Guests and prospective Rotarians are always welcome - we'd love to have you join us.

Weekly Meeting Details

We meet In Person

Tuesdays at 12:00 PM

River Club of Mequon

12400 North Ville Du Parc Drive
Mequon, WI 53092
United States of America

July and August meetings are at Rotary Park, 4100 Highland Road, Mequon. Use the west entrance to the park.

District Site

Bulletins

Venue Map

Mary Spicuzza INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM

Thomas Jefferson believed that an informed public is the only safe guardian of liberty. "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."

Mary Spicuzza is an investigative political reporter who has covered Wisconsin elections and politics for nearly 20 years.

She is mainly focused on chasing down tips from readers to bring to light abuses of power, incompetence, scams, corruption and waste of taxpayer dollars.

Spicuzza has a background in government coverage, both at the local level and at the state Capitol in Madison where she was part of a Wisconsin State Journal team that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for breaking news coverage.

Spicuzza has won a national awards for her work, including her investigations into her cousin's car bombing murder, Medicaid fraud, and for her PBS FRONTLINE documentary about deaths at the U.S.-Mexico border. Her work has been honored by the National Headliner Awards, Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Awards, Investigative Reporters and Editors, Society for Features Journalism, Associated Press Media Editors, Overseas Press Club and SABEW (Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing). She was also a Livingston Awards finalist.

Our Weekly Speaker--Kristen Nicholson, Advocates of Ozaukee

Kristen Nicholson has dedicated her career to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual
violence for nearly 30 years. A survivor of domestic violence herself, she is passionate about
helping others find safety, healing, and hope.

Kristen earned dual bachelors degrees in Psychology and Social Science from Alverno College.

She holds a masters degree in Clinical Psychology from the Wisconsin School of Professional
Psychology and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Wisconsin. She went on to earn
her Master’s Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Northwestern University.

She has been with Advocates of Ozaukee since 2004, serving in a variety of leadership and clinical roles

before becoming Executive Director in 2026.

In addition to leading Advocates of Ozaukee, Kristen has taught for the psychology departments
at both Alverno College and Concordia University. She continues to provide counseling to
survivors of trauma and is committed to strengthening services and raising awareness for
individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence.

Our Speaker--John Rosing; Thriving Thiensville

John Rosing was born the 5th of six children in Cleveland, Ohio. He remains close to his siblings, who all stayed in Ohio, as well as many of his childhood friends. He met his wife, the lovely Mimi, in college at Xavier University. He later received a master’s degree from Xavier as well.

John’s career spanned several midwest cities working in hospital administration. He later specialized in hospital regulatory compliance and eventually went out on his own as a consultant. He is now semi-retired.

He first joined Rotary when he was working in La Crosse in 1983 and joined our club in 1994 when he settled in Thiensville.

In 2024 John was elected to be President of Thiensville. As part of that role, he serves on the board of the Southern Ozaukee Fire Department. John is a member of Lumen Christi Parish. He is also a 4^th Degree Knight of Columbus and is currently serving in his 3^rd year as Grand Knight of the Lumen Christi Parish Council

Bob Blazich "The History of the Land We Are On'

If you have a question about Mequon Thiensville history there is no better community resource than Bob Blazich. He started his career with a more international focus, serving 51 months in the Air Force as a Russian linguist. Bob never lost his worldly involvement. He and his wife Jan have traveled to over 60 countries, and have lived, worked, and volunteered outside the US for over 5 years.

In civilian life Bob became a therapist and School Social Worker. He retired from working in schools in 2001 and left his clinical work in 2011.

In “retirement” he joined The MT Sunrise Club and served on the Town Center Committee In the latter role became familiar with the Mequon Historical Society. The society had fallen on hard times no money, no membership list, no annual meetings. He got on the board, became president, and revived the organization. The (renamed) Mequon Thiensville Historical Society now is solvent, has over 300 members and Bob runs a MT History Facebook group that has over 7000 members.

