Two new directors join board

By George Althoff
Executive Director

We’ll be welcoming aboard two new directors and bidding farewell to four others on the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in 2025. New to the board will be:

• Charmaine Anderson, Operations Manager at Balanced Rock Winery. Charmaine will fill the Agribusiness position on the board. She was elected as a write-in candidate in the recent board election.
• Bruno Lamim Klein, Plant Manager for Andersen Baraboo Manufacturing. He was uncontested for the board position representing the Manufacturing sector.
  Three current directors were re-elected to the board:
• Stefanie Wagner, partner at Cross Jenks Mercer & Maffei, who was re-elected to the position representing the Professional category. She defeated Krista Clements, owner of Emerging Leaders LLC.
• Julie Hearley, co-owner of Ringling House B&B, who was unopposed for the position of City Hotelier.
• Merry Lynn Riek, Market Manager for WCCU Credit Union. She was unopposed for an At-Large position on the board.
  The four directors leaving the board are:
• Christian Herrild, Director of Growth Strategies at Teel Plastics. Christian served the maximum of two consecutive three-year terms, including as President in 2023.
• Shawna Marquardt, Regional Dean for Madison Area Technical College. Shawna served on the board for six years, including as President in 2021.
• Tara Zitzner-Moy, Senior Vice President at Baraboo State Bank. Tara also served two consecutive three-year terms.
• Nellie Schmitz, owner of Con Amici and Next Level Creative. Nellie served on the board for three years.
  On behalf of the Chamber staff and the remaining directors, I want to thank Christian, Shawna, Tara and Nellie for their combined 21 years of service to and their support of the organization.

Mordini is new President, 2025 officers elected
Shelley Mordini, owner and operator of Baraboo Tours, will assume the role of President of the Board of Directors as of Jan. 1. She has served the past year as Vice President and, per the Chamber’s bylaws, automatically ascends to the presidency.
The Board at its December meeting also elected the following directors to serve in leadership roles: Vice President, Stefanie Wagner of Cross Jenks Mercer & Maffei; Secretary, Julie Hearley of Ringling House B&B; and Treasurer, Tony Jaynes, Partner at Wegner CPAs. Teddie Szydlowski, Mortgage Banking Officer at Community First Bank, fills out the Executive Committee as Past President.

You could win some bling at Chamber annual dinner
A special feature at the Chamber’s annual dinner on Jan. 23 will be the opportunity for attendees to win one of three pieces of fine jewelry from The Jeweler’s Edge and owner Sarah Fay.
Here’s how the giveaway will work: A maximum of 100 jewelry boxes will be available for purchase for $20 each. The buyers will be asked to not open the boxes until the appropriate time during the program. Three boxes will contain prizes:

A Gent’s Citizen Eco-Drive wristwatch, valued at $395.

A pair of 14 karat yellow gold earrings, valued at $395.

And the big bling, a pair of 14 karat white gold “Martini” stud earrings each mounted with quarter-carat diamonds, valued at $1,225.
The event will be held at the Baraboo Arts Banquet and Convention Center. Sponsorship tables of eight are available for $400. Individual tickets are $40. You can register here.