With our clients, we encourage getting involved in the community and learning more about ourselves. This month, we’d like to celebrate Landen’s success! Landen was a Project Search graduate from 2022 who was anxious to get a job. Within a year, Landen found a career he wanted to pursue! During a community inclusion outing, Landen … Stories of Success: Landen
Every year in July, people with disabilities are recognized and honored during Disability Pride Month, a time to reflect on their rights, accomplishments, and experiences. It acts as a forum to promote inclusion and equal opportunities for people with disabilities, fight stigmas, and raise awareness. Thanks to the efforts of disability rights activists, groups, and … Celebrating Disability Pride Month
Steve was reunited, to great fanfare, with former co-workers and friends. Donnie went to the bank for the first time in his adult life. Although not on board at first, Lindsay discovered a new store that she liked very much and vowed to return. To some, these may seem to be mundane experiences. Things that all of us … Inclusion Makes Our Community Whole
Volunteerism, leading by example, and making a positive difference to people’s lives by collaborating with others describe Rita’s calling. Rita believes VPI is compelling because it acknowledges the dignity and worth of every individual to make the most of their talents, so they can lead meaningful and productive lives. VPI clients and staff inspire her to do what enables maximum fulfillment of VPI’s mission. Rita proudly served as VPI’s Board President for 31 years.
Profession: Retired Marketing Services Manager, Banta Corporation
Boards/Volunteer: Vice President of the Fox Cities Chapter of Women in Management, President PTA – local schools, Boy Scouts Troop Treasurer and Secretary, served on several school committees, and VPI, Inc.
She and her husband, Dennis, enjoy traveling, fitness, gardening, theater, and spending time with their 2 sons, daughters-in-law, and grandsons. As a self-proclaimed cat lover, Rita can often be found walking her cat, Simba, and watching him enjoy everything that moves.
Randy was born and raised in Kaukauna and has always had a passion for community engagement and giving back, especially in the Fox Cities. He regularity enjoys volunteering, and his extensive volunteer history extends to leading a VEX Robotics program at Kaleidoscope Academy through the Boys and Girls Club, leading the United Way Giving Campaign for his division at Miller Electric, teaching an Economics for Success program to eighth graders at Kaleidoscope Academy for Junior Achievement, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, Jake’s Network of Hope, and the Kimberly-Clark Diaper Bank through United Way Fox Cities.
He currently works at Miller Electric as a Quality Engineering Manager. He has been at Miller Electric for the last 14 years, and has had various roles in engineering, marketing, and management, with a demonstrated history of delivering, selling, and supporting innovating products to the industrial market.
Randy holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from MSOE, a MBA from UW-Whitewater, and is a Leadership Fox Cities alumni.
Susan is passionate about serving individuals with disabilities, and is especially eager to use her skills and experience to make a difference in the Fox Cities.
Susan has a BA in Psychology from St. Norbert College, and a JD from Thomas Cooley Law School. She worked in private practice law, with an emphasis on Guardian ad Litem cases and CHIPS (children in need of protection or services). She also has experience assisting with public defender cases and adult guardianship reviews for probate court. Currently, Susan is enjoying raising her four young children.
An attorney who is efficient and compassionate, Jon joined McCarty Law after finishing his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Wisconsin. His practice focuses on three main areas as he aims to help clients in their time of need. These include business formations and transactions, commercial and residential real estate matters, and estate, probate and Medicaid planning. Jon holds an Advanced Care Planning Certified Facilitator certificate, conducted by the Fox Valley ACP Partnership in collaboration with Community Care and Bellin Health.
Along with being Secretary for our Board of Directors, Jon also currently serves as Chair for the Grand Chute Community Development Authority, Director of Friends of the Appleton Fire Department, Inc., Secretary for the State Bar of Wisconsin Elder and Special Needs Planning Section, and is a member of the Fox Valley Estate Planning Council, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and Wisconsin Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. He served as the past President of Fox Valley Technical College Foundation, Inc. and has also been involved with Jake’s Diapers, Inc., Compassionate Canines, Inc. and the Volunteer Center of East Central Wisconsin, Inc.
