Coastal YPN People's Choice Award Survey

Michael Abler, Kohler Co.
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
Hometown: Mt. Calvary, WI
How will you continue to make a difference in your community and workplace in the future? I am a board member of United for Diversity, a non-profit organization in Fond du Lac that is focused on creating a community that is open to all walks of life. I carry those same principles as a leader of a 130 associate organization. Diversity drives success in communities and in the workplace!

Tom Bair, Nemak
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How have you assisted other young professionals in your workplace and/or community? I started a group called “Explore Sheboygan” designed for newcomers to the area to learn what Sheboygan has to offer and meet other working professionals; the group is now part of Coastal Young Professionals Network.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: Black Pig

Brian Bemis, Nemak
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What do you believe have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? Various product designs I was responsible for that required learning something new, i.e. in designing chocolate processing machinery, I had to learn how chocolate was made.
Have you lived anywhere else before returning to Sheboygan? Brooklyn, NY

Jenny Brault, M.D., Sheboygan Pediatrics Associates, S.C.
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What brought you to this community? I grew up along Lake Michigan, and didn’t realize just how much I missed the water. The quality of the restaurants for a city of this size, convenient access to Milwaukee and its airport as well as destinations such as Kohler and Elkhart Lake, and the accessibility of hiking and biking trails were additional draws.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: Food Truck Mondays at Vollrath Park have been a huge hit with our family.

Katelyn Braun, Stefanie H. Weill Center
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What have you been involved with that you feel has made you grow the most as a young professional? The people that I surround myself with strengthen my professional ‘toolbox’ daily and I am grateful to be surrounded by talented, passionate people.
Favorite thing about being a Coastal member: The enthusiasm of all the members. I am inspired by my peers and enjoy being able to connect with them through common interests.

Caitlin Brotz-McNitt, Olivü 426
Nominated for: Entrepreneur
What was appealing to you about Sheboygan County that made you decide to begin your business here? Sheboygan is one of the best communities in the world. It is a safe place to raise a family and a great place to be involved in your community. The togetherness that Sheboygan offers is unique only to here.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: Rupp’s is my favorite restaurant because it is timeless and they have the best steaks in the world.

Heather Cleveland, Nourish Farms, Inc.
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What do you believe have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? Working with young people. I work with elementary students to college students, and when I teach them about food or about life and I see a light bulb go on, it moves me to continue our work for change in our food system.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: Kohler-Andrae State Park, JMKAC, Sheboygan Farmers Market

Carrye Jo Cony, The Salvation Army
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How have you assisted other young professionals in your workplace and/or community? I spend a great deal of time educating pre-young professionals, such as high schoolers and youth civic groups, on the value of volunteerism. I also have the opportunity to work with area college students through volunteer and internship placements.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: You can't go wrong with chili from Field to Fork.

Gina Covelli, Lakeland College
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How do you define success? You need to say “Yes” to every opportunity that comes your way and attack each day without a job description. If you do that, you end up surprising yourself constantly and always go above and beyond your potential.
What brought you to Sheboygan County? I’m originally from the Chicago suburbs and moved to Wisconsin when I came to Lakeland as a junior. Lakeland has always been home for me, and I can’t express how great it is to be back here.

Krista DeRocher, When You’re Away, LLC
Nominated for: Entrepreneur
What do you foresee in the future of your business? Over these last 8 years in business I have discovered other pet needs in the community which has now turned my attention to develop my new, multifaceted nonprofit, Pet Tranquility House - Pet Haven, Inc. My passion is in rescue, helping pets stay in their home, and helping owners to not have to worry, “What is going to happen with my pet?”
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: I absolutely love living by the lake; that is my favorite thing to see, especially at sunrise.

Paul Griffin, Rockline Industries
Nominated for: Top Young Professional, Coastal Volunteer
How do you define success? Accepting a good job done, and that a good job done can be better! Continuous improvement and innovation to remain competitive, whether individually or organizationally, is success. The nature of being competitive shows that you are at the top of your game.
Favorite thing about Coastal YPN: The diversity of the members always is great. There are so many people that bring various talents, experiences and perspectives on what they want to do and how they would like to help within the community.

