College of Letters & Sciences Career Day
Monday, April 8, 2013 • University Center 259
1:15 – 2:10 p.m.
Major Doesn’t Matter
Moderator:
Greg Kneser
Vice President for Student Life, St. Olaf College
Greg Kneser graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1983 with a major in social welfare. He completed a master’s
in education at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University) in 1984. He has worked in
student affairs at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota for 22 years. Greg served as the Director of
Residence Life and First-Year Dean and later moved on to become Vice President and Dean of Students. Most
recently, he was promoted to Vice President for Student Life. In his new role, Greg is focusing on continually
finding better ways to respond to St. Olaf’s students’ changing needs and planning for their future.
Between his time at UW-Whitewater and St. Olaf, Greg served in housing and student life positions at
Northeast Missouri, UW-Oshkosh, Marian College of Fond du Lac, and Quincy University. While attending
UW-Whitewater, Greg was involved in campus life as a Resident Assistant and Head RA in Wellers Hall for
two years, was President of the Social Work Student Organization and a community volunteer with the
Meadowlark School and Whitewater Help. He currently lives in Northfield, Minnesota with his wife Sandy
and two children, daughter Amelia and son Wylie. (Phone: 507-786-3503; Email: kneser@stolaf.edu)
Panelists:
Gregg Breese
Business Sector Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Gregg is a 1997 graduate of UW-Whitewater earning his bachelor’s degree in education and geography. He
began his career with the Department of Natural Resources as a Water Management Specialist in 1997 and
now is a business sector specialist. He specializes in working with breweries and the Department of Military
Affairs. He has written several administrative codes helping to protect and enhance the public trust doctrine
in addition to managing several different natural resource programs. He has mentored many staff members
and holds certificates in project management, wetland delineation, leadership, and a license from the
International Public Participation Association. He has published several scientific writings, papers, and articles
for national and international publications. His most recent writing is a complete book entitled Stories from the
Shore. (Phone: 608-261-0802; Email: Gregory.Breese@Wisconsin.gov)
Charles Heinrich
Transportation Security Inspector, Indianapolis International Airport
Chuck Heinrich retired on December 1, 2010 from the Department of Homeland Security as a Transportation
Security Inspector within the TSA where he had been assigned to the Indianapolis International Airport since
1993. During part of his career he was the acting Assistant Federal Security Director for Inspections,
supervising 10 additional inspectors who were responsible for the regulatory compliance of all airports and air
carriers operating in the State of Indiana. In addition, he was responsible for conducting investigations of
alleged security violations. Prior to this assignment, Chuck was assigned to Chicago’s O’Hare International
Airport as a Special Agent and performed similar duties while also performing collateral duties as a Federal
Air Marshal from 1993 to 1997, traveling worldwide in areas experiencing increased threats to civil
aviation. Since 1998, Chuck has been a member of the International Airport Assessment Staff and has
participated in security assessments of airports located in Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Canada, Marshall Islands and
Costa Rica. Additionally, Chuck has served as an associate instructor detailed to the domestic training branch
and since 2006, he has been an associate staff member of the International Training Division and has provided
instruction in ICAO Security Standards and Recommended Practices to aviation management personnel in
Mali, Niger, Brazil, Macedonia and Azerbaijan under an Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program (ATAP)
sponsored by the United States Department of State. He has also been a presenter in Costa Rica, Panama and
Guyana for the Organization of American States. Since retiring, Chuck has continued as an ATAP instructor
under contract, most recently instructing in Jordan. Chuck served as a Police Officer in Arlington Heights,
Illinois and retired in 1990 with over 21 years of service, 15 years of which were spent assigned to the Criminal
Investigation Bureau. From 1969 to 1975, Chuck served with the 126th Air Refueling Wing of the Illinois Air
National Guard and was awarded an honorable discharge. Chuck earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology
from UW-Whitewater in 1969. (Phone: 317-979-1990; Email: cheinrich154@gmail.com)
David Lang
President & CEO, Lang Dental Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Dave is a 1973 graduate of UW-Whitewater, earning his bachelor’s of science degree with majors in biology
and chemistry. Dave joined Lang Dental Manufacturing Company in 1975, and now serves as President and
CEO. He is active in various trade associations. In 1986, he served as President of the Dental Manufacturers of
America, and in 1996 as the Chairman of the Manufacturers Section of the American Dental Trade Association.