Jon was born and raised in Appleton and is very proud to practice law in his hometown. He lives locally with his wife, Jennifer, and their children. He is an avid outdoorsman who likes to spend time hunting and fishing. His Labrador Retrievers often accompany him in the field as his trusted companions.
Modeste Rouamba, a certified ethical hacker from EC Council, boasts over 12 years of IT experience and holds a Master’s degree in cybersecurity and information assurance. Currently, he serves as the workplace administrator at Dixon Ticonderoga and holds the Lead Cybersecurity Solution Architect position at Yelkaye IT Consulting.
In addition to his professional pursuits, Modeste serves as the Director of Coaching and Training for the Electric City Youth Soccer Club. During his leisure time, he enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends and watching soccer games from the sidelines.
Darrell is a Certified HR professional from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), who has always believed the greatest company asset is its’ people. Therefore, much of his professional life has centered around Organizational Development, and establishing training programs and human systems arounds the concept of talent management, along with the partnership of manager-employee dialogue for professional growth and retention. Also, with a MS in Labor Relations, Darrell has handled 1st chair labor negotiations with multiple union workforces throughout North America including Canada.
Most Recently Darrell is retired from the Paper Industry from Voith North America, where he has spent the past eight years as a Senior HR Director, and Labor Consultant to other Voith Businesses.
Darrell has been on the Board of the Green Bay YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, Green Bay Area Healthcare Initiative, along with several Church related committees and boards. He has been a volunteer with St. Vincent DePaul Society, and St. Johns Homeless Shelter. Darrell believes every person can bring value to the work setting, and the work setting must invest in their employees and colleagues.
Darrell is married for 41 years, has two adult children and 4 grandchildren.
Improving company performance through organizational and employee development has been Patty’s passion throughout her career. She was able to advocate for the employees while understanding and balancing the needs of the customers and investors. Patty has over 30 years of progressive Human Resource experience and recently retired as Vice President – Human Resources for Hoffmaster Group, Inc. Prior to Hoffmaster Group, Inc., Patty worked at Plexus and Hillshire Farm. Her overall strengths that contributed to her success are a strong work ethic, high energy leveI and positive leadership skills.
Boards/Volunteer: COTS, Hortonville Alliance Church and Vida.
She enjoys spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren, traveling, biking, golfing, spending time at her cottage and volunteering.
Diligent planning, problem-solving, and a solution-oriented perspective best describe John’s approach to his 35+ year business law career. With expertise in business organization formation, mergers, acquisitions, succession planning, estate planning, charitable giving and gift planning, John’s wise counsel has impacted successful businesses and nonprofits throughout the Fox Valley.
Profession: Attorney and Partner at McCarty Law, LLC.
Boards/Volunteer: Community Early Learning Center of the Fox Valley, Inc.; Fox Cities Amateur Sports Authority Corp.; Holy Family; Family Service Association of the Fox Valley, Inc.; St. Paul Elder Services, Inc.; United Way Fox Cities, Inc., St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Appleton Education Foundation, Pillars, and Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Sponsored Ministries, Inc. and VPI.
John stays active through golf and exercise. He enjoys time with his three adult sons and relishes getting pulled into a good book.
Carolyn Pierre is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs serving veterans involved in the criminal justice system. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Master of Social Work program with an emphasis on mental health, substance abuse, and forensic social work.
Previously, she served in leadership roles with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Carolyn believes strongly in Social Work values and ethics and has devoted her career to implementing best practices in psychotherapy and criminal justice.
Carolyn enjoys spending time with family and friends, listening to podcasts, crossword puzzles, paddleboarding, and traveling. She feels honored to serve on the VPI Board.
Developing individuals and leading successful organizations to achieve their highest potential encapsulates Pat’s mission over his 35+ year career in roles as CEO, President, CFO, Consultant, and Advisor. His diverse experience spans dozens of for-profit and non-profit organizations in the human services, manufacturing, insurance, and financial industries. Pat retired from his CEO/President role with Converting, Inc. and began consulting projects with VPI in 2009, serving as the Acting COO in 2014 and CEO/President in 2017.
