Board of Directors

William Haight
President, Magna Publications / In Business
Board Position : Chair Magazine
Bill, a native of Madison, is founder and president of Magna Publications, Inc., a producer of periodicals and conferences for higher education institutions. In 1988, Magna acquired the business magazine, In Business. Bill also serves as a member of the Mendota Gridiron Board. In 2001, Bill received the Madison Advertising Federation's Silver Medal Award for "Lifetime contributions to the field of advertising" Bill enjoys his home on Lake Mendota with his wife, Nancy, and their three children, Will, Vicki and Ginny.

Joel Weitz
President & PGA Professional, Vitense Golfland
Board Position : Vice Chair
Joel, the owner and president of Vitense Golfland, a family-based recreation business founded by his grandfather, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 1996, he has been a member of the Professional Golfers' Association of America, and in 2003 he was elected to the President's Council. Joel also presently serves on the Board of Directors for the Madison Junior Golf Foundation and is a member of Wisconsin PGA Golf Services, Inc., Wisconsin State Golf Association, and Wisconsin Golf Superintendents Association.

Jim Bradley
President, Home Savings Bank
Board Position : Treasurer
Jim is a native of Madison, having earned a Bachelors of Business Administration degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jim is very active in several community-based initiatives, and is an acknowledged leader in several efforts associated with Madison's strong eco-friendly culture. He is a board member of Downtown Madison, Inc., Sustain Dane, Center for Resilient Cities, and National W Club. Jim has served as Race Director of Crazylegs Classic for over 20 years, and enjoys biking around the picturesque and rolling hills of Dane County. He and his wife Libby have three children and live in Madison.

Jeanette Riechers
Owner, Cornblooms & Madison Sole
Board Position : Secretary
After earning a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication at UW-Madison, Jeanette spent over a decade at a Madison publishing company as the editor of a monthly magazine circulated nationally to restaurant owners and operators. She then joined a Madison-based advertising and public relations agency where, as vice president and associate director-public relations, she worked with a variety of national clients. In 1999, she and her husband, Larry, purchased the long-established Madison shoe store, Cornblooms, located at Hilldale Shopping Center. Two years later, they opened a second shoe store, Heartland Birkenstock, located on Madison's famed State Street. Their son David attends UW-Madison, and son Michael is a student at Madison East High School.

Wayne Glowac
President, Glowac + Harris + Madison, Inc
Board Position : Immediate Past Chair
Wayne was born in Illinois and graduated from Northern Illinois University earning a BS in Journalism. Wayne is currently a member of the Madison Advertising Federation, Council of Independent Managers (CIM), Marketing Agency Communications Network (MCAN), and the Madison Area Builders Assn. He also teaches at the UW School of Business-Extension. Wayne enjoys biking, boating and photography. He and his wife, Laurie, have three children, Preston, Taylor and Connor.

Deb Archer, CDME
President & CEO, GMCVB
Board Position : President & CEO
Since April of 1995, Deb has been at the helm of the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau. Deb previously held the positions of VP of Convention Sales at the GMCVB, Associate Director of Sales at the CVB of Greater Kansas City and CEO of the Park City, Utah Chamber of Commerce/Convention & Visitors Bureau. Deb's professional affiliations include PCMA, WSAE and ASAE. Deb is also a member of DMAI and serves on its Board of Directors. She currently chairs the Governor's Council on Tourism and is also an Instructor of Destination Management at Madison Area Technical College. Deb holds a B.A. degree in Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management from Michigan State University. Community activities include Rotary, TEMPO-Madison and serving on the board of the Black Hawk Council of Girl Scouts. A native of Libertyville, Illinois, Deb is actively involved with her church and enjoys walking and spending time with her family - husband Dean, VP Meetings & Special Events at CUNA, and daughter Jenna.

Jennifer Alexander
President, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce & Thrive
Jennifer Alexander was named President of Thrive in January 2007.  She continues in her role as President of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, a post she began in January 2004.  Prior to these roles, Alexander was appointed and subsequently reappointed Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development by Governor Tommy Thompson and subsequently reappointed by the McCallum administration.  In this role, she successfully managed an agency of 2300 employees and a $2.1 billion biennial budget.  Prior to this cabinet post, Alexander was Division Administrator of Technology Management, where she was responsible for management of the statewide telecommunications network as well as technology planning and development.  Alexander was also a founding partner of Alexander, Wegner & Associates, a management consulting firm focusing on workforce issues, economic development and government reform.  Their clients included organizations like the University of Wisconsin System and Deloitte Consulting.  Prior to her leadership positions with the State of Wisconsin and business roles, Alexander was a teacher and principal in the West Bend School District.