He currently serves as a trustee on the Chicago Dental Society Foundation Board.
The fourth generation of Langs joined the company. Dave’s daughter Kate serves as the Quality System
Manager and daughter Jennifer serves as the National Accounts Director. Dave’s son Ed is finishing his
second year of law school at American University in Washington, D.C. Dave lives in Elk Grove Village, Illinois
with his wife Joanne (Quality Director at Lang Dental). He is an avid golfer. (Business: 800-222-5264 ext. 227;
Email: dlang@langdental.com)
Heidi Watry
Technical Services Engineer, Epic
Heidi is a Technical Services Engineer at Epic, located in Verona, Wisconsin. Epic makes software for large
healthcare organizations such as Aurora, Froedtert, and UW HEALTH. Epic’s integrated system allows
physicians, healthcare administrators, patients and loved ones to communicate seamlessly. Heidi has been
employed at Epic since 2011 with the Claims and Remittance application. She works with hospitals and clinics
to produce insurance claims based off the patient’s electronic medical record. As a technical service engineer,
Heidi helps the healthcare billing office troubleshoot issues and install new software. Prior to working at Epic,
Heidi was employed by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics as a mission planning data
specialist for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Heidi received her bachelor’s of science degree in German and
Mathematics in the fall of 2005 from UW-Whitewater and her master’s certificate in applied sciences from
Harvard Extension School in the Summer of 2009. (Phone 608-777-7371; Email: hwatry@epic.com)
College of Letters & Sciences Career Day
Monday, April 8, 2013 • University Center 259
2:15 – 3:10 p.m.
Confessions of a Hiring Manager
Moderator:
Greg Kneser
Vice President for Student Life, St. Olaf College
Greg Kneser graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1983 with a major in social welfare. He completed a master’s
in education at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University) in 1984. He has worked in
student affairs at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota for 22 years. Greg served as the Director of
Residence Life and First-Year Dean and later moved on to become Vice President and Dean of Students. Most
recently, he was promoted to Vice President for Student Life. In his new role, Greg is focusing on continually
finding ways to better respond to St. Olaf’s students’ changing needs and planning for their future.
Between his time at UW-Whitewater and St. Olaf, Greg served in housing and student life positions at
Northeast Missouri, UW-Oshkosh, Marian College of Fond du Lac, and Quincy University. While attending
UW-Whitewater, Greg was involved in campus life as a Resident Assistant and Head RA in Wellers Hall for
two years, was President of the Social Work Student Organization and a community volunteer with the
Meadowlark School and Whitewater Help. He currently lives in Northfield, Minnesota with his wife Sandy
and two children, daughter Amelia and son Wylie. (Phone: 507-786-3503; Email: kneser@stolaf.edu)
Panelists:
Jerry Hierseman
Partner, End, Hierseman and Crain LLC, Milwaukee, WI
Jerry is a 1983 UW-Whitewater graduate who went on to Marquette University Law School, obtaining his law
degree in 1986. He has worked in the field of civil litigation his entire career, and now devotes his practice to
representing individuals in medical malpractice and injury cases across the state. He is admitted to practice in
Wisconsin and in the District Federal Courts. He is also admitted to the United States Court of Federal Claims.
