UW-Stout Polytechnic Alumni Awards recognize outstanding leaders

UW-Stout Polytechnic Alumni Awards recognize outstanding leaders at homecoming weekend special event Oct. 16

Recipients are higher education leaders, inspiring cultural and community supporters, Ron and Joyce Wanek, Green Bay Packaging

Photos attached

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 10, 2026

Menomonie, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Stout Foundation & Alumni Association has announced the recipients of the 2026 UW-Stout Polytechnic Alumni Awards. They will be recognized during homecoming weekend at the Alumni Association’s celebration on Friday, Oct. 16, in the Memorial Student Center ballrooms. The evening will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by the awards program from 7 to 8 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase.
 

The recipients shared about their professional accomplishments as leaders in their industries and how they’ve made significant impacts on the lives of UW-Stout Polytechnic students, alumni, the university and their communities:

• Distinguished Alumni awardee Joseph G. Rossmeier is recognized for his leadership at higher education institutions, improving the success of students.
• Luminary Alumni awardee Howard Lee is recognized for his service to the Menomonie community and his inspirational mentorship in the field of education.
• Rising Leader Alumni awardee Jacob Schwitzer is recognized for changing the way people experience culture, storytelling and connection through video games.
• Chancellor’s Award recipients Ronald and Joyce Wanek are recognized for their philanthropy and the ongoing partnership between the university, the Wanek family and their business, Ashley Furniture Industries, based in Arcadia.
• University Partner awardee Green Bay Packaging reflects the university’s mission of applied learning, industry and community partnerships, and workforce development.
   

Having held leadership roles at multiple universities and colleges across the country and working to support higher education through enterprise administrative systems, Rossmeier believes that UW-Stout Polytechnic was his springboard.

“My time there was a life-changing experience, one that I will always cherish as the first real stepping stone to a long, long, successful career,” he said. “My experiences allowed me to help institutions achieve their mission of improving the success of their students.”

Throughout his career, Rossmeier has served as director of Admissions at Detroit Institute of Technology, a 2,000-student night school university, mostly for veterans; dean of Management Services at Northern Virginia Community College, a five-campus, multi-unit community college; and vice president for Information Technology/CIO at Prince George’s Community College.

Within the corporate world, he worked with DataTel and PeopleSoft, higher education software system companies; and CampusWorks, where he currently serves as vice president of Executive Advisory Services.

Rossmeier also served on the UW-Stout Foundation & Alumni Association Board for 12 years. “Given my historical Wisconsin roots, and the nature of my professional experiences, I stay informed about what is happening in both the Wisconsin universities and the technical colleges,” he said. “In my judgment, they are very well-run institutions. However, Stout remains one of the most transformative institutions, with its very progressive workforce-oriented programs.”

Luminary Alumni Award: Howard Lee (’68, ’69)

Throughout his career, Lee elevated UW-Stout Polytechnic’s national reputation in career and technical education, strengthened partnerships with industry and community organizations and positioned himself as a respected voice and advocate.

His influence as a mentor is profound; countless students, faculty and emerging leaders credit him with shaping their professional paths and instilling in them the values of integrity, service and excellence.

Lee taught at and held leadership positions in schools across the country before returning to UW-Stout Polytechnic in 1986. Over his tenure at the university, he served as program director for the B.S., M.S. and Ed.S. in vocational and technical education. He was co-director for the Center for Vocational and Technical Education, department chair, associate dean, dean, executive director of Stout Solutions and faculty advisor for the International Relations Club.

Upon retirement in 2009, Lee earned Emeritus status. In 2025, Lee and his wife, Charlotte (’67, ’68), were named Knights of Columbus Monsignor Blecha Council 2055 Family of the Year and Outstanding Dunn County Philanthropists by the Dunn County Chippewa Valley Fund Raising Professionals.

“Helping others and meeting new people gives me satisfaction. Everyone can make a difference. Just make the time and do it. As long as I can volunteer, I will continue,” Lee said.

Rising Leader Award: Jacob Schwitzer (’20)

Schwitzer’s immersive game, Powwow Bound: A Menominee Homecoming, is helping Indigenous students feel seen and bringing modern Menominee stories into classrooms and communities. It was created through his role as a software developer and games producer with Nebraska Public Media.

