DeWitt LLP: Attorney Jeff A. Goldman Elected as Chair of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Section of the Wisconsin State Bar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DeWitt LLP
Michelle M. Friedman – Director of Marketing
mmf@dewittllp.com | 262-754-2877 

Attorney Jeff A. Goldman Elected as Chair of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Section of the Wisconsin State Bar

MADISON, Wis. (August 16, 2023) – Today DeWitt LLP announced that one of its partners, Jeff A. Goldman has been elected to Chair of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust (“RPPT”) Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin for 2023-24.

Goldman is the Chair of DeWitt’s Estate and Trust practice group and focuses on trusts, estates, fiduciary litigation and administration, estate planning, and probate. He is also experienced in commercial litigation, charitable entities, and taxation. Goldman works with individuals from all walks of life to ensure what they have worked so hard for is passed on to the appropriate beneficiaries.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estates Council (ACTEC), a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation, and a former member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Wisconsin. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he taught estate and trust administration and dispute resolution. Goldman earned his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School and his B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington. Goldman is a resident of Sun Prairie.

About DeWitt DeWitt LLP was founded in 1903 and is one of the ten largest law firms based in Wisconsin, with an additional presence in Minnesota. It has more than 130 attorneys practicing in Green Bay, Madison and Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has the experience to service clients of all scopes and sizes. DeWitt is known for its work in a variety of legal areas including background screening, business law, employee stock ownership plans, employee benefits, intellectual property, patents, trademarks and copyright law, construction litigation, employment relations, environmental, estate planning, family business, family law, litigation, real estate, tax law, and more. Additional information is available at dewittllp.com.

###

Attorney Julia Walsh Hanlon joins Lake Ridge Bank as Senior Personal Trust Officer

August 18, 2023 (MADISON, Wis.) – Attorney Julia Hanlon (formerly Julia Walsh) brings her expertise in trust administration and estate planning to the Wealth Management team at Lake Ridge Bank. 

“Julia has both the in-depth knowledge and the patient, compassionate personality for being an outstanding personal trust officer,” shares Daniel Savage, Senior Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at Lake Ridge Bank, as well as the long-time leader of the Wealth Management group. “I can’t think of any higher praise than the fact we chose her to handle my own daughter’s estate plan. I have seen first-hand how she takes care of people with grace and empathy.” 

As Senior Personal Trust Officer, Hanlon will supervise the close-knit group of trust officers at the bank, as well as play an important role in modeling and maintaining strong client relationships. A graduate of University of Wisconsin Law School, Hanlon specializes in trust administration and estate planning. She can assist clients in both English and Spanish. She is also part of the National Professional Advisor Network for the American Cancer Society and has experience with Sports & Entertainment Law.  

Hanlon’s hire is part of an overall plan that builds on the bank’s strong foundation for serving our region with comprehensive trust administration and estate planning. 

“Bringing Julia on board provides exciting opportunities for intentional and strategic growth,” explains Jordon Geiger, Senior Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at Lake Ridge Bank. “Her ability and experience in serving populations who might need extra time and attention simply reinforce our team’s culture of going above and beyond.”

###

Lake Ridge Bank is now the seventh largest bank headquartered in the State of Wisconsin, with 22 branch locations and nearly 400 associates serving almost 40,000 households across 17 communities. The goal was to create a bank with resources and services that compete with regional or national institutions but still maintains its focus on making our local communities strong and vibrant places to live and work. Member FDIC 

For additional information, please contact Mark Schellpfeffer at mschellpfeffer@lakeridge.bank.  

DeWitt Welcomes Associate Attorney Connor Peterson to the Firm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DeWitt LLP
Michelle M. Friedman – Director of Marketing
mmf@dewittllp.com | 262-754-2877

DeWitt Welcomes Associate Attorney Connor Peterson to the Firm

Madison¸ Wis. – Today DeWitt LLP announced associate attorney Connor Peterson joined the firm’s Madison office.

Peterson is a member of the Labor & Employment and Litigation practice groups. He assists with family law, labor and employment, litigation, and estate planning matters. He is adept at legal research and frequently assists partners with locating case law relevant to their matters.

He earned a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Peterson is admitted to practice in Wisconsin and previously clerked at DeWitt.

About DeWitt

DeWitt LLP was founded in 1903 and is one of the ten largest law firms based in Wisconsin, with an additional presence in Minnesota. It has more than 130 attorneys practicing in Green Bay, Madison and Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has the experience to service clients of all scopes and sizes. DeWitt is known for its work in a variety of legal areas including background screening, business law, employee stock ownership plans, employee benefits, intellectual property, patents, trademarks and copyright law, construction litigation, employment relations, environmental, estate planning, family business, family law, litigation, real estate, tax law, and more. Additional information is available at dewittllp.com.

###

Blain’s Farm & Fleet® Announces New President

MEDIA CONTACT: Gayla Kirshner
Email: gayla@gcomworks.com

Blain’s Farm & Fleet® Announces New President

Janesville, WI – Blain’s Farm & Fleet® has announced the promotion of Mark Hasting to President and Chief Commerce & Operating Officer. This promotion supports the company’s desire to continue to grow as a family-owned organization where customers are treated as neighbors and associates are treated like family.

