Tim Kabat

LADCO Executive Director

Tim Kabat currently serves as the Executive Director of the La Crosse Area Development Corporation (LADCO). Tim has nearly 30 years of experience in the non-profit and local government sectors, including serving as the Mayor of the City of La Crosse from 2013 to 2021, Executive Director of Downtown Main Street, Inc. and stints at the La Crosse County Historical Society, The Nature Conservancy, and local governments in La Crosse, Madison, and Sauk County, Wisconsin. He has also served as a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse (UW-L) in microeconomics, business communications, and public policy.  Tim has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from UW-L and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Sam Bachmeier

LADCO Associate Director

Sam Bachmeier is the Associate Director of LADCO. Bio here....

Dave Wagner

Board President

Kwik Trip

Dave Wagner is in his third term as CRBC Board President and has been on the board since 2004. Dave is a graduate of UW-La Crosse with a degree in Business Administration and Accounting. He started his career as a public accountant and later as a controller for La Crosse Floral. After joining Kwik Trip as the Accounts Receivable Manager in 1998, he stayed involved at La Crosse Floral serving on the board from 2000-2021. He was named a Controller for Kwik Trip in 2018, where he is responsible for financial planning and analysis, financial operations, financial reporting, accounting, treasury, internal and external audit, lender relations, and data governance initiatives. Dave has worked with other local non-profit organizations including the Great Rivers United Way as Board President (2001-2002) and continues to serve on the Finance Committee. Dave has also served as a board member for the La Crosse Area Rugby Club, La Crosse Flames Youth Hockey Board, and as a coach with Shelby Youth Baseball and Softball.

Jon Horne

Board Treasurer

Idea Fund of La Crosse

Jon Horne has been on the CRBC Board since 2019 and is the current Treasurer of the Board. Jon is the Managing Director of the Idea Fund, a seed-stage venture capital fund established in 2016, to invest in pre-revenue and early-stage revenue startup companies. Jon previously worked in investment banking for J.P. Morgan in New York. His work at J.P. Morgan included mergers and acquisitions advisory, capital raising, and strategic advice to Boards and C-Suites, and he covered industrial and business services clients. Jon graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University in 2006, and an MBA and JD from UW-Madison in 2013. Jon also sits on the boards of the Children’s Museum of La Crosse and Marine Credit Union. Jon lives in La Crosse with his wife, Kylie, and son, James.

Dave Bonifas

Board Member

Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission

Dave Bonifas, a CRBC Board Member, grew up in rural Grant County in Kieler, Wisconsin. In 1990, he graduated from UW-La Crosse with a bachelor's degree in Geography and was hired by the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission as an Economic Development Planner after he completed his internship with them. He has since held various positions within the MRRPC during his 30 plus years of working there, and in 2020, he was promoted to Executive Director. Dave loves working and living in Western Wisconsin and has a strong interest in economic development in rural Wisconsin. He's married with two adult children and one grandchild. Dave enjoys woodworking, fishing, and golfing.

Jay Ellingson

Board Member

Kwik Trip

Jay Ellingson is a current member of the CRBC Board. Bio here....

Kim Smith

Board Member

Mayor - City of Onalaska

Kim grew up in Onalaska and graduated from Onalaska High School. She earned her Bachelor of Science from UW-L and a Masters in Servant Leadership from Viterbo. She worked for Wisconsin Conservation Corps, Davy Laboratories, and Wisconsin Rural Water Association before landing at the City Brewery as their Food Safety Coordinator. Before becoming Onalaska Mayor in 2019, Kim served for many years on the Onalaska Common Council.

Kim feels that supporting local businesses is essential for a healthy local economy. She hopes that by serving on the CRBC Board she will bring her municipal government and professional experience together to help lift up new entrepreneurs.

Joe Leinfelder

Board Member

Century Foods

Joe Leinfelder has been on the CRBC Board since 2022. He grew up in La Crosse and graduated from UW-La Crosse. Joe has worked in the food industry for 28 years, both in the retail space and contract manufacturing. He's currently a Senior Account Executive at Century Foods International where he works with nutritional customers to produce their brands. Besides serving on the CRBC Board, Joe has also served on the CBA Board at UW-La Crosse and the La Crosse Area YMCA Board. He's looking forward to helping new businesses get off the ground as a CRBC board member.