The impact of the game has been immediate. Young Indigenous players have seen themselves represented in its characters and storylines, while educators are using it to support Act 31 instruction, Wisconsin’s requirement to teach students about Wisconsin’s Indigenous peoples. Players of all backgrounds are gaining a deeper understanding of Menominee culture and traditions.

“Powwow Bound is a deeply personal project based around my tribe’s culture and traditions with the express purpose of creating a modern, authentic depiction of Indigenous peoples in video games. I hope Native students feel seen in a medium that doesn’t often share our stories. And I hope others gain a deeper understanding of what modern Indigenous life looks like,” said Schwitzer, of Shawano, a First Descendant of the Menominee Nation.

Schwitzer and the creators of Powwow Bound launched their game in 2025 at the 57th Annual Menominee Contest Powwow. They were joined by PBS Wisconsin Director of Television Jon Miskowski and Co-producer Angelina Shi.

Schwitzer was invited to join the Digital Immersion cohort of public media workers developing digital first projects and was named one of Current: News for Public Media’s 2023 Rising Stars. He has presented his work on Powwow Bound at game development conferences around the country.

Chancellor’s Award: Ron & Joyce Wanek

The Waneks, through the Ronald & Joyce Wanek Foundation, have donated a generous $3.1 million of high-tech equipment – which includes production-level 3D printers, a fully-integrated automated manufacturing system and more – dramatically increases UW-Stout Polytechnic’s ability to offer a state-of-the-art polytechnic experience for thousands of students in design, engineering and education programs.

The new equipment will create automation, robotics and 3D printing labs in multiple campus locations, including three labs in Fryklund Hall and one in the Jarvis Hall Technology Wing. It also will enhance experiences for K-12 students and professional learners, amplifying the impact of the university’s polytechnic focus.

“The team at UW-Stout Polytechnic is doing important work, providing students with real-world skills with real equipment, and that’s what builds a strong workforce. We are proud to be part of that. We believe our support gives students a stronger starting point. When you’ve already been exposed to real systems and challenges, you come in with a different mindset, ‘a growth mindset.’ You’re there to contribute,” said Wanek, Ashley founder and chairman.

Partnerships between industry and higher education help shape the future workforce, Wanek noted, because “Innovation doesn’t stand still, so training can’t either. If you invest in the right environment, students begin to understand how everything connects: people, processes, production and economies. That kind of understanding builds a stronger workforce, and over time, that’s what keeps industries and communities moving forward.”

University Alumni Partner Award: Green Bay Packaging

Green Bay Packaging has made a significant impact on the lives of UW-Stout Polytechnic students and alumni by employing a strong pipeline of graduates across packaging, engineering, supply chain, business and sustainability-focused programs.

“UW-Stout Polytechnic is a valued partner because it forms a strong connection between education and industry, and it creates meaningful opportunities for Green Bay Packaging and the George Kress Foundation to invest in students while helping to strengthen the future of the packaging industry. By working collaboratively, we can develop a workforce that is skilled, adaptable and ready to contribute from day one,” said Matt Murphy (’01), general manager of Green Bay Packaging’s Twin Town Division.

Green Bay Packaging and the George Kress Foundation support students through investments that strengthen educational opportunities and resources. In 2021, the foundation donated $180,000 to UW-Stout Polytechnic, which facilitated an upgraded, interactive packaging classroom and a new high-tech Mimaki specialty printer. The George Kress Foundation Packaging Scholarship is awarded annually to a packaging major from Wisconsin or Minnesota.

Green Bay Packaging also works closely with the university’s Career Services’ Cooperative Education and Internship Program to provide students with applied industry experiences and to connect with prospective employees through career conferences and recruiting events. Today, more than 40 alumni work at Green Bay Packaging, many of whom began their careers as interns.

“Higher education and industry partners are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application. Together, we can help address workforce needs, identify emerging skills and ensure graduates are prepared for the changing demands of today’s workplace,” Murphy said.

UW-Stout Polytechnic offers more than 70 industry-aligned undergraduate and graduate degrees and 40 professional certificate programs. One of the 13 Universities of Wisconsin, UW-Stout Polytechnic is distinguished by applied learning and research, business and industry collaboration, and career-focused experiences to prepare students for success in engineering, technology, design, management and other fields. 

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Photos

Distinguished Alumni awardee Joseph G. Rossmeier

Rising Leader awardee Jacob Schwitzer

Luminary Alumni awardee Howard Lee

Chancellor’s awardee Ