Celebrating
2017 Award Recipients
Fox Cities Business Leaders
From left to right: Nathan Litt, Don Herrmann, Doris Ng & Alice Ng, Debra Michiels, Tom Prosser, Kathi Seifert, Rick Parks, Donna Gehl The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, and presenting sponsor Bank First National, honored several business leaders during their annual awards ceremony – The EVENT: Celebrating Business Excellence on November 9th. Individuals recognized have a unique blend of vision, energy, perseverance and skill and they have demonstrated outstanding
achievements in operating businesses as well as leadership in the community. The Fox Cities Chamber is proud to recognize these individuals for their many contributions to the community. They have dedicated themselves as professionals and volunteers to the well-being of the Fox Cities.
Business Hall of Fame Inductees Debra Michiels - Owner (retired), Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering
Tom Prosser – Partner, Dunsirn Partners, LLC
As one of nine children whose parents owned a restaurant, you could say that Debra Michiels has been in the hospitality business her entire life. After working with her family for twelve years, she was ready to step out on her own. Upon graduating from college, on the advice of her father, she began to invest in the stock market. In 1986, she bought the Elks Lodge on Kimball Street using her stock market earnings. Over the next 30 years, she turned Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering into a thriving Downtown Appleton business. Many of her staff worked with her for 20+ of those 30 years. She officially retired in January 2016. Debra is always first to say “yes” to a worthy cause. It is her belief that part of running a business is to donate generously back to the community. The number and variety of organizations that are the recipients of her nostrings-attached donations highlights her conviction. Over the years, Debra has served on many boards including the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, Fox Valley Humane Association, St. Elizabeth Hospital and YMCA. She has also won numerous awards including Small Business of the Year, ATHENA®, Champion of the Chamber, Entrepreneur of the Year and Appleton Downtown Inc.’s Downtown Business of the Year.
Tom’s respected career includes his leadership in several organizations throughout the Fox Cities along with his dedicated involvement within many projects that have, and continue to, impact the community. Tom grew up in Antigo where his father and uncle owned a potato farm. He attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison and graduated with a degree in Agriculture Economics expecting to take over the potato operation in Antigo, however, that didn’t work for him. Tom shifted his focus from being a borrower of money to a lender of money. In 1962, Prosser began a 17-year career in commercial banking with the Marine Corporation, serving as CEO of national banks in both Waukesha and Neenah, which brought him to the Fox Cities in 1969. Tom helped TJ Hoffmaster purchase the Hoffmaster Company in Oshkosh in 1999 as an investor and served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. After the sale of Hoffmaster to Scott Paper, Tom joined Robert W Baird & Co. as a Vice President - Investment Banking. Tom was asked by Menasha Corporation to join its Board of Directors in 1992, where he later served as Chairman of the Board and CEO, retiring in 2004. During his active career Tom served on a number of boards and leadership positions including: Dunsirn Partners, Plexus Corporation, First National Bank Fox Valley and
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Fox Cities Business Winter 2017