Jane Blain Gilbertson will remain CEO and sole owner of Blain’s Farm & Fleet and Blain Supply, Inc. Under Jane’s leadership, Blain’s has driven huge growth in their national Ecommerce business and opened 10 new stores, including 5 in Michigan, for a total of 45 stores. The company’s distribution capacity and investment in technology enhancements has increased significantly as well. “We are at the point where it just makes sense for me to share more of the leadership responsibilities so that we can increase our capacity for continued growth,” says Jane Blain Gilbertson. “I am extremely proud of the strong leadership team we have here at Blain’s, including Mark, and I have full confidence in their abilities to continue to guide this organization as a team, always focused on our neighbors, our associates, our strong vendor partnerships and our communities. Mark quickly earned our whole company’s confidence with his authentic care and vision and has shown he is a leader of real substance.”

Mark Hasting has been with Blain’s Farm & Fleet for over 3 years and previously held the role of Chief Commerce & Operating Officer. In this role, he has had responsibility for all Stores and Service Centers, Ecommerce Operations, Real Estate, Construction and Facilities and the Customer Service Center of Excellence. In his new role as President, he will increase his responsibility to include Demand Planning and Supply Chain in addition to acting as a strategic partner to Jane Blain Gilbertson in leadership of the company. Since coming to Blain’s, Mark has made an impact on enhancing store experience by supporting store associates with training and tools and improving processes and standards within the stores. “Mark always has the customer experience in mind,” said Sarah Gilbertson, daughter of Jane Blain Gilbertson and the Customer Relationship Marketing Specialist at Blain’s. “He has proven that he really understands the Blain’s Farm & Fleet culture. I am so happy to have him take on a greater role within our organization.”

Blain’s Farm & Fleet has been family owned for all of its 68 years, and this will be the first time a non-family member has taken on the role of President, but this does not mean that the company is backing away from its strong commitment to remain family owned. “My sister and I have made a commitment to keep Blain’s Farm & Fleet family owned. That is important to us and to the company culture,” says Nicole Gilbertson, daughter of Jane Blain Gilbertson. “I remain invested in the future of this special company my grandfather and great uncle founded in 1955. The way we treat our associates like family and our customers like neighbors is at the core of our family culture at Blain’s. I’m confident Mark will continue to do a wonderful job of stewarding that culture as he moves into his new role as President.”

Mark Hasting brings impressive experience to this new role with a strong background in retail leadership. He spent over 20 years at Target, where he had many roles including Store Manager, Group Manager, District Team Leader, Group Vice President and Vice President of Store Operations. Mark has also served as Regional Vice President at Starbucks and Chief Operating Officer at Kum & Go. He has a BS in Marketing from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from Oklahoma City University. “I am humbled and excited to take on this new role. It is my desire to continue to support the growth of Blain’s Farm & Fleet and the amazing associate family that works together here,” says Mark Hasting. “This is a special place, and I have learned so much about leadership from Jane since joining the company. It is my honor to be a strategic partner to her and her family in continuing to help this amazing organization to thrive.” And Jane Blain Gilbertson seconds that thought: “It is not enough to survive as a family company, we must continue to grow and thrive. Our future is so bright, and this promotion is one step toward achieving it.”

###

Founded in 1955, Blain’s Farm & Fleet is a retailer with nationwide ecommerce business and 45 store locations throughout Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This Modern General Store® offers a wide variety of categories and services and unique experiences such as Toyland®.

• Clothing: Carhartt, Columbia, Under Armour, Ariat, Work N’ Sport, Levi’s, Lee, Kuhl
• Footwear: Skechers, Hey Dude, Keen, New Balance, Work N’ Sport, CAT, Crocs, Birkenstock, Sorel, Dansko
• Tools & Hardware: DeWalt, Milwaukee, Stanley, Craftsman, Festool
• Paint & Supplies: Benjamin Moore, Valspar, MinWax, Rustoleum, Graco, Purdy
• Automotive: Pennzoil, Valvoline, Mobil 1, Mystik, Fram, Prestone, Sea Foam, Meguiar’s, Thule
• Tire & Auto Repair Service: Michelin, Goodyear, Cooper
• Sporting Goods: Realtree, Scent Blocker, Yeti, Coleman, Rapala, Plano, Shimano, Browning
• Home & Housewares: KitchenAid, Cuisinart, Keurig, T-Fal, Lodge, Dyson
• Pet Department: Purina, Blue Buffalo, Hill’s Science Diet, Iams, Canidae, Diamond, Taste of the Wild, Kong
• Agriculture: King Kutter, Nutrena, Agrimaster, Behrens, Guardian, Manna Pro, Ware, Weaver Leather
• Lawn & Garden: Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Estate, Fiskars, Weber, Char-Broil
• Outdoor Power Equipment: Stihl, Cub Cadet, Troy-Bilt, Milwaukee, DeWalt
• Toyland®: Barbie, Hot Wheels, LEGO, ERTL, Melissa & Doug
  Visit http://www.farmandfleet.com or download the Blain’s Farm & Fleet mobile app.

