Bubbler Executive of the Week
Name: Doris Appelbaum
Title: CEO/President
Company: Appelbaum’s Resume Professionals, Inc.,
Company web site: www.appelbaumresumes.com
Industry: Employment, careers, resume writing
Education: BA in English Journalism and a MS in Secondary Education from Hofstra University in N.Y.
Family: Four adult sons, two daughter in-laws and four grandchildren: Geoff, Parker, Jacob and Alexis.
Hobbies and Interests: politics, collect giraffes, networking
Favorite book and/or movie: “Anything done by Michael Moore”
Favorite musician/band: Placido Domingo, Johnny Cash, ABBA
Favorite place to visit/vacation: “My grandchildren in Pheonix, Ariz., or Broadway in N.Y.”
Favorite local restaurant: Any of the Bartollota Restaurants
Words to live by: “From ‘what if’ to ‘why not’ just do it.”
What is your core philosophy for doing business? “Honesty, integrity and talent.” Who is your role model and why? “Barbara Walters, she’s a top notch journalist.”
If you or someone you know would make a good candidate for BizTimes Bubbler of the Week please email suggestions to Alysha.Schertz@biztimes.com
Weyers to succeed Hansen as Johnson Financial CEO
Richard Hansen, chief executive officer of Racine-based Johnson Financial Group, will retire at the end of the year, and the company has announced that he will be succeeded by Russ Weyers, currently the president and chief operating officer of the firm.
“Dick joined our company 15 years ago when we were a small local enterprise,” said Helen Johnson-Leipold, chairman of Johnson Financial, the parent company of Johnson Bank. “He has significantly strengthened our banking and insurance businesses and has expanded the footprint and portfolio of our company. He’s built a very strong team of associates, giving us remarkable growth and success.”
Hansen and Weyers have worked together over the past 15 years, which should make Weyers’ transition into the CEO role smooth for the company and its employees, Johnson-Leipold said.
“Succession planning is very important for all of our family enterprises,” she said. “One of our keys to success is our people-focused values. And to find that in a leader in combination with the long-term thinking and acumen that Russ has is a great combination, something that is unique to the leaders of our companies.”
“We’ve kind of grown up here together,” Hansen said. “He’s participated in developing our vision proposition and has demonstrated to all of us his ability to deal with the dramatic change we’re going through while staying focused on the community.”
Although the company is facing changing financial regulations and challenging economic conditions, Weyers believes Johnson Financial will achieve significant future growth.
“We’re a financial company that follows the rules and treats our customers with respect,” he said. “It’s our job to figure out (new regulations) and follow them correctly. The (financial reform) bill will create new and unique challenges for us. We’re in an economic situation that no one knows (what will happen). But with the plan we have today and the people we have today, we will be successful.”
Coleman joins Lake Express as a vice president
Lake Express, LLC has named Christopher Coleman vice president of operations.Coleman joined Lake Express in 2006 and was previously a Coast Guard officer with 25 years of service. He has experience training maritime officers and seaman in shiphandling, bridge operations, terrestrial, electronic and celestial navigation, ship maintenance and management.
“Chris has been instrumental in the efforts to establish the Lake Express high speed ferry service as a model for modern and efficient waterborne transportation,” said Ken Szallai, president of Lake Express. “The operating best practices developed under his leadership have been instrumental in the continued success of Lake Express and in our plans for future growth and expansion.”
