generac hall
Partnering for tomorrow’s leaders F
inally, WLC’s science/academic building has been graced with an official name – Generac Hall. That name was unveiled at a celebration event held on the morning of May 14, 2011, and was the result of a collective $5.1 million gift from several former and current leaders at Generac Power Systems, Inc., of Waukesha, Wisconsin. William Treffert, former president and CEO of Generac, is a Board of Regents member and major supporter of Wisconsin Lutheran College. His idea, in the spring of 2010, was to ask other leaders involved with the successful growth of Generac to join him in a significant gift to the college as well as a way to forever commemorate the Generac name.
Six of the eight Generac Hall donors listed on the plaque installed on the entrance wall of the facility were present for the celebration event. L to R: Aaron Jagdfeld, Generac President and CEO; Kathy Ruehlow, on behalf of her late husband, Jerry, Chief Technical Officer; Robert Kern, founder and owner (along with his wife, Patricia) of Generac Power Systems; Dawn Tabat, COO and Executive Vice President; Bill Treffert, former President and CEO; and Roger Schaus, former Vice President of Operations. Tom Kohl, former Chief Financial Officer, and Richard Van Deuren, legal counsel for Generac, were not able to attend the event.
“I’m thrilled to be able to help out a college I admire and support, but also to ensure that the name Generac, a great company that was very good to me and many others, will be displayed on this campus and in the community for generations,” said Treffert. “Both Generac and WLC believe in high standards and strong leadership, so I see this as a natural partnership.” The May 14 event was held to thank the donors who participated in this multimillion dollar gift to the college as well as to celebrate the WLC mission, future growth, and strong partnership with business and community leaders sharing mutual values and principles, according to President Daniel Johnson. “The WLC family is beyond grateful for this transformational gift,” he said. “We praise God for friends and champions like Bill Treffert and our other Generac Hall partners. This amazing initiative is an inspiration to us all, and allows us to pursue our mission and vision more passionately than ever before.” 6 | wlc.edu
Tours of Generac Hall offered that morning featured demonstrations by professors in biology and physics labs as well as in mathematics classrooms and the facility’s greenhouse.