Bob was also the first president of the Adult Literacy Center of Ozaukee County and (no surprise) was Mequon Thiensville Citizen of the Year in 2006.

Seth Taft ; Being a Friend to WI State Parks

This Week's Speaker

Seth Taft is the Executive Director for the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks; an 501(c)(3) organization that serves as the umbrella to over 65 nonprofit Friends groups throughout Wisconsin that are associated with a state park, forest, and/or trail. The Wisconsin State Park System comprises 50 state parks, 15 state forests, 44 state trails, and endless recreational/natural areas. His role is to connect friends with grants and resources, advocate and education state legislators, and cultivate a sense of belonging to Wisconsin's most beloved public spaces.

Dawn Fiedler

Speaker: Rotary 6270 District Governor Dawn Fiedler

Dawn’s passion is threefold: for her husband and family, her relationship with God and for Join the Movement Events, Inc. (JTM), educating our local communities, what human trafficking is and how to protect their neighborhoods and most especially our youth. She became aware of this great need for Wisconsin at her Rotary District conference several years ago. Since that time Dawn has been attending training with the FBI, DOJ, ICAC, WCASA, SAVAS, Children’s Hospital, Amber Alert, NCJCT, End the Game, and Truckers Against Trafficking and local organizations. JTM’s mission was to organize large group awareness events in local communities to educate our youth, parents/guardians and community members. Dawn specializes in protecting our youth in a digital world. This has expanded to include specialized training workshops for medical professionals, EMS Departments, Law Enforcement Departments, hospitality staff and social workers. She is a frequent guest lecturer at medical colleges and universities for their grand rounds. Dawn is dedicated to educating all ages in all communities and traveling around the Midwest. Each presentation is catered specifically for those in attendance. She is also a founding member of the Walworth County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force. Dawn also serves on several organization boards of directors and task forces located in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.

For many years, Dawn has been an advocate for victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse, helping them with the resources needed to make the changes in their lives. The JTM toolkits are available free of charge and are facilitated by many organizations around the world and available to download from their website www.jtme.org. Dawn moved to Minnesota when she and Peter were married and was a charter member and board member of the Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking as well as an Assistant Governor for 9 clubs in Rotary District 5950. When she moved back to Wisconsin and District 6270, she came back to her Elkhorn club where she was President from 2018-19. Dawn continues to share her passion to educate our youth to area business leaders through Rotary International. After 5 years as an Assistant Governor, Dawn moved on to another position within the district and is currently the District Governor Nominee for Rotary District 6270 and is the Director at Large for Medium Sized clubs for the current Rotary year.

After meeting with several organizations who all identified a need to fill the gaps with advocacy services, the JTM C.A.R.E. Team (Community Advocate Resource Evaluation) was launched in the spring of 2022. The CARE Team are fully trained advocates for human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault victims. The CARE team currently operates in Walworth, Racine and Kenosha Counties offering advocate support services to local hospitals, the Child Advocacy Center of Walworth County and in the Walworth County Jail.

Cybersecurity

Christy Knowles, Sheriff of Ozaukee county, will bring us up to date on cybersecurity, an ever evolving threat.

Christy Knowles was elected Sheriff for the term of 2023-2026. Prior to that, she served in the positions of Undersheriff, Captain of Operations, Lieutenant-Patrol Commander, Detective, Deputy Sheriff – Patrol, and Deputy Sheriff-Jailer, all with the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Knowles attended college at Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is a graduate of the Northwestern University-Police Staff and Command College. She is a graduate of the elite FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. Sheriff Knowles is also a certified Defense and Arrest Tactics Instructor, having provided instruction at Waukesha Area Technical College as an adjunct instructor prior to being elected Sheriff.

Christy was raised in Cedar Grove and has lived in Ozaukee County most of her adult life. She calls Belgium her home where she has raised her three children.

