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family dynamics
BALANCING ACT
Three sisters are Zander Press’ fourth-generation owners BY MARYBETH MATZEK
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rowing up, the three daughters of Zane Zander spent their time at the family’s commercial printer and newspaper business, but never gave much thought about someday running Zander Press themselves. Those thoughts, however, began to change as they got older. “I think we all needed to spread our wings and then come back to the business,” said Kris Bastian, who purchased Zander Press with her sisters, Darcy Zander-Feinauer and Beth Wenzel, in 2005. “We sometimes joke that this place is like the Hotel California – you can check out, but you can never leave.” The trio are the fourth generation of family members to own the business in Brillion, a small Calumet County city that
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LEFT: (L - R) Kris Bastian,
sits between Appleton and Manitowoc on U.S. 10. Just three percent of family-owned businesses make it to the fourth generation, putting the sisters in rare company. Wenzel, the oldest of the three sisters, serves as company president, while Zander-Feinauer is a graphic artist and Bastian works in printing and sales. When asked how she became president, Wenzel replied “the other two ganged up on me and said, ‘You do it.’”
Darcy Zander-Feinauer and Beth Wenzel – fourthgeneration owners RIGHT TOP: Elliot and Margaret Zander – second-generation owners RIGHT BOTTOM: Noel and Zane Zander (seated) – third-generation owners
CO-OWNERS AND SISTERS, 24/7 Owning a business is challenging enough, but add in working with family members and the stress level can really rise. Fortunately, the three sisters successfully pull it off while still maintaining tight family ties. Wenzel gives credit to their 2017 WISCONSIN FAMILYBIZ
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