Speakers

Groundswell was formerly the Natural Heritage Land Trust.  Jim will be talking about Groundswell's conservation work at Patrick Marsh, current projects at Patrick Marsh and Rotary's participation in numerous projects led by Groundswell.

Provided by Jeanne Behrend

Meet  2018 - 2019  District 6250 Governor Bill Hoel

Bill likes to tell people he was a Rotarian before he ever joined Rotary.  He participated in a community project in 1992 which sent 400,000 pounds of food, clothing and medical supplies to a sister city in Russia – and raised all of that in 26 days.  Bill saw nearly everyone on the committee was a member of Rotary, so when he was asked later that year to join the La Crosse Rotary Club (Downtown), he readily accepted.  Bill will quickly bring up how proud he is to be a member of Rotary.  He believes no other organization allows people to perform such a wide – and deep – variety of service around the world.  In 2004, Bill led a club project that sent 240 wheelchairs to La Crosse’s sister city of Dubna, Russia.
 
Bill has served his club on its board, and as President in 2007.  He served ten years on the Club’s Foundation board (now known as the Rotary Works Foundation), including a term as President in 2003-2004.  He has served on the board of directors for La Crosse’s Rotary Lights holiday lighting display since 2003.  He has served District 6250 as Public Relations Chair from 2008-2011.  He has been active as a trained facilitator for the Future Vision Team project since it began in the district in 2009.  He served on district conference planning committees in 1997, 2003 and 2009, and chaired the 2012 district conference.  Bill was the emcee of the first-ever “Tri-Con” district conference in 2015.  He supports the RI Foundation, and is a Paul Harris Fellow +6.
 
A graduate of UW-Madison, Bill has been blessed with two great careers in his life.  He spent his first 28 years working as an award-winning  broadcast journalist in radio and television.  He reported from Somalia and Russia, among other locales.  Since1998 he has been a Financial Advisor with Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.  He acquired the CFP® certification in 2009.
 
Bill is pledged to work as hard as he can to build Rotary Pride in our district.  If you are proud of your Rotary Club, and of Rotary International, you will be more likely to want to share it with others!  The biggest point of pride is our campaign to end polio,  He hopes that goal is achieved  before his year as Governor.  If not, be prepared to celebrate it during 2018-19!


Bill lives in La Crosse with his wife Karen.  He is active in several community organizations, including Freedom Honor Flight (director, past President), the La Crosse Center Board of Directors, and Riverfest (past board member, 2001 Commodore).  Karen, a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, is active in La Crosse’s IrishFest.  They enjoy Badger Hockey in the cold months.  Bill enjoys golf, music, and watching the local La Crosse Loggers baseball team.

Provided by George Alexander

Provided by John Belken

Provided by James Bell

Provided by David Berggren

Provided by Daniel Birrenkott

Provided by Andrew Bissonnette

Provided by Kathleen Chapman