Harley Davidson

The Harley Davidson company was started in Milwaukee 123 years ago and Milwaukee remains it’s global headquarters. Harley Davidson Suburban dealership was started over 50 years ago in Thiensville by Wayne and Joan Houpt. and it remains a family held company today. We’re exited to have two speakers who will give us a perspective on this important local company, both past and future. Todd Berlin, has worked with the Houpt family for the past 20 years and is currently the general manager. Aaron Houpt, is a third generation member of the Houpt family,. He has been officially working in the business for six years, but has been participating in Harley Davidson events since childhood.

Andy Nerbun Mayor's Update

We begin our Rotary year with a city update from Andy Nerbun, our club member and Mequon's 12th mayor.

Andrew Nerbun was elected as mayor in April 2022. He previously served as the Alderman for District 7 (April 2012 to March 2017) and Alderman for District 8 (April 2017 to April 2022). During that time, Andrew served on the Public Safety Committee and Public Works Committee. Additionally, Andrew has been a Den Leader and Pinewood Derby Chair for Boy Scout Pack 3865, helped coach various youth sports groups and participated in the Mequon Community Conversation Task Force.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University.

Behind the Scenes of Science: A CEO’s View of MPM’s Bold New Chapter, Dr. Ellen J. Censky

Milwau

kee Public Museum is at an exciting point in its 144-year history with construction of its new, iconic building underway and an opening date slated for early 2027. Dr. Ellen Censky, President & CEO of the Milwaukee Public Museum, will give an overview of the project and provide an insider's look at the architecture, exhibits plan and what it takes to build a natural history museum and move more than four million collections items.

A Cedarburg native, Dr. Censky began her career at the Milwaukee Public Museum in 1977. She went on to serve in other leadership capacities nationally, including at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, where she received national recognition for her work in founding and developing the BioBlitz program, which is now a staple community outreach program at institutions in every U.S. state and in countries around the world.

Mental Health Matters: a Global Issue with Local Impact

Two enlightening speakers from Ascension Wisconsin Huiras Center talked about the outpatient behavior health services they offer. Lindsey McConnell and Deanna Depies discussed the importance of stress, noting that even good stress (eustress) can take its toll. The Huiras Center is located at Ascension Columbia-St. Mary's Ozaukee, and may be reached at (262) 243-6538.

Schowalters champion PWSB

Clarence Hill and George Henry opened the doors to their new bank at 206 N. Franklin St. in Port Washington, Wisconsin September 11, 1899 — less than a year after the Great Wisconsin Chair Factory Fire destroyed the town’s business district.

From this modest start, PWSB has grown to $1B in funds and loan assets under active management, ranking in the top 15% of similarly sized Wisconsin commercial banks. Today, eight full-service locations offer the services of a large bank with the personalized service you’ll only find at a fifth-generation, family-owned community bank.

Today Steve Schowalter and Mark Schowalter carry on the traditions stared by the founders more than 125 years ago.

Steve served as the long-time President and CEO of PWSB and currently holds the position of Chairman. Under his leadership, the bank expanded throughout Southeastern Wisconsin while maintaining a reputation for local, personal service.

Mark is part of the executive team continuing the family legacy. His role often focuses on business development and maintaining the high-touch relationships that define the bank’s "life-long customer" philosophy.

Nancy touts gardens in celebration of Earth Day

Sometimes we forget what a plethora of knowledge and insights may be found at any Rotary gathering. Recently Matt Joynt enlightened us about all the great things happening in Mequon-Thiensville Schools. Ellen MacFarlane shared stories of the impact Rotary makes in Guatemala. Jenne Hohn, Sandy Custer, and Kathleen Schneider keep us up to date on the progress toward the Rotary All-User Playground.

Now we have our own Nancy Witte-Dycus sharing her wisdom about gardening and tips on how we can celebrate Earth Day. Join us April 21, for a program sure to feel like spring.

State of Schools: Matt Joynt on Local Education

TM Rotarian Matthew Joynt has been the Superintendent of the Mequon-Thiensville School District since 2017.