Profession: CEO, Valley Packaging Industries, Inc.
Boards/Volunteer: USA Youth Sports, CMD Corporation, Century Tool, Associated Bank NE-WI, and Converting, Inc. and VPI
For more than 20 years, Pat coached youth soccer teams and led several to Wisconsin State Championships. He and his wife, Jean, enjoy time with their three adult children at their family cabin Muskie fishing, hunting, hiking, and the great outdoors.
Supporting those with occupational challenges due to disabilities has been Mark’s passion for 34 years. With a Ph.D. in Paper Chemistry, Mark’s career saw roles as product developer, materials scientist, and R&D manager for CPG companies leading teams and developing and supporting global brands. Mark interacted with many contract packagers and toll manufacturers in the U.S. and Mexico. Mark contributes to the VPI Board with the acumen of a business leader and the voice of a parent of a VPI client-employee. He and his son, Lincoln, are past Special Olympics State Golf Champions, and Mark strives to “keep my handicap below my number of children (6).”
Profession: Retired Scientist & Engineer – Kimberly-Clark, Georgia-Pacific, Fort James, James River
Boards/Volunteer: Past President SOAR Fox Cities, Advisor for the Business Advisory Council (BAC) of Project SEARCH at St. Elizabeth Hospital and VPI
Mark and his wife, Tyra, have six children, fifteen grandchildren and enjoy time at their northern WI cabin bass fishing and reading. Mark actively studies the Spanish language with a goal to read Cervantes’ Don Quixote, in the original text, by the end of 2020.
Helping others succeed at work, home, and church motivates and inspires Jim. His 35+ year career in finance, business, and leadership began at Scott Paper and progressed to Pacon Corporation for 20+ years where he advanced from Director of Finance to President and led the company through its sale to Fila out of Italy. One of his five children has special needs, and he worked at VPI. Jim still marvels at the “unsurpassed enthusiasm the clients had to get to work” and the valuable lessons his son learned that have allowed him to move to other jobs with success.
Profession: President & CEO of Pacon Corporation/Dixon Ticonderoga Company
Boards/Volunteer: Van Hoof Companies, ARC, Zaug’s Inc., and Wisconsin Paper Group, and VPI
He and his wife actively support Appleton Alliance Church. They enjoy spending time at the family cottage, hunting, and working in the woods. He credits his mother’s rearing as the best preparation for life’s challenges and opportunities.
Working with organizations that help people with disabilities live meaningful and fulfilling lives is Gary’s passion. Committed, dedicated, and effective aptly describe Gary’s service-oriented leadership. The manufacturing environment was Gary’s professional home for his 40+ year career where he served many senior level roles with extensive operations and technical experience. He oversaw daily operations and managed projects resulting in significant cost reductions, quality improvements, and lean concept integrations.
Profession: Retired VP Manufacturing – Laminations/Great Northern Corporation
Boards/Volunteer: SOAR Fox Cities, the Business Advisory Council for Project SEARCH, the Paper Science and Chemical Engineering Foundation at UW-Stevens Point, and VPI
He also enjoys coaching Basketball, Tee Ball, and Special Olympics Track for SOAR Fox Cities. Gary and his wife enjoy traveling and hiking through the national parks, time at their Tomahawk cottage, and outdoor activities.
Strategic planning, new business development, risk management, and all aspects of financial accounting are the backbones of David’s 35+ year career. His journey began as a financial analyst, and he moved on to positions including Budget Manager, Plant Controller, and Finance Director, responsible for a $260 million business unit for Appleton Papers. David then took the opportunity as the Director of New Business Development for a $400 million entity within Appleton Coated LLC before he advanced to CMD Corporation in ’08. Today, David leads the company’s information technology strategy and deployment and all financial accounting, reporting, and treasury functions.
Profession: Chief Financial Officer – CMD Corporation
Boards/Volunteer: VPI
David’s contributions and process leadership turned around an operating loss at CMD into a profitable position within 24 months. Active on the VPI Board since 2018, David’s insightful perspective provides routine contributions to strategic decision-making today.