Lisa Goeke, Mayline Company
Nominated for: Coastal Volunteer
How do you feel you have benefited from being a Coastal YPN member? The benefit of being a member of Coastal YPN has changed throughout my time with the organization. At first it was to meet people within the community, but after a period of time I have seen the importance of the organization in attracting and keeping young professionals in the area.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: Blind Horse

Foua Hang, Lakeshore Technical College
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What do you believe have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? My greatest accomplishment has been helping others realize their full potential. It has been an honor to work with over 1,000 diverse students at LTC – to hear their personal stories, challenges, and triumphs, and to help them get to their career goal.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: Harry’s Prohibition Bistro

Lindsay Harrison-Eirich, Engaged Social Networking
Nominated for: Top Young Professional, Entrepreneur
What have you been involved with that you feel have made you grow the most as a young professional? Getting involved with the Chamber as an ambassador has taught me the importance of networking and supporting other local businesses.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: Elkhart Lake dining, Harbor Centre shopping, Fountain Park farmers market

Michelle Hayward, Kohler Credit Union
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
Originally from: North Carolina
What have you been involved with that you feel has made you grow the most as a young professional? Being involved in the Chamber’s Leadership Institute has helped me grow in meeting new individuals and networking. I have learned more about Sheboygan County in the last few months from this program than from living here over the last 17 years.

Trevor Irish, Dynamic, Inc.
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How have you assisted other young professionals in your workplace and/or community? I volunteered to help members of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Mental Health America in Sheboygan County, and Healthy Sheboygan 2020 create websites for their organizations and then train them on how to maintain it.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: NOMO Trails, symphony, fishing

Kimberly Johnson, The Étude Group
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How have you assisted other young professionals in your workplace and/or community? We intentionally prepare students as young professionals, many of them first-generation college students. My part has been to also mentor new teachers, serve on leadership teams, and design professional development in literacy and technology as part of local, national and international organizations.
Favorite spot for lunch/dinner: Paradigm Coffee & Music

Cathleen Kiefer, The Club at Oak Creek Apartments
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
How do you define succeess? Success for me is being proud of what I do on a daily basis. Continuing to push myself professionally and personally is very important. I may not always achieve each goal I set for myself, but I know that I am growing and moving forward each day.

Kate Krause, Paradigm Coffee & Music
Nominated for: Entrepreneur
What entrepreneurial skills do you feel have been the most beneficial to your success? Vision, flexibility, and patience have been my most beneficial skills. I was 23 when I opened Paradigm. I have different skills and priorities now, almost 10 years later, and I expect to have a different set of skills and priorities in another 10 years.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: I like to support my neighbors, Urbane and 8th Street Ale Haus.

Dana Krepsky, Nemak
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What do you believe have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? My greatest strength is the ability to connect and communicate with people. Using this strength I have reached out and built relationships with my team; my team is the foundation of my position. Understanding their needs and concerns allows me to build a better work environment for all members of our team.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: I enjoy kayaking on the lake, touring the latest exhibit at JMKAC or SVA, and walking the nature trails.

Amanda Kunst, Gerhard’s The Kitchen & Bath Store
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How do you define success? True success for me is utilizing my leadership skills to help others grow in their careers.
Favorite thing about Coastal YPN: My favorite thing about Coastal YPN is the connections you make to people in your community and networking with the future leaders of Sheboygan County.

Carolynn Lee, Kohler Foundation, Inc.
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How will you continue to make a difference in your community and workplace in the future? I ask ‘cage-rattling’ questions. Progress requires examining assumptions, respecting, while still challenging, tradition, and empowering new leaders.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County? The lake, I never get tired of it; Bookworm Gardens, it’s the most magical place in town; FISH FRY, I’ve had a lot of fun visiting all kinds of places to find my favorite fish fry; I adore this part of Wisconsin culture.

