Moments in Time
Moments in Time is a weekly series featuring recollections of area residents. To suggest someone to feature in Moments in Time, please contact Mary Jane Grenzow, editor, at editor@themonroetimes.com.
MONROE - Ron Spielman's roots may not have originated in Monroe, but few have surpassed his dedication to the community since he moved here in 1970. His list of involvement and community service is long and impressive, and Spielman has no plans of slowing down any time soon.
Spielman grew up in Freeport, graduating from Freeport High School in 1960. He enjoyed being a part of the golf team and thespian troupe. He was always active in Scouting and earned his way to an Eagle Scout badge. In fact, he credits Scouting as the reason he sees the value of community involvement. It's also where he learned both leadership and people skills.
After high school, Spielman earned a degree from Iowa State University. He was offered a job at John Deere, but opted for law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In his second year of law school he met his wife, Jennifer, who was also attending school. Spielman was living in Mt. Horeb and commuting to school and met Jennifer through mutual friends. He recalls they performed in the Song of Norway together and promoted it every weekend with street dances.
"I was the announcer and clumsiest dancer," he laughed.
During that time, Spielman met Monroe attorney Art Benkert, who asked him if he would come and work for him once Spielman was finished with his military duties in two years. It was a promise they shook hands on.
In 1968, Spielman graduated from law school. He and Jennifer were married in late August and Spielman reported to military duty shortly after. He was sent to Colorado Springs at Fort Carson and eventually Fort McCoy. He processed awards and deaths, and handled other administrative tasks.
One soldier's death that Spielman processed was for 20-year-old James Hessing. On his last day of being in the military, Spielman drove Hessing's medals to his family in Bayfield and worked with them on arrangements for the fallen soldier. To this day, Spielman still visits Hessing's mother, who is now 96.
The Spielmans moved to Monroe in 1970 where Jennifer was already teaching at Northside Elementary School. Ron began working for Benkert in a practice that emphasized real estate, probate, estate planning and income taxes. Spielman served as president of the Green County Bar Association and shortly after moving to Monroe, he served on the Green County Board of Supervisors.
Spielman enjoyed practicing law for nearly 20 years, and says he still uses many of the skills that came from it.
But in the summer of 1990, Spielman received a call from Bank One asking if he would come and work there - he had served on the board of directors of what was then Commercial and Savings Bank - and became the trust advisor. He held different titles over the years: Spielman served as vice president and trust officer of Wisconsin Community Bank following its acquisition of the Monroe location in July 1999 and also served in the same roles for Galena State Bank and Trust Co. of Galena, Illinois until his retirement from trust work in 2009.
The economic change was what made him decide to move on. "We all perform best when we feel we're influencing the outcome," he said.
Spielman then joined the administrative team at Monroe Clinic where he is a Special Projects Advisor, bringing history and knowledge to the team. He works part time and feels right in his element, orchestrating meetings and representing the clinic at local and regional levels and encouraging community leadership development. This year he'll serve as the chair of the Community Foundation for a two-year term.
Spielman has always been heavily involved with the community and attributes much of his professional success to that.
He served on the St. Clare Hospital Board when it began early discussions of the hospital and Monroe Clinic working together. His term ended in November 1992 and that May, the two entities merged. He then got back on the combined board and became the board chairman for Monroe Clinic. He also served as the chair of the Monroe Clinic and Hospital Foundation when it was created.
He feels a strong connection to the hospital and the clinic and says it's an asset to the community that many take for granted.
"No other town of 11,000 has what we have for medical services," he said.
Scouting has been a constant in Spielman's life ever since he moved to Monroe and became involved with Troop 101. Ron currently serves the Blackhawk Area Council as a member of the executive board and as part of the council endowment committee. He has also served as Camping Chairman for the council. In 1992, Spielman helped create the spirit scholarship fund that has awarded 123 scholarships totaling almost $40,000.
Spielman went through the entire Scouting cycle with his son as a Cubmaster, but he also took a special interest in his old place of work, Canyon Camp. As a Kiwanian for 45 years, he's proud that in 1978, he organized the Kiwanis groups to form a work weekday at the camp. The workday is now an entire weekend and, although he no longer runs it, an important part of the camp's success for more than 35 years.
"It means we made a good transition," he said with a smile.
In 1996, Spielman became partners with fellow attorney Scott Thompson when they purchased WEKZ together to preserve the sense of hometown radio. He says he enjoyed working with Matt Urban in creating and airing more than 400 weekly editions of Monroe Magazine on AM 1260 over eight years. Spielman left the radio business in 2009.
