Personnel File

Accounting

Brookfield-based Vrakas CPAs + Advisors has named Bradley Weckwerth to its shareholder group. Weckwerth has been with the firm since 2002. He serves the firm’s assurance and accounting department and primarily assists closely-held, for-profit companies in a range of industries. He has also helped clients facing times of transition within their companies. Within Vrakas, he contributes to the oversight of firm activities and helps standardize the assurance and accounting department’s policies and procedures.

Building & Construction

Miron Construction Co. Inc. has hired Felicia Harris as a receptionist for its Milwaukee office. Harris previously worked for Managed Health Services. She graduated from Sanford-Brown College, has a certificate in medical coding and billing and is currently studying business administration at Concordia University. At Miron Construction Co., she will handle administrative tasks and will offer Miron staff administrative support and office management assistance.

Education 

Justin Davis is now the instructional program manager in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. In this role, Davis assists faculty and staff in online teaching and learning. He previously worked for the university’s Campus Technology Services.

Health Care

Advanced Pain Management has added Deborah Degnan to its medical staff as a physician assistant. Degnan will consult patients at Advanced Pain Management’s clinics in Greenfield, Racine and Kenosha. The medical provider has also hired Dr. Prabhdeep Grewal as a physician to serve patients at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Sarah Radke as a nurse practitioner to assist patients in Greenfield and Franklin.

Hospitality & Entertainment

Hampton Inn & Suites Milwaukee West, currently under construction, has named Tara Wurtz senior sales manager. Wurtz has 14 years of hospitality experience, including three years serving as the director of corporate sales at the downtown Milwaukee Hampton Inn & Suites. In her new role, she will help plan the grand opening sales strategy for the new hotel. She will also head corporate transient and group sales and create the hotel and conference center’s annual sales and marketing plan.

Insurance

State Farm has added agent Jason Aexel to its Muskego location. In this role, he will help clients manage their risks, recover from the unexpected and pursue their goals. He has more than 20 years of experience in the health care industry and has headed teams in a number of commercial functions.

Milwaukee-based Badger Mutual Insurance has promoted three employees. Laura Michna has been promoted to assistant vice president of administration, Anna Bruders has been promoted to assistant to the president, and Colleen Costello has been promoted to applications systems analyst.

Legal Services

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP has named four of its area associates partners: Alan Cheslock of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in Milwaukee; Kevin Rizzuto of Intellectual Property in Milwaukee; Jason Thompson of the Transactional Group in Milwaukee; and Aaron Nodolf of Intellectual Property in Waukesha.

Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. has appointed Kate Bechen leader of its Emerging Companies Team and has named Thomas Gonzalez co-leader of its Product Liability Litigation & Risk Avoidance Team. Bechen is a shareholder in the firm’s Milwaukee office and serves as a member of the Corporate Transactions, Health Care Law and Technology Law teams. As head of the Emerging Companies Team, she will assist high-growth, early-stage companies by offering general counsel services. Gonzalez is also a shareholder in the firm’s Milwaukee office and is a member of the Construction Services – Litigation and Toxic Tort Litigation and Consultation teams. He serves as co-leader of the Transportation Litigation & Compliance Team as well. He has devoted much of his career to product liability in state and federal courts, having served as panel counsel for product manufacturers and consulted clients across the United States. He also has a range of experience in all aspects of construction litigation, transportation litigation and compliance, and toxic tort litigation and consultation.

Milwaukee-based Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C. has welcomed Joshua Bryant as an associate attorney. Bryant has worked as a law clerk for the firm during the past year. He graduated from Marquette University Law School and was senior articles editor of the Marquette Law Review. He also served as Academic Success Program leader. Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols has also hired James DeCleene as an associate attorney. DeCleene has also served as a law clerk for the firm and also graduated from Marquette University Law School. He graduated cum laude, edited the Marquette Law Review, and was an Academic Success Program leader. Additionally, DeCleene was named a semi-finalist in the 2014 National Moot Court Competition.

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP has elected Brett Larsen and Jill Munson to partners, effective July 1. Larsen, based in the firm’s Milwaukee office, has focused his practice on general civil and commercial litigation in state and federal courts. Munson, also based in the Milwaukee office, serves hospitals, physician groups and other medical groups in professional liability issues.

Manufacturing

Twin Disc Inc., headquartered in Racine, has elected Jeffrey Knutson to chief financial officer and treasurer. Knutson, a certified public accountant, will also continue to serve as vice president of finance, corporate controller and secretary. Knutson was named vice president of finance and interim chief financial officer and treasurer in February and has worked for Twin Disc since 2005, when he was hired as the controller of its North American manufacturing operation. He was appointed corporate controller of the company in October 2005 and secretary in 2013. Twin Disc has also appointed Malcolm Moore executive vice president, operations, and named Janet Giesselman to its board. Giesselman will complete the term of Moore, who resigned from the board at the end of June. Giesselman is the retired president and general manager of Dow Oil & Gas, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Co.

Nonprofit

ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, located in Glendale, has elected Cary Silverstein to its board of directors. Silverstein is president and chief executive officer of SMA LLC and the Negotiating Edge, a management consulting firm.

The Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board has named Peter Coffaro vice president of business services. Coffaro previously worked for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, where he managed district contracting and focused on bridging procurement opportunities and social responsibility policies. In his new role, he will partner with the business community to help fill companies’ workforce needs and will help execute the workforce strategy Compete Milwaukee.

Professional Organizations

Hartford area Chamber of Commerce has named former mayor Scott Henke executive director. Henke will focus on business development, member networking and tourism in Hartford.

Senior Living Communities

Newcastle Place, of Mequon, has welcomed Tyler Gudex as administrator of the Highlands Health Center at Newcastle Place. In this position, Gudex will manage all aspects of operations for the center, which provides long-term health services. Gudex previously worked in administrative roles for other life care services companies.