Jerry is a member of the Wisconsin Association for Justice, the Milwaukee and Racine County Bar
Associations, and in 2009, accepted an invitation to become a member of the American Board of Trial
Advocates. He has argued a number of cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on behalf of severely
injured clients. (Phone: 414-224-1221; Email: jhierseman@ehclaw.com)
Timothy Hopper
Major Case Manager – Special Investigations Unit, Sentry Insurance
Tim is a 1988 graduate of UW-Whitewater, earning his bachelor’s degree with a major in political science and a
minor in public administration. He is currently the Major Case Manager in the Special Investigations Unit at
Sentry Insurance, located at their corporate headquarters in Stevens Point, WI. Tim is a member of the
International Association of Special Investigation Units and the International Association Law Enforcement
Intelligence Analysts. In addition to his degree from UW-Whitewater, Tim earned his Master of Public
Administration degree from American University in Washington, D.C. and is a Certified Fraud Examiner,
Fraud Claims Law Specialist, a Certified Revenue Recovery Specialist and has received certificates for
advanced training in interviewing and interrogation techniques. Throughout his career Tim has been involved
in fraud investigation, corporate security and revenue protection. Prior to working at Sentry Insurance, Tim
was the Senior Administrator of Revenue Protection for Commonwealth Edison where he also served as the
President of the Midwest Energy Theft Association and was a member of the Board of Directors for the
International Utilities Revenue Protection Association. Tim was the Manager of Fraud and Loss Prevention at
Ameritech Cellular where he also served on the Midwest Identity Theft Task Force. Tim lives in Plover, WI
with his wife Jacquelyn (UW-Whitewater 1996) and his daughters Sara and Emily. Tim is the President of the
Governing Boards at Roosevelt I.D.E.A. Elementary School, a charter school in Plover where his daughters
Sara and Emily attend. (Phone: 715-346-7865; Email: timothy.hopper@sentry.com)
Paul Miller
Chairman & CEO – Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, LLC
Paul was born and raised in Racine, WI. He received a bachelor’s of science in Political Science from UWWhitewater. He served as an aide to Les Aspin former U.S. Congressman and Secretary of Defense under
President Clinton. After leaving U.S. Congressman Les Aspin's office, Paul was hired by the Northwestern
Mutual Life Insurance Company to handle state regulatory issues. From there, Paul left Wisconsin and headed
to Washington and took a job with the law firm of Crowell & Moring, LLP, where he handled insurance and
environmental issues. In 1996, Paul took a leave of absence from Crowell & Moring and went back home to
Wisconsin to run for the Wisconsin General Assembly. On his return to Washington, Paul left Crowell &
Moring and took the job as Manager of Government Relations and PAC Coordinator with the National
Funeral Directors Association. Paul then moved to the Office Furniture Dealers Alliance to start the
government affairs department for them. And now he is a founding partner at Miller/Wenhold Capitol
Strategies, LLC.
In addition, Paul serves as First Vice President of the American League of Lobbyists, an association
representing the lobbying community. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for ALL, its Strategic
Planning Committee, and is Chairman of the Programs Committee. Paul also is the co-founder of the Hoops
for Hope charity basketball event that pits members of Congress vs. lobbyists each year in an effort to raise
money for children's charities in the Washington, D.C. area. (Phone: 703-383-1330; Email:
pmiller@mwcapitol.com)
Mary Tilton
President, Tilton Consulting, LLC
Mary Tilton is President of Tilton Consulting, LLC, specializing in supporting new technology companies to
strengthen their management skills to effectively and efficiently bridge the transition from a few technically
oriented people to high performance teams delivering critical milestones. Mary has held leadership positions
in research and development and operations in high tech organizations for over 30 years, most recently at
Virent, Inc., where she was Vice President of Plant Operations. Prior to joining Virent in 2004 as an Analytical
Chemist, Mary worked in general and manufacturing management at Planar Systems where she focused on
the development of liquid crystal display technology and processes from research concept to operation and
commercialization, and in technical development for Fortune 500 companies such as General Electric and
Hewlett Packard. Throughout her career, she has consistently leveraged her strong leadership, technical,
system, and communication skills to structure effective organizations, engage people, and deliver outstanding
results. She holds a bachelor’s of science degree in chemistry and mathematics from UW-Whitewater and a
master’s of science in chemistry from Oregon State University. (Phone: 920-648-2329; Email:
mtilton@netwurx.net)