Outlook Magazine - Fall 2016

ALUMNI NEWS

Solid footing Royal Construction builds foundation with UW-Stout graduates

DOING THE RIGHT THINGS Else named Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Volunteer of the Year

BOOKSHELF

‘Cranberries Revealed’

Wayne Martin, ’82 masters in media technology, published “Cranberries Revealed: From the Marsh to the Table,” an 84-page coffee table book that highlights the beauty of Wisconsin’s state fruit with

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reg Else, ’97, grew up doing volunteer work with his family, so it isn’t too surprising that since joining Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois in 2003 he has logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours and was named BCBSIL’s Volunteer of the Year for 2015. “Giving back is important for strong communities,” Else said, “and for those who are able, volunteering is a great way to do so.” With the award, Else received $1,000 to donate to a nonprofit of his choice. He elected to split the stipend between Access Living and the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. As a kid growing up in Watertown, Else volunteered locally through his family’s church and sometimes farther afield. “We went on a service trip to New York City to help bring a transitional housing facility online and to volunteer at a soup kitchen,” he said. UW-Stout, preparation for a career Else, with a B.S. in business administration, chose UW-Stout because of its “strong hands-on approach to learning and for the opportunities to get involved in student organizations,” he said. He was active in the American Marketing Association, DECA, and volunteered weekly at the Dunn County Food Pantry. “I would highly encourage students to get involved in student government or other campus organizations to learn how groups of people work effectively together to achieve more than is possible alone,” he said. “UW-Stout gave me the educational foundation and practical learning experiences to hit the ground running in corporate America. My degree from UW-Stout was a good value and a great investment in my future.” He has served on theStout University Foundation Board of Directors for the past six years and is a sponsor with family and friends of the $1,000 Eugene W. Else Memorial Scholarship in memory of his father, who passed away in 2014. Eugene

his vivid photos. The book also includes recipes.

Martin, a Wisconsin native now of Plymouth, Minn., received two Midwest Book Awards for his work: in the arts/coffee table/photography division and in the cookbooks/crafts/hobbies division. Learn more and order the book at cranberriesrevealed.com . ‘My Hometown’ design, published his first book, “My Hometown,” a children’s story based on his hometown of Mosinee. A magical newspaper takes a little boy on a tour of Main Street in his hometown from the 1860s to present. Griesmer is art director at Capstone Publishers in Minneapolis. He also is a freelance artist and photographer. For more information on “My Hometown,” including how to order, go to www.russellgriesmer.com. Russell Griesmer, ’07 BFA with a focus on graphic

xperts in the construction field know the importance of a solid foundation. It’s likely no coincidence therefore that more than a quarter of Royal Construction’s employees — 11 out of 40 — are UW-Stout graduates, most from the highly respected construction program at UW-Stout. “What makes UW-Stout’s program so good? It’s the hands-on nature of the teaching, the practical side. If I could teach and train the kids at UW-Stout faster, I could get them all jobs,” said Jim Bunkelman, a 2000 UW-Stout graduate. Earlier this year, Bunkelman was named president and CEO of Royal Construction, a commercial builder in the Eau Claire area. He is part owner of the company. In addition, he is teaching a class at UW-Stout, Light Construction Methods and Materials, and has come back to school as a student in the university’s construction master’s program. Royal’s UW-Stout foundation goes well beyond Bunkelman. Co-owners and vice presidents Brian Bessinger and Dennis Tischer graduated from UW-Stout in 1998 and 2004, respectively. Tim Pabich, vice president of business development and previous owner, is a UW- Stout alumnus and former Blue Devil football player. Tim Pabich’s father founded Royal as a home-building company in 1967. Most of the other UW-Stout construction alumni on Royal’s staff are project managers, Bunkelman said. Royal enjoyed a big year in 2015 with a record amount of revenue. It worked on several high-profile projects in the Eau Claire area, such as the Staybridge Suites hotel that opened in June in Altoona. In spring 2016 Royal was named Small Business of the Year by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. Four UW-Stout alumni are executives with Royal Construction, which built the new Staybridge Suites in Altoona. From left are Dennis Pischer, Brian Bessinger, Tim Pabich and Jim Bunkelman. E

Greg Else and Nicole TenHaken, a Eugene W. Else Memorial Scholarship recipient.

encouraged his children to further their education and to give back to the community. Commitment to community Else is a client implementation consultant at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and co-chair of Celebration of Caring, an employee volunteerism committee at the company’s headquarters in Chicago. “When folks talk about our commitment to our communities I can say my company supports 70 projects within our community per year,” Else said. Else is particularly proud of his company’s participation in the annual Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon project, the city’s largest day of service. More than 300 people help spruce up Chicago public schools. “The staff and some of the students are thrilled with the transformation that occurs in one day,” he said. Volunteerism, whether it involves a “single day hands-on service project, or over a period of time through long-standing partnerships, gives a great sense of satisfaction,” Else said. “Simply, it’s the right thing to do.”

‘It’s OK Not to Cry’

Gina Schampers, ’09 business administration, wrote “It’s OK Not to Cry,” published by Balboa Press. The book is about grieving and loss. Schampers was in her 20’s when her father and mother died, the latter when Schampers was six months pregnant.

“The book is intended to help others going through a difficult time,” said Schampers, who grew up near Green Bay. For more information about the book, including how to order, go to ginaschampers.wix.com.

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