Walt Smanski

Board Vice President

Altra

Walt Smanski has been a member of the CRBC Board since 2017 and enjoys having the opportunity to help small businesses take off and grow. Walt, who has worked in banking since 2004, is currently a Business Banking Relationship Manager with Altra Federal Credit Union where he helps businesses succeed. In addition to helping with the CRBC, Walt is an ambassador for the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce. He also enjoys volunteering at his kids’ schools, including holding the role of Treasurer for the PTO. Walt, along with his wife and 4 kids, enjoys spending time outdoors fishing, hiking, and going for bike rides.

Joe Moua

Past Board President

Home Federal Savings Bank

Joe Moua is the CRBC Past President and has worked in the banking industry since 1998. Joe is currently the Market President at Home Federal Savings Bank. Joe, a La Crosse native, holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Viterbo University. In addition to his role on the CRBC Board, Joe also volunteers at the La Crosse Community Foundation, Aptiv Inc., and Western Technical College as a guest lecturer and member of its Financial Services Advisory Committee. Joe is married with five children and enjoys road trips with the family, cooking, biking the many trails along the great Mississippi River, listening to hi-fi music, and touring craft breweries.

Anne Hlavacka

Board Member

UW-L Small Business Development Center

Anne Hlavacka is a current member of the CRBC Board. Bio here....

Mark Kulig

Board Member

Coulee Bank

Mark Kulig is a current member of the CRBC Board. Bio here....

Joe Veenstra

Board Secretary

Johns, Flaherty & Collins SC

Joe Veenstra is the CRBC Board Secretary. Joe is currently an attorney at Johns, Flaherty & Collins, S.C. and Court Commissioner for the La Crosse County Circuit Court. Joe grew up in northern Illinois, graduated from UW-Madison with a BA in English, and moved to La Crosse in 1998 after graduating from UW-Madison Law School. He has also served on the La Crosse County Board and City of La Crosse Board of Review. As a CRBC Board member for many years, he enjoys working with the other board members to help small businesses grow and thrive. Joe has two sons who attended Logan High School, and he enjoys playing music, travelling, hiking, biking, reading, sports, cooking, and gardening.

TJ Stenger

Board Member

Three Rivers Technologies

TJ Stenger has been on the CRBC Board for many years. TJ is the founder and current CEO of Three Rivers Technolgies, a provider of software consulting services, and Reconyx, a designer and manufacturer of digital infrared game cameras. As an entrepreneur himself, TJ enjoys working with the CRBC tenants who are starting new businesses. TJ's main expertise is in technology, but he also has a background in finance and accounting. 

Ellen Wehrs

Board Member

Optum

Ellen has been a CRBC Board Member for several years and was president for a term. She is currently a Human Capital Partner for Optum and has worked in the human capital space for 30 years. Ellen grew up in La Crescent, has been married for 29 years and has two adult children. She loves to spend time hiking, gardening and canning when she has extra time.

Allison Steers

Board Member

News 8 Now/
Phase 3 Digital Media

Allison Steers is a current member of the CRBC Board. Bio here....

Patrick Scheller

Board Member

La Crosse County Board
of Supervisors

Patrick Scheller is a current CRBC Board Member. Bio here....

Brian McCarty

Board Member

Gerrard Hoeschler Realtors

Brian McCarty is the CRBC Board Secreatry. Bio here....

Britta Rotering

Board Member

School District of La Crosse

Britta Rotering is the Supervisor of Career & Technical Education for the School District of La Crosse where she leads career pathway efforts in the school system. Britta has spent 18 years in education, 14 of which were spent as a middle and high school Family & Consumer Sciences educator, and leading school-to-career programming for school districts in Western Wisconsin. In her current role, she recently created the La Crosse Youth Apprenticeship Consortium with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Britta is passionate about creating strong partnerships between our K-12 school system, our students and La Crosse Area Businesses. Serving on the CRBC Board allows the School District of La Crosse to connect and continue to support expanded business growth at implementation. 

Matt Boschka

Board Member

Entrepreneur

Matt Boschka joined the CRBC Board in 2022. Matt was born and raised in La Crosse and graduated from UW-La Crosse in 2004, with a degree in Finance and Economics.  He has owned several businesses, including TV networks, restaurants and bars, a golf course, and cannabis-related businesses. In his free time, Matt loves traveling, hiking, biking, skiing, and golfing.  Matt joined the CRBC Board because he's genuinely happy to help entrepreneurs who are just starting out since he has been in that position many times.