Christopher Millane, Nemak
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What have you been involved with that you feel has made you grow the most as a young professional? What has allowed me to grow the most as a young professional would be the diverse and fierce working environment found within the automotive industry, and at Nemak. Being exposed to all the essential elements of the business has allowed me to view things full circle, instead of from a single point of view.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: Trattoria Stefano

Derek Muench, Shoreline Metro/City of Sheboygan
Nominated for: Top Young Professional, Coastal Volunteer
What do you believe have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? I work very hard for the betterment of our communities and in turn have earned the respect of my colleagues both in Sheboygan and throughout the state with other transit agencies. I feel that my position isn’t just earning a paycheck, but rather an opportunity to give back to the community, make it a better place for our citizens, and be a leader for which others can look up to and depend on.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: Black Pig

Jason Neels, NZ’s Bar & Grill
Nominated for: Entrepreneur
What was appealing to you about Sheboygan County that made you decide to begin your business here? Growing up in Sheboygan provided some insight into what it might take to run a business here. It’s a small community with a lot of big things going on. Sheboyganites love to eat and enjoy the night scene.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: Sheboygan County is synonymous with golf; anyone living here is fortunate to have the opportunity to play on world class golf courses or local spots that have been here forever.

Matthew Parmley, Parm’s Landscape Management, Inc.
Nominated for: Top Young Professional, Entrepreneur
What do you believe has been your greatest accomplishments in your career? Building a company out of nothing that has a 98% year to year customer retention rate and giving our employees an opportunity to grow with a company that they might not otherwise have had.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: Our amazing lakefront, networking with other local business owners, and spending time with my family enjoying the four vastly different seasons of the year our area provides.

Karen Patterson, John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What brought you to this community? I moved here after graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and before that I lived in Canada. The Arts Center and its world renown art collection brought me to Sheboygan.
How will you continue to make a difference in your community and workplace in the future? I like to find new, innovative and accessible ways for our community to appreciate and understand artmaking.

Casey Pennington, Cargill Malt
Nominated for: Coastal Volunteer
Why do you feel Coastal is important for the future development of young professionals in Sheboygan County? They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, and Coastal provides young professionals the opportunity to connect with a community of people who will challenge and support them in their development.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County? Disc golfing at the Quarry.

Nate Reiskytl, BMO Harris Bank
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How have you assisted other young professionals in your workplace and/or community? I am always trying to network with young professionals and help them connect with career opportunities in their field of interest. If I’m not at a networking event, you will likely find me chatting with people at the Glas Coffeehouse.
How do you define success? Winston Churchill said it best “success is stumbling from failure to failure with great enthusiasm.”

John Reitz, D.C., Better Life Chiropractic & Wellness
Nominated for: Entrepreneur
How do you define success? To me, being successful is waking up every day knowing that I’m making a huge difference in the people I get to see that day. This includes making sure those in the check-out line and restaurants are reminded that they are appreciated. Success helping people get their health better every day when we get them doing the right things.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: Bicycling in the Kettles, laying next to Lake Michigan, and going to the Plymouth Arts Center Open Mic that I sponsor.

Amanda Salazar, John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How will you continue to make a difference in your community and workplace in the future? I belive the work we have done through Coastal will have a ripple effect on the young professionals in Sheboygan County. I hope the future young professionals will see this as an opportunity to participate with other boards or join the city council to give us a voice within our community.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County? I love to attend Food and Wine in Kohler, Elkhart Lake in the summer, and go kayaking down the Sheboygan River.

Jodi Sommer, Schenck, S.C.
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What do you believe have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? My single greatest career accomplishment was earning my CPA designation. It’s a process that takes time, focus and dedication.
How do you define success? To me, success comes from within. It’s finding and pursuing your passion. Success is the self-satisfaction in knowing you did your absolute best.

