Accounting
Vrakas/Blum, S.C., based in Brookfield, has promoted James Broughton and Scott Syrjala to managers within the firm’s tax department. Broughton will focus on tax planning and compliance for closely-held businesses, and Syrjala will focus on providing tax planning, compliance and research support to clients in manufacturing, service, construction and retail. Syrjala also serves as co-manager of the firm’s personal property tax group and will help develop and train new department staff members.
Architecture
Milwaukee-based Eppstein Uhen Architects Inc. has added Jill Huskisson as a public outreach specialist for its Learning Environments Studio. Huskisson’s position will focus heavily on working with educational clients and their communities to help with referenda support and community outreach efforts. Prior to joining Eppstein Uhen Architects, Huskisson served as director of communications and community engagement at the Kettle Moraine School District.
Banking & Finance
Associated Bank has promoted Darren Dewing to senior vice president, director of retail distribution, in Milwaukee. Dewing has 13 years of experience in banking and corporate real estate and most recently worked as a corporate real estate manager for Associated Bank. The bank also recently promoted Kimberly McCann to vice president, loan workout officer, in Milwaukee. McCann has nine years of experience in the financial industry. The bank has added Stacey Murphy as senior vice president, director of talent management, in Milwaukee as well. Murphy has 17 years of experience in banking and most recently served as chief executive officer of Consult CORE Group Inc.
Consulting
iBG-Integrated Brand Group, of Milwaukee, has hired Tara Vandygriff as public relations master.
Education
Wisconsin Lutheran College in Wauwatosa has added Lawrence Totsky and Mark Neumann to its Board of Regents. Totsky is a retired executive of Artisan Partners in Milwaukee, and Neumann is a former U.S. congressman and current owner and officer at Neumann Companies Inc. in Pewaukee and MN Holdings Inc. Neumann previously served two terms as a member of the Board of Regents.
Lori Sager, director of school choice services at RPB CPAs, has been named treasurer of Wisconsin’s Choice Schools Association. In her new leadership position, Sager will support the association’s nonprofit mission to enhance school quality and member services among other responsibilities. Sager has worked for RPB CPAs for 14 years. At the accounting firm, she provides financial audit and enrollment validation services to choice schools throughout the state.
Health Care
Curative Care Network, headquartered in Milwaukee, has appointed Lauren Coleman director of quality. Prior to joining Curative Care Network, Coleman worked at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin. In her new position, she will oversee the growth and development of the quality improvement program. Within this program, Coleman will manage measurement of key performance indicators and will also assist with the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities accreditation process.
Rogers Memorial Hospital in Kenosha has welcomed Dr. Colleen Drosdeck as a licensed clinical psychologist for its day treatment program. In this position, Drosdeck will evaluate patients, oversee clinical staff and coordinate care with physicians and other hospital staff members.
Advanced Pain Management has added Dr. Sarah Endrizzi at the Pain Management Center in Wauwatosa. Endrizzi is board eligible in anesthesiology and has fellowship training in pain management. She completed her medical degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed her residency and fellowship at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill.
Hospitality & Entertainment
The Lowlands Group, based in Milwaukee, has appointed Paul Pendleton chief operating officer. Pendleton previously spent 13 years as senior vice president of Logan’s Roadhouse, headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. The Lowlands Group owns and operates five restaurants in greater Milwaukee: Café Hollander – Downer Avenue and Wauwatosa, Benelux Grand Café and Market, Trocadero Gastrobar, and Café Centraal.
Insurance
Assurant Health, headquartered in Milwaukee, has promoted Carrol Jensen to vice president of implementation, and Jacquie Fossett to vice president of finance. Jensen, who has worked for Assurant Health for 24 years, most recently served as director of implementation. Fossett, who has spent the past 14 years at the company, most recently worked as director of product management.
Legal Services
Hansen Reynolds Dickinson Crueger LLC, located in Milwaukee, has added Krista Baisch as a partner and Andrew Kramer as an associate attorney. Both will focus on complex commercial litigation. Baisch’s legal career has included working for Godfrey & Kahn S.C. and Wilson Elser LLP in Milwaukee. She has specialized in legal matters relating to aviation, civil rights, medical malpractice, product liability, personal injury, employment, and general business litigation. Kramer previously worked for the Will County (Illinois) State’s Attorney’s Office as an assistant state’s attorney.
Management Services
Milwaukee-based C.H. Coakley & Co. has named Otheron Griffin manager of the company’s portable storage container division. In this role, Griffin will be responsible for overseeing, managing and marketing the division.
Manufacturing
Racine Metal-Fab, headquartered in Sturtevant, has named Scott Oechsner director of marketing and new business development. In this position, Oechsner will guide strategic business development, focusing heavily on target marketing and customer development programs.
Media
WDJT-TV has added Nate Kuester as an anchor to the CBS 58 Morning News. Kuester has broadcast experience as a weather forecaster, news anchor, news executive producer and sports director. He most recently was an anchor and news director at the CBS affiliate in Lewiston, Idaho.
Milwaukee Public Television has appointed Julie Hill Lehr to manager of marketing and community engagement. In this role, Hill Lehr will help create a communications plan to strengthen the station’s identity and will serve as MPTV spokesperson. She will also oversee communications staff members working on web content, Internet projects, media relations, promotions, publicity, social media, listings, advertising, publications and branding. MPTV has also transitioned Thay Yang into the role of manager of creative services.
Nonprofit
Spina Bifida Wisconsin, based in Wauwatosa, has named Katey Collins executive director. Collins has 17 years of experience in social services, primarily working with individuals with disabilities, and has her master’s degree in social work from UW-Milwaukee. Collins will take over for former executive director David Tucker, who has retired.
Philanthropy
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has added Susan Smith as vice president of marketing and communications. Prior to joining the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Smith served as vice president of marketing, financial aid and enrollment management at Alverno College. Her career also includes working at Marquette University High School as vice president of administration.
Professional Organizations
The Waukesha County Business Alliance has promoted Lane Shebesta to sales manager and Robyn Ludtke to manager of events and programs. Shebesta will oversee membership sales for the Alliance and will also lead advertising sales for the Alliance’s 2014 Business Resource Directory. Ludtke will organize and oversee the Alliance’s monthly programs and annual events.
Heather Lux, director of the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) Southeast Women’s Business Center, has been elected to the national board of The Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC).
Real Estate
Opus Design Build LLC’s Milwaukee office recently promoted Annika Schuller-Rach and Chris Cromos to project managers. In their new positions, Schuller-Rach and Cromos will oversee construction projects from start to finish, focusing on schematic design, budgeting, scheduling and contracts. Schuller-Rach, who is also co-chair of the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance as well as a committee member of the AGC Construction Leadership Council, has been with Opus’ Milwaukee office since 2008. Cromos has been part of the firm’s design-build project management team since 2006.
