2004 Spring ’23 Class Letter
Greetings Class of ’04,
In December of last year, I had the good fortune to reconnect with KEVIN BLACKBURN ‘04 at a Ripon Holiday Party in Wauwatosa. Aside from the general “catch up”, Kevin shared with me the exciting news of his hobby/passion for woodworking having turned into a legitimate business opportunity. A stump grinder, now a portable saw mill…he’s doing some cool stuff!
This got me thinking, “what else are you all doing out there”? ABBY Windows is an easy one to see here in the greater Milwaukee area, but I’m sure there are others success stories to be told. (Seriously…what a crazy success story, ABBY BINDER ‘04!)
Below are some notes from your classmates, specifically showcasing what they’ve got going on in their professional lives.
I know who I’m calling when I need a tree milled…
Alumni Weekend is coming up quickly! This year, it is June 22-25, 2023. Below you can find information if you are planning to attend.
The College is three hours north of Chicago, and served by airports in Milwaukee (a two-hour drive from Ripon), Madison (a 1.5 hour drive), and Appleton (a 45 minute drive). Milwaukee offers the most frequent service. From the Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and Appleton airports guests may choose to rent a car. Ripon is served by taxi to and from the Appleton airport.
Room Blocks:
Heidel House (Green Lake) – Book online here
Cobblestone Suites (Ripon) – Book by calling 920.748.5500
Don’t forget: Our 20-year class reunion will take place June 20-23, 2024. Mark your calendar!
LINDSEY HUTCHINSON LOEWE ‘04: “I started private practice 11 years ago in Ripon that has since grown to three locations (two in Oshkosh, one in Ripon) and ten clinicians, plus several interns from area universities each semester. We currently serve ten school districts in the area, we serve at the homeless shelter, and we do professional development, as well as seminars. I also consult for a national organization to bring psychotherapy into the school setting. It’s pretty fun!”
CANDICE NORTH ‘04: “Not a business, but a non-profit that I wouldn’t mind getting a plug in for. My husband, Mo Cisse, and I started a small nonprofit project in November 2019. Little did we know the world was about to shut down and this did cause some roadblocks on fundraising and expansion. There are 39 orphans in Nalerigu, Ghana, that never attended school before our project. School is not free and without a sponsor, the kids have no way to pay fees and buy uniforms. We partner with our on the ground coordinator, a nurse named Issaka, to provide these funds. We are a registered 501(c)3 here and in Ghana. We wire the donations directly to Issaka who pays the school fees and registers the orphans for school. There is zero overhead and 100% of donated funds equate to school fees. We are always looking for more donors as there are still many kids awaiting sponsorship. We visited the kids and their schools in November 2019 when we kicked off the program and gave out school supplies.” https://www.bocat.net/the-nalerigu-orphans-project
JENNY FITZGERALD ‘04: “Not necessarily selling anything, but I have had my own accounting and payroll business since 2011 that I do on the side for many small businesses. I help clients during my lunch break, evening and weekends! Would love to help out a Ripon classmate if they need help!”
GREG FURDEK ‘04: “It just so happens we moved into my new dental clinic yesterday. It has got to be in contention for the most beautiful clinic! I am very proud we can bring such a building to these smaller communities. The community and my staff really deserve it. We go from two small offices to a whopper. My son was the first patient.”
KATIE PLIER BOISVERT ‘04: “I’m a teacher…but during the summer I have been selling people’s items for them for a commission. These sales take place through Facebook Marketplace or eBay.”
AMY RYDZ GREEN ‘04: “JESSICA KINZEL MEULENDYKE ‘04 and I formed a Financial Planning team with Thrivent. I wouldn’t necessarily say we are ‘selling’ anything, but we are doing a fee for advice planning. And it’s amazing to work with her!”
JESSICA KINZEL MEULENDYKE ‘04: “I’m adding to AMY RYDZ GREEN ‘04’s info: Amy specializes in pre-retirement planning. I focus on late-stage college planning.”
ALICE FRIEND ‘04: “I’m not freelancing this yet, but am SO happy to tell you I spend my days helping moms learn how to breastfeed. I work as a hospital-based Lactation Consultant and LOVE my job. Every day is a joy! I’m in New York, so not particularly helpful to WI any longer, but feel free to share the above.”
Enjoy the spring, and go Bucks!
Nick ‘04
262.227.6097
P.S. There will be a special giving event in conjunction with inauguration weekend, April 20-23, to celebrate Ripon’s 14th President, Victoria N. Folse, and the exciting momentum happening within our campus community. This event will be an extension of the #OneDayRally brand and experience. Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to your participation!