HIRING: Maydm Program Coordinator

Position Title: Program Coordinator – Full-Time

A 501c(3), Maydm provides girls and youth of color grades 6-12 with the skills, experiences, and connections to pursue careers in and change the face of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). We envision a world where all students know that a career in STEM is possible for them; a world where all students can pursue their dreams as entrepreneurs, developers, engineers, or professors in a STEM field.

Maydm, as an organization, was founded as a response to the overwhelming lack of technical training that meets the needs of low income students, girls, and youth of color. Our programs offer opportunities for youth to develop knowledge and skills in science, technology, and engineering. Throughout the year, we offer one-day workshops independently and in partnership with other community organizations. In these sessions, students gain introductory insights into a STEM topic and begin growing their interest in STEM. Each summer, we offer a series of multi-week immersive programs where students gain in-depth technical knowledge as well as go on site visits to local companies and engage in critical conversations on confidence and equity and innovation. These experiences create opportunities and experiences for students who may not have otherwise been able to participate in holistic STEM learning, for students to change the face of STEM.

We are seeking an experienced, enthusiastic person to coordinate our Maydm on-site and off-site educational programs as well as our growing internship program. We are also especially seeking women, people of color, and bilingual (i.e. English/Spanish, English/Hmong) candidates for this position. We strongly encourage you to apply even if you think you have some, but not all of the requirements listed below. You may be exactly what we’re looking for and if so, we’ll teach you the rest.

Requirements:

• Minimum 1-2 years of previous administrative experience
• Prior training or experience in internship program development and coordination, program administration, event planning, project management, and/or office management.
• Ability to work in a small, fast-paced nonprofit environment.
• Reliable transportation and ability to travel between Maydm’s office and offsite school-based and partner programs.
• Experience or knowledge of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles or willingness to complete DEI training (we provide the training as part of your mandatory training for the position)
• Exceptional skills in the areas of organization, attention to detail, time management, ability to manage multiple projects, define and set priorities and problem solve.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Must be able to pass a caregiver criminal background check
• Must be legally eligible to work in the United States
• Experience with donor software CRM and online registration systems (i.e., Classy, Kindful, Amilia, etc.) is beneficial, but not required
• Background in STEM preferred but not required.
• Bilingual (English, Spanish) preferred.

Responsibilities:

The Program Coordinator plays a key role in supporting Maydm’s mission. The Program Coordinator supports the growth of Maydm educational and internship programs in alignment with our vision and mission, provides leadership and direction to interns and coordinates relationships with key internship site sponsors and corporate advisors, and provides administrative support for the overall functions of the organization.  

Essential Job Functions:

Program Coordination and Logistics – 40% of job

• Handle logistics of educational programs, workshops and events.
• Work with the Program Manager to communicate logistics regularly with school administration, students, teachers, families, volunteers, and Maydm staff to keep informed of program updates and opportunities.
• Draft clear, concise reports and deliver findings tailored to the needs of specific partners and funders.
• Serve as contact point for Maydm program host locations.

Internship Coordination and Logistics – 45% of job

• Works with the Executive Director and Program Manager to establish the annual internship program schedule, number of positions available, number of internship sites, skill needs, and alignment with the content of Maydm immersive programs.
• Works with Program Manager to coordinate internship financial literacy and soft-skills curriculum, including arranging guest speakers, tutors, and mentors.
• Works closely with Maydm internship hosts to ensure smooth program execution.
• Works with the Outreach Manager to establish goals and plan for communications and student recruitment to achieve the proposed annual number of internship participants.
• Works with Outreach Manager to build strong relationships with current and future internship hosts and partners.
• Works with the Executive Director and Director of Operations to identify and track key performance indicators, metrics, and measurements to track internship program effectiveness.

Executive Support and Office Administration – 15% of job

• Assist students and instructors during Maydm’s open office hours with equipment, supplies, and general support.
• Provide administrative support for Executive Director and Director of Operations.
• Organize and maintain office and program inventories and identify reorders as needed, and submit invoices and receipts to Director of Operations.
• Address phone and email inquiries, website updates, and other general administrative tasks.
• Assist in other projects and duties as assigned.

Schedule & Location

The typical schedule is weekday business hours (8:30a – 5p, weekdays), but occasional weekend and evening work is required for Maydm events and meetings. Maydm is conveniently located on the near East side of Madison, WI.

Benefits and Compensation

The salary range for this position is $42,000 – $48,000 based on demonstrated experience and credentials. Maydm also offers health, vision, and dental plans, sick leave, long-term disability, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, paid holidays, personal time off, a casual and inclusive work environment, and flexible hybrid (part remote/in person) work schedule. 

How to Apply 

Submit a current resume and cover letter with salary requirements to careers@maydm.org.

This position will remain open until filled.  Target start date is mid-September, 2023.

The above list is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to the position. The list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

Maydm, Inc. (“Maydm”) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. Maydm strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All Maydm employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.