Building and developing strong teams to collaborate for success is central to Tim’s leadership philosophy. Tim advocates “DWYSYWD” – do what you say you will do – as he empowers others and holds the team accountable to reach VPI’s goals. Tim’s service orientation over his 30+ year career with paper and CPG companies (Wisconsin Tissue, Fort Howard, Alta Resources, JJ Keller, Elevate97) saw him in senior level business development and VP Sales & Marketing roles where he led teams to set and achieve growth goals, continuous operational improvements, and develop quality processes.
Profession: VPI President, formerly VPI – VP Operations
Boards/Volunteer: YMCA of the Fox Cities Board, the Appleton Soccer Club Board, and Appleton North Basketball Club Board
Tim and his wife, Kara, enjoy time with their three adult children and keep active with running, golfing, hiking, and outdoor activities.
Helping students with challenges live full, engaged, and satisfying lives describes Brian’s mission as a 38+ year school psychologist, special education administrator, and student advocate. With a voice from the classroom and his extensive educational committee work, Brian points to this advocacy as the most rewarding aspect of his career.
Profession: Retired Director of Special Education – Appleton Area School District
Boards/Volunteer: Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS), Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, VPI, and 9 other local nonprofits
With a penchant for supporting organizations that positively impact those in need and the community at-large, Brian and his wife Cynthia contribute actively to groups that add human services, art & culture enhancements, and recreational services throughout Wisconsin. Brian and Cindy enjoy time with their daughters’ families, 7 grandchildren, attending performing arts events, reading avidly, and outdoor activities.
Servant leadership sums up David’s approach to the organizations he leads and supports. He is an active community leader in for-profit environments and an advocate for non-profits serving those in need. David routinely provides his critical thinking and financial insights to the VPI Board’s oversight priorities.
Profession: Retired President of the Northeast WI Region of M&I Marshall and Ilsley Corp. – coordinated services between commercial lending, wealth management, business and retail banking
Boards/Volunteer: Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Sponsored Ministries for acute and long-term care health facilities; Keller, Inc.; Warehouse Specialists, LLC; and VPI
David’s leisure time finds him as an outdoors enthusiast, traveler, and avid reader. Time spent with their three adult children and four grandchildren is the ultimate joy for him and his wife.
Tom is passionate about working with others to problem solve and help make the community we live in a better place.
Profession: Partner at Fore Development, a local family owned real estate development company. Fore specializes in the development of multifamily and commercial real estate projects across the state. With a focus on thoughtful design and superior service so residents, businesses, and guests can thrive.
Boards: Appleton Downtown Inc., Pillars, N.E.W. PAC
Tom and his wife Emma have two children, and enjoy time together golfing, biking, and spending time with family.
Brian Haddock is a Senior Vice President and Commercial Banking Manager for Nicolet Bank’s Fox Cities/Oshkosh Market. In this role he has client engagement, team member development, and leadership responsibilities. Brian has more than 15 years of banking experience with a demonstrated history of providing value added ideas and solutions to privately owned companies.
Boards/Volunteer: Appleton West Career Academy Advisory Council, Appleton West Youth Basketball Association Board Member; Appleton West Baseball Club Volunteer Coach; Wisconsin United FC Volunteer, YMCA Fox Cities Volunteer Coach
Brian, his wife Maggie, and their children enjoy traveling, attending sporting events and spending quality time together.
Developing business, building relationships, serving his community, and enjoying nature drive David. With a successful 45+ year career in environmental and civil engineering, David’s career spanned positions with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and progressed into leading business development initiatives and providing consulting services as an officer, shareholder, and/or President for 6 other engineering services providers throughout the Fox Valley.
Profession: Retired from Larson Engineering in 2019Boards/Volunteer:
Technical Association of the Pulp & Paper Industry, Rotary Appleton Breakfast Club, Elisha D. Smith Public Library and VPI, Inc. As a VPI Board member since 1988, David contributed strategically to the design of the VPI production facility on Roemer Road. David and his wife enjoy time together and the wildlife at their northern WI cabin.