This year I am excited for our upcoming Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Dinner. The 2019 year was full of changes and progress. While 2020 is sure to also offer many opportunities to the City of Monroe and our chamber members. One of the reasons I am excited is because we are holding our event on 02/20/2020. One can’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate the “roaring twenties.” All though this is not a costume party by any means, we are certainly open to festive attire. The ambassadors are truly in the spirit and are planning to bring the best 20’s inspired clothing and spirit. I don’t think we will see any violin cases though. I kind of got a glossed over look when I mentioned it to the ambassadors.
Our location is not new but for those who have not been back out to the Mansion in the last several months, you are in for a real treat. Greg and Penny Fedders, the owners of the property, had an opportunity to take back the operations of the events center on the north side of the property. It did not take them long to decide what needed to be done. They did what they knew best. They dug in and put their energy in to renovating and restoring the beauty of the Ludlow Mansion.
They did research and with a lifelong resume of renovations, they took on their most recent labor of love. They put in countless hours of sweat equity and elbow grease. As a community, many times we sit quietly and wait for someone to do something. We are lucky to see this type of commitment to our city from private individuals who just want to see Monroe evolve and become better.
I am sure anyone stepping in the doors for the first time since the renovations will be impressed to say the least. It sparks conversations about all the progression the building has seen over the decades.
With their new venue concept, this brings another new opportunity for businesses in Monroe. They also welcome catering, and Vince’s Restaurant and Pizzeria will cater our event. This will be a first for us and we anticipate the great food and service Fabio is known for.
We are also excited to have the privilege of bringing Steve Schneider as our guest speaker. I had the opportunity to hear him speak at a broadband conference last summer. It is interesting to see human nature at work. In a room full of big thinkers and industrious people, Schneider was very unassuming, drawing no attention to himself and very personable when greeting others.
Within a few moments of hearing his presentation, it was clear he was a man who not only had vision, but also took action and created an environment for others to take action. I found him to be equally genuine in his desires to find solutions and create businesses as he is in making people feel welcome and involved in conversation.
His endeavors are nothing short of amazing. We know of him locally, from his position with Bug Tussle Wireless. Side note: He actually named his company after the Beverly Hillbillies — just to give you an insight of the low-key nature of this man.
Getting back to his credentials, he is the founder, president and CEO of Hilbert Communications, LLC; an integrated communications company providing broadband and wireless communications services to rural communities in the upper Midwest. He also serves as president and CEO of Hilbert’s multiple wholly owned subsidiaries.
Schneider is also involved in commercial real estate development and restoration including the historic Bellin Building in Green Bay, Zuelke Building in Appleton and Kerscher Building on the Fox Riverfront. Schneider is the co-owner of Black and Tan Grille and The Daily Buzz Coffee Shop in downtown Green Bay. Schneider participates in a great number of community organizations. Schneider has a BBA from St. Norbert College, he was a member of St. Norbert Abbey as a seminarian and served as Vice-President — Wireless Operations and Vice-President-Corporate Development for NSight including general management of Cellcom from 1991-2001. He and his wife, Kaye, and children Rachel, Michael and dog Khloe reside in Ledgeview.
We are thrilled hear his perspectives on the future “From Cheese Factories to Amazon. The Evolution of the rural economy.”
I am proud to be able to bring another wonderful speaker to Monroe and hope that he is as inspired by our community as we are by him.
— Melissa Even is the executive director for the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at melissa@monroechamber.org.