Paula Bonner
President / CEO, Wisconsin Alumni Association
Paula Bonner was born in Sumter, South Carolina and attended both the Unviersity of North Carolina - Greensboro and the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  Bonner is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the Council of Alumni Association Executives, and TEMPO.  She serves on the boards of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, Wisconsin Academy of Arts & Sciences, and the Big Ten Alumni Association.  Bonner has been awarded with the Madison Civic Club Pioneer Award and as a CAAE Forman Fellow.  She enjoys visual arts, theater, cooking, and spending time with her partner, Ann.

Mark Clarke
General Manager, World Dairy Expo
Clarke, a life long native of Wisconsin, received his B.S. degree in animal science from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls. Following graduation from UW- River Falls, Clarke owned and operated his own business as an Independent Sales and Marketing Representative for ABS Global. He joined Pharming Health Care in July 1999 as Operations manager of Vienna Pharms, a transgenic cloning cattle facility near De Forest, Wisconsin. There he started up and managed a first of its' kind cattle facility which raises animals that will produce biopharmaceutical drugs for human use from the milk of the cloned transgenic animals. In 2004, Clarke moved into the equipment side of the dairy industry by assuming a position of product manager of milk harvest equipment for BouMatic. In addition to milking equipment, Clarke also served as trade show manager. In fall of 2007 Clarke took over as General Manager of World Dairy Expo in Madison WI. Here he oversees the daily operations of the largest dairy cattle and exhibit show in the world.

Dawn Crim
Special Assistant to the Chancellor, Director of Community Relations, UW-Madison Office of the Chancellor
Dawn was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and earned her BA degree in Rhetoric and Communications at the University of Virginia. Dawn also earned her Masters of Education/ Counselor Education from The Pennsylvania State University. Dawn is a Founding Member of Madison Network of Black Professionals, President of UNITY, Co-chair City of Madison Joint West Campus Area Committee, and a member of Rotary Club of Madison. In 2006, Dawn was named as one of In Business Magazine's Top 40 Under 40. Her interests include sports, reading and travel. Dawn is married to UW faculty member Dr. Elton J. Crim Jr and they have two children, John and Danielle.

George Kamperschroer
President & Managing Partner, Neider & Boucher, SC
George is a business lawyer in a Madison law firm, helping people start up and deal with the issues that a business faces. A major part of his practice is helping people start up or buy or sell businesses. George is an (almost) lifelong resident of Madison and has seen a lot of changes over the 50+ years he has been here. He went to the UW-Madison for both his undergrad work (BA in Political Science) and his law degree. In addition to being a lawyer, George is a CPA. George actively participates in the community, and currently serves on the boards (and numerous committees) of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, Meriter Hospital and Habitat for Humanity of Dane County. He also is a member of United Way's Housing in Action Leadership Team, and is on the Madison Police and Fire Commission. George is particularly proud of the fact that he was on the Board and Vice President of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra when it started the Concerts on the Square in the mid 1980s. George and his wife Julie have three grown children, two sons living in Minneapolis and a daughter in Madison. George is a part time photographer, concentrating mostly on urban images. He also enjoys golfing and biking (in that order).

John Kavanaugh, Sr.
Owner, Kavanaugh's Esquire Club
Board Position: Appointee, Dane County Tavern League
John Kavanaugh has represented the Dane County Tavern League on the GMCVB Board of Directors since 1996. John has served as the Board's Treasurer and Secretary. His professional affiliations include active participation in the National Restaurant Association, Wisconsin Restaurant Association, Dane County Tavern League and Northside Business Association. John is a certified FMP (Food Management Professional). The Esquire Club has received the "Restaurant of the Year - Small Business Award" and the National Restaurant Association "Grassroots Leader" award. He is active in several service clubs, including Northeast Optimist Club, the Elk Moose Lodge and the Knights of Columbus. He and his wife, Linda, have four children - Jackie, John IV, Molly and Bridget. John is a native Madisonian whose hobbies include golf, swimming and traveling.

Steve Kraus.
Manager of Media Relations, Madison Gas & Electric
As Manager of Media Relations at Madison Gas & Electric, Steve directs the company's advertising and external communications. He joined MGE in 1981 as a community education specialist after teaching high school marketing classes in Middleton and Madison. Steve is currently a two-term trustee on the Waunakee Village Board and a member on the community's Plan and Utility Commissions. Before his Village work, he was elected three times to the Waunakee School Board and also served as a director on the Waunakee Chamber of Commerce board. In 2003, Steve was elected president of the Waunakee Community Foundation, a charitable organization he co-founded that enhances the quality of life of area residents. Steve enjoys automobiles, boating, motorcycling and running events. He and his wife Diane have two sons Eric and Michael.

Carl Nolen
President, Capital Brewery
Carl, President of Capital Brewery, has been in the brewing industry for a long time. His appreciation of the business began back in 1978 in the driver's seat of a beer truck, delivering kegs on State Street in Madison, WI. After stops in Golden, Colorado with Coors Brewing Company and 16 years at the distributor end, he took over as President of Capital Brewery in February 2004. He celebrated his inauguration at Bockfest 2004, and hasn't looked back since. In interviews, when he is asked about his background, Carl often sums it up with "I'm a beer guy."

Lalia Rach
Founder & Partner, Rach Enterprises
Rach, former divisional dean and professor of the NYU Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management, recently returned to teaching full-time, conducting research, and mentoring students at the Tisch Center. Prior to working at NYU-SCPS, Rach served as dean of the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management and professor of hospitality studies at the University of New Haven (CT). Rach has authored numerous articles and chapters on customer service, hotel sales and marketing, and consumer demographics, and delivered keynote speeches and seminars on a variety of consumer issues and perspectives. She serves as a board member for NYC & Company (Convention & Visitors Bureau), New York City Academy of Travel and Tourism, New York Society of Association Executives, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (Americas), and the World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Training. She is also a member of the Travel Business Roundtable, Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC), the Women's Forum Inc., the Women in Lodging Council, and the New York Hospitality Council. Rach holds a B.S. in History from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from The George Washington University.

Jack von Rutenberg
Co-Owner, von Rutenberg Ventures
Jack is a native of Madison and is a graduate of the University of Iowa. His 40-plus years in the hospitality industry includes managing (with his brothers Bill and Robert) the company's many successful businesses, which include Mariner's Inn, Nau-Ti-Gal, Captain Bill's, Betty Lou Cruises, and Westport Marine. Jack is a member of WRA (Wisconsin Restaurant Association) and NRA (National Restaurant Association). His hobbies are all water sports, snow skiing and snowboarding, and any of his kid's activities. Jack's wife is Tammy and their children are Jeremy, Jordan and Marina.

Michael Schumacher
District 18 Alder, City of Madison Common Council
Board Position: City of Madison Common Council Appointee
Michael was elected to the City Council on November 7th, 2007. He is the City Council appointee to the GMCVB Board of Directors.

Bob Sorge
Vice President Strategic Development, Madison Community Foundation
Bob is a native of Burlington, WI and received a bachelor's degree in Communication Arts from UW-Madison. Prior to taking the newly created position at the MCF, Bob served as Executive Director of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. His volunteer activities include the Parkwood Hills Neighborhood Association, Walbridge School, American Red Cross, and Rotary Club of Madison Foundation Board of Directors. Bob has served as past president of Rotary Club of Madison and has been named to In Business Magazine's Top 40 Under 40 list. He has attended the Leadership Greater Madison and Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management (Harvard Business School) leadership programs. Bob lives in Madison with his wife, Lisa and their two sons Phillip and Peter.

Susan Springman
President, Mullins Group
Springman's career has spanned executive level positions in the non-profit, private and public sectors. Her first position as a legislative assistant in the Wisconsin State Senate piqued her interest in how public policy decisions impacted business and real estate decisions leading her to become the Executive Director of the Central Madison Council (now named Downtown Madison, Inc) during its formative years in the late 1970's. Later she was Mayor Skornicka's business liaison working with local developers and businesses on issues within the City of Madison. Her career in real estate development included a 14 year career as Vice President of Development & Leasing with the Munz Corporation, owning her own real estate consulting business, serving as President of Executive Management Inc. and an appointment by former Governor Tommy Thompson as an Administrator for the agency that managed the State of Wisconsin's real estate leasing and building management portfolio. Recently, Springman joined the Mullins Group to assist them with their extensive downtown real estate portfolio.

Vince Sweeney
Vice Chancellor for University Relations, UW-Madison - Chancellor's Office
Board Position: Appointee, UW Athletics
In Vince's capacity as an Associate Athletic Director, he manages the department's branding and revenue-generating components, including marketing and promotions, ticketing, fund raising and development, multi-media rights and corporate sponsorships. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sweeney is a past board member for the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators. He also has served as a member of the NCAA's subcommittee on Basketball Marketing and as consulting editor for Collegiate Sports Marketing. A native Madisonian, Vince graduated from UW-Madison with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications. He and his wife Sharon have two daughters, Kelsey and Keara.

Steve Zanoni
General Manager, The Madison Concourse Hotel & Governor's Club
Stephen Zanoni is the General Manager of The Madison Concourse Hotel & Governor's Club and CEO of Burwell Hotels whose hotel portfolio includes the Silvertree Hotel in Snowmass/Aspen Colorado. He is a Madison native who has been a leader in Madison's convention and tourism marketing for over 20 years. Stephen previously served as the VP of Sales & Marketing for The Madison Concourse Hotel while working for Burwell Hotels, Larkin hotels and Marcus Hotels. His community leadership includes serving on the boards for the WI Innkeepers Assn Madison Chapter, the Wisconsin Restaurant Assn Madison Chapter, Executive Board for the NFLA Association of Madison, the Madison Symphony and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. He has previously chaired the GMCVB's Convention Marketing Committee and was a longtime member of State of Wisconsin, Governor's Convention Marketing Committee. Stephen enjoys biking, running, skiing and many other outdoor activities. He and his wife Dawn have one son Zach.