He began teaching in public education in 1999. Prior to his current role, Matt served as the assistant superintendent of educational services in MTSD for four years. He holds a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, a master's degree from UWM and a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Matthew has extensive experience working to engage students, capitalizing on opportunities to embrace diversity, and facilitating change and continuous improvement efforts within organizations located in metropolitan areas. It is his goal to improve school performance, and Matthew has led school reform at elementary and secondary schools improving teaching and school culture to promote academic growth and help students embrace lifelong learning.

He will talk about the State of our Schools.

Aging Smart: Medicare Overview

Melinda Caughill did her best to demystify Medicare in 20 minutes. For more information, call her at Unbiased Medicare Help: (262) 223-3433, or visit 65-incorporated.com.

Melinda and her mother, nationally-recognized Medicare expert and pioneer, Diane J. Omdahl, RN, MS, , founded 65 Incorporated and the revolutionary i65 Medicare guidance software, Melinda uses her expertise to provide today’s seniors, their families, and their professional advisors with unbiased, expert Medicare guidance.

Brew & Business: Fiddleheads Coffee

Fiddleheads Coffee, Thiensville's oldest family-owned and operated small-batch roastery, has joined FairWave Collective, a collective of specialty coffee brands operating together to drive quality coffee within communities. Now a beloved local brand and community gathering place, Fiddleheads first opened their doors in 1996 against the backdrop of a burgeoning local arts scene as an abundance of craft coffee shops began to pop up across the Greater Milwaukee Area.

Since its founding, Fiddleheads coffee has been a champion for local artists. With 8 distinctly beautiful shops scattered across the Greater Milwaukee area, their legacy as a family-owned coffee retailer has stood the test of time. As Fiddleheads joins FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective, owner Ray Marcy is “thrilled” to have found a partner committed to carrying on his family’s legacy. “Fiddleheads is our family’s baby,” reflected Marcy. “It was really important to us that if we ever did decide to sell, it would be to someone who works in coffee—someone who understands how special Fiddleheads is to us, and how special it has become to the local community here.”

As Fiddleheads’ 29th birthday approached, Marcy and co-owner Mike Wroblewski, began thoughtfully considering what Fiddleheads’ legacy might look like at 40, and the best path to actualizing that vision. “After meeting with Isaac and the incredible FairWave team for over a year, we knew we’d found the right home for our brand,” Marcy continued.

Heart of a Survivor: Matt Panelli’s Journey

Join us to hear the compelling story of Matt Panelli, a 41-year-old cancer survivor. who has struggled with MS for over 10 years, overcame his emotional demons, and took on the challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHgoxi7V548

DIY Dreams: Board & Brush Story + Possible Activity

Board & Brush Creative Studio started as a “Girl’s Night Out” with wine and crafts in our founder’s basement and quickly turned into a business idea. From the first studio in Hartland, the business has grown to 191 locations in the United States, but the company is growing so quickly, there may be an update January 13, when we hear about this unique creative concept that combines woodworking, custom graphics, and fun!

While no experience is necessary, the Board & Brush Creative Studio goal is to turn anyone into a "DYI master" by teaching you to understand and appreciate the beauty of raw materials—the wood, the knots, the color variations and the simple imperfections that will make your project unique. Distressing, sanding with the grain, and staining are a few of the important steps we will guide you through to make your personalized wood sign look as though it has been with you for years—like a vintage heirloom.

Join us to hear about this concept and company.

Fresh Start: Happy Place Kitchen Returns January 6

Tuesday, January 6, we welcome back the ladies who created the Happy Place Cooking Space, an accessible teaching kitchen designed for all ages and abilities, in Cedarburg. At Happy Place, everyone has the opportunity to learn at their own pace in a supportive environment with adaptive tools and equipment.

Our Vision: A world where everyone, regardless of age or ability, can explore their full potential and find community.

Our Mission: To foster happiness by sharing the joys of cooking and eating together, teach skills that build independence and inspire creativity, and create an environment of belonging where everyone is included, and where everyone can have a positive experience in the kitchen.