He says he believes in Monroe - it's a "quality area to raise your children and to spend your life. I believe it's a safe, pleasant place," he said.
And to Spielman, to believe in a community is to be a part of it.
He has served for more than 40 years on the Monroe Plan Commission and has served as president of the Monroe United Way, the Monroe Arts Center and Main Street Monroe. He's served as vice president of Blackhawk Technical College Foundation. He was instrumental in the original organization and implementation of the Monroe Excellence in Education Fund and is currently a member of the Monroe Arts Center board of directors and vice chair of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin. He's also been part of the Community Fund of Southwest Wisconsin and the Monroe Fund since their inception in the early 1990s.
Spielman has served as president of the Monroe Kiwanis Club and as lt. governor of the local Kiwanis Division. In 2011, Spielman was recognized as Monroe Kiwanian of the Year for his efforts in support of the camp. He has also been recognized by the Boy Scouts for his efforts with the District Award of Merit, the Baden Powell Award, Vigil Honor Order of the Arrow, the Silver Beaver Award and a James E. West Fellowship.
His accomplishments go on: Spielman was named Monroe's Outstanding Citizen by the Monroe Jaycees in 1998; he earned a Year 2000 Quality of Life Award by Green County Target Health Board and Monroe Clinic; and in 2007 he received a Lifetime Commitment to the Region Award from the Southwest Wisconsin Regional Economic Development Coalition. In 2014, Green County Development Corporation awarded him the Richard B. Schmied Award for Leadership to the Community.
His intent is to always stay involved. Spielman is a lifetime member of the Albany, Monticello, New Glarus and Green County historical societies. This past spring, Spielman served as chair of a collaborative committee that produced a series of programs titled "Bugles, Bayonets, and Beyond" that highlighted the Civil War era in Green County. More than 1,200 people attended seven performances, and 1,500 commemorative booklets were produced and shared.
Although his wife has been retired for 10 years, Spielman says he has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. They do take time for short weekend trips and visiting Galena, where they have grandchildren. The couple is gearing up for a trip to Switzerland with a group from Turner Hall.
He's also enjoyed curling for the last 45 years; he and Jennifer joined the curling club within the first month of moving to Monroe in 1970. He has also previously served as president of the Alpine Curling Club.
Spielman loves to fish and is looking forward to an upcoming three-generation trip to Ontario with his son and grandson on the same lake his father fished on.
"The quality of life we have here shouldn't be taken for granted," Spielman said.
Spielman grew up in Freeport, graduating from Freeport High School in 1960. He enjoyed being a part of the golf team and thespian troupe. He was always active in Scouting and earned his way to an Eagle Scout badge. In fact, he credits Scouting as the reason he sees the value of community involvement. It's also where he learned both leadership and people skills.
After high school, Spielman earned a degree from Iowa State University. He was offered a job at John Deere, but opted for law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In his second year of law school he met his wife, Jennifer, who was also attending school. Spielman was living in Mt. Horeb and commuting to school and met Jennifer through mutual friends. He recalls they performed in the Song of Norway together and promoted it every weekend with street dances.
"I was the announcer and clumsiest dancer," he laughed.
During that time, Spielman met Monroe attorney Art Benkert, who asked him if he would come and work for him once Spielman was finished with his military duties in two years. It was a promise they shook hands on.
In 1968, Spielman graduated from law school. He and Jennifer were married in late August and Spielman reported to military duty shortly after. He was sent to Colorado Springs at Fort Carson and eventually Fort McCoy. He processed awards and deaths, and handled other administrative tasks.
One soldier's death that Spielman processed was for 20-year-old James Hessing. On his last day of being in the military, Spielman drove Hessing's medals to his family in Bayfield and worked with them on arrangements for the fallen soldier. To this day, Spielman still visits Hessing's mother, who is now 96.
The Spielmans moved to Monroe in 1970 where Jennifer was already teaching at Northside Elementary School. Ron began working for Benkert in a practice that emphasized real estate, probate, estate planning and income taxes. Spielman served as president of the Green County Bar Association and shortly after moving to Monroe, he served on the Green County Board of Supervisors.
Spielman enjoyed practicing law for nearly 20 years, and says he still uses many of the skills that came from it.
But in the summer of 1990, Spielman received a call from Bank One asking if he would come and work there - he had served on the board of directors of what was then Commercial and Savings Bank - and became the trust advisor. He held different titles over the years: Spielman served as vice president and trust officer of Wisconsin Community Bank following its acquisition of the Monroe location in July 1999 and also served in the same roles for Galena State Bank and Trust Co. of Galena, Illinois until his retirement from trust work in 2009.