Sara Spicer, Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How have you assisted other young professionals in your workplace and/or community? I have assisted young professionals by allowing them to have a voice on committees I’ve started or served on. Sharing the knowledge I have about the needs of Sheboygan County to the forefront in order to develop an ongoing plan for growth.
Favorite thing about Coastal YPN: I enjoy that the group is always evolving and looking at ways to make a difference in the careers of our young professionals.

Amber Tenpas, Wisconsin Bank & Trust
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How do you define success? Success is the ability to balance both work and life each day, to have the physical and mental stamina to be completely present and involved with both your family and your colleagues to nurture their success as well as yours.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: The Barefoot Tiki Bar in Elkhart Lake, it has the most beautiful back drop over looking the lake.

Dustin Turicik, IQ Print Media
Nominated for: Top Young Professional, Entrepreneur
What have you been involved with that you feel has made you grow the most as a young professional? Over the past year I have had the pleasure of sitting with Todd Neils, Nathan Volkomener, Ron Nielsen, Anthony Resimius, and Tom Turicik during our monthly Business to Business professional development group. This group has been at the center of my development as a local leader.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: If it’s summer time, Elkhart Lake is the place to be.

Jenna Van Der Sande, Sheboygan Jaycees
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How will you continue to make a difference in your community and workplace in the future? I am a firm believer in what you get is a direct result of what you put in it. I am constantly reminding my fellow Jaycees about why they joined in the first place: promoting what the Jaycees are and why we do what we do. I don’t intend to stop with what I’m passionate about once I age out of the Jaycees, there are plenty of outlets of other service clubs. It’s not something that just stops, it grows.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: Bourbon Street Pub & Grill

Emily Vetting, Sheboygan County
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How will you continue to make a difference in your community and workplace in the future? I enjoy the ‘bottom up’ approach that my job has allowed me to have with my community. Through several of the programs I administer, I’m able to work at a face-to-face level with local organizations, homeowners, and municipalities. I plan to continue administering these programs in such a way that I can watch little projects, step by step, achieve a bigger outcome and better Sheboygan County when considered as part of a greater network.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: I enjoy watching comedy shows in Sheboygan Falls.

Dominic Vicchiollo, Viking Electric Supply
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What have you been involved with that you feel has made you grow the most as a young professional? After completing Mark Sasser’s 10 Principles of Leadership Training, I have realized an elevated sense of self-awareness, and it has helped define my commitment to continuous improvement.
How do you define success? The majority would define success as a perceptual measurement of comparison to the world around us, however, it is the incremental steps of overcoming adversity along the journey that gives a personal meaning to the term.

Nathan Volkomener, Huberty CPAs & Trusted Advisors
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How have you assisted other young professionals in your workplace and/or community? Last spring I launched and administered Huberty CPAs ‘Premier Student Program’ (PSP), a three part program scheduled for select days during the late summer and fall, where students participated in networking events, team activities, shadow days, and community service activities geared towards bringing out the leadership skills and potential of each participant while learning about Huberty CPA’s core values.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: Blue Harbor is on the list of annual family events.

Martina Wessels, Pine Haven Christian Communities
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
What do you believe have been your greatest accomplishments in your career? My greatest accomplishment so far was when I was able to help a resident at the community I worked at be able to improve from needing oxygen all of the time to only needing it every once in a while. He was so proud of himself and it improved his quality of life.
Favorite spot for lunch or dinner: The Highland House

Ryan Zinkel, Rohde Dales LLP
Nominated for: Top Young Professional
How will you continue to make a difference in your community and workplace in the future? Community involvement is personally rewarding and as a result I have formed great friendships. I plan to remain involved on non profit boards and city and county commissions. Involvement makes Sheboygan a better place to live, work and play.
Favorite thing(s) about Sheboygan County: I take every visitor to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center to enjoy Festive Fridays, Footlights or just to see the displays and bathrooms.

Coastal YPN People's Choice Award

You Be The Judge!

Question Title

* 1. Please select your People's Choice Award nominees: