation
John Russell, Columbus Community Hospital
Craig Samitt, Dean Clinic
Jon Sandbrook, Sandbrook Davidson
Terry Schadeberg, NORD Gear
Susan Schmitz, Downtown Madison, Inc.
Diane Schmoller, Plastic Ingenuity
Anna Schramke, Green County Development Corporation
Pat Schramm, Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin
Tim Sherry, Suby Von Haden
Diana Shinall, TJ’s Support Broker, Inc.
Tim Size, Rural Wisconsin Healthcare Collaborative
Jake Siudzinski, The QTI Group
Mike Slavish, Hovde Properties
Romy Snyder, Wisconsin Dells CVB
Mayor Paul Soglin, City of Madison
Janet Sperstad, Madison College
David Spiegelberg, WI Dept. of Tourism
Tom Spitz, Settlers Bank
Susan Springman, Mullins Group
Frank Staniszewski, Madison Development Corporation
Barry Starkman, Promega
Ken Starkman, Madison College
Neil Stechschulte, City of Sun Prairie
Tom Still, Wisconsin Technology Council
Mary Strickland, Robert W. Baird & Co.
Laura Strong, Quintessence Biosciences
Larry Swalheim, Landmark Services Cooperative
Cynthia Sweet, UW Madison Office of Corporate Relations
Rick Terrien, Iowa County Area Economic Development Corporation
Jeffrey Tews, Bright Star
Melissa Turczyn, Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP
Trevor Twose, Mithridion
John Umhoefer, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association
Greg Vance, Cardinal Glass Industries Inc
Peter Vogel, Vogel Bros. Building Co.
Patrick Walters, Kovi
Nasra Wehelie, Dedicated Consultants, LLC
Errin Welty, Vierbicher Associates
Bill White, Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP
Kathleen Woit, Madison Community Foundation
Mary Wright, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority
Matt Younkle, Murfie.com
Mike Zimmerman, City of Fitchburg