The economic change was what made him decide to move on. "We all perform best when we feel we're influencing the outcome," he said.
Spielman then joined the administrative team at Monroe Clinic where he is a Special Projects Advisor, bringing history and knowledge to the team. He works part time and feels right in his element, orchestrating meetings and representing the clinic at local and regional levels and encouraging community leadership development. This year he'll serve as the chair of the Community Foundation for a two-year term.
Spielman has always been heavily involved with the community and attributes much of his professional success to that.
He served on the St. Clare Hospital Board when it began early discussions of the hospital and Monroe Clinic working together. His term ended in November 1992 and that May, the two entities merged. He then got back on the combined board and became the board chairman for Monroe Clinic. He also served as the chair of the Monroe Clinic and Hospital Foundation when it was created.
He feels a strong connection to the hospital and the clinic and says it's an asset to the community that many take for granted.
"No other town of 11,000 has what we have for medical services," he said.
Scouting has been a constant in Spielman's life ever since he moved to Monroe and became involved with Troop 101. Ron currently serves the Blackhawk Area Council as a member of the executive board and as part of the council endowment committee. He has also served as Camping Chairman for the council. In 1992, Spielman helped create the spirit scholarship fund that has awarded 123 scholarships totaling almost $40,000.
Spielman went through the entire Scouting cycle with his son as a Cubmaster, but he also took a special interest in his old place of work, Canyon Camp. As a Kiwanian for 45 years, he's proud that in 1978, he organized the Kiwanis groups to form a work weekday at the camp. The workday is now an entire weekend and, although he no longer runs it, an important part of the camp's success for more than 35 years.
"It means we made a good transition," he said with a smile.
In 1996, Spielman became partners with fellow attorney Scott Thompson when they purchased WEKZ together to preserve the sense of hometown radio. He says he enjoyed working with Matt Urban in creating and airing more than 400 weekly editions of Monroe Magazine on AM 1260 over eight years. Spielman left the radio business in 2009.
He says he believes in Monroe - it's a "quality area to raise your children and to spend your life. I believe it's a safe, pleasant place," he said.
And to Spielman, to believe in a community is to be a part of it.
He has served for more than 40 years on the Monroe Plan Commission and has served as president of the Monroe United Way, the Monroe Arts Center and Main Street Monroe. He's served as vice president of Blackhawk Technical College Foundation. He was instrumental in the original organization and implementation of the Monroe Excellence in Education Fund and is currently a member of the Monroe Arts Center board of directors and vice chair of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin. He's also been part of the Community Fund of Southwest Wisconsin and the Monroe Fund since their inception in the early 1990s.
Spielman has served as president of the Monroe Kiwanis Club and as lt. governor of the local Kiwanis Division. In 2011, Spielman was recognized as Monroe Kiwanian of the Year for his efforts in support of the camp. He has also been recognized by the Boy Scouts for his efforts with the District Award of Merit, the Baden Powell Award, Vigil Honor Order of the Arrow, the Silver Beaver Award and a James E. West Fellowship.
His accomplishments go on: Spielman was named Monroe's Outstanding Citizen by the Monroe Jaycees in 1998; he earned a Year 2000 Quality of Life Award by Green County Target Health Board and Monroe Clinic; and in 2007 he received a Lifetime Commitment to the Region Award from the Southwest Wisconsin Regional Economic Development Coalition. In 2014, Green County Development Corporation awarded him the Richard B. Schmied Award for Leadership to the Community.
His intent is to always stay involved. Spielman is a lifetime member of the Albany, Monticello, New Glarus and Green County historical societies. This past spring, Spielman served as chair of a collaborative committee that produced a series of programs titled "Bugles, Bayonets, and Beyond" that highlighted the Civil War era in Green County. More than 1,200 people attended seven performances, and 1,500 commemorative booklets were produced and shared.
Although his wife has been retired for 10 years, Spielman says he has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. They do take time for short weekend trips and visiting Galena, where they have grandchildren. The couple is gearing up for a trip to Switzerland with a group from Turner Hall.
He's also enjoyed curling for the last 45 years; he and Jennifer joined the curling club within the first month of moving to Monroe in 1970. He has also previously served as president of the Alpine Curling Club.
Spielman loves to fish and is looking forward to an upcoming three-generation trip to Ontario with his son and grandson on the same lake his father fished on.
"The quality of life we have here shouldn't be taken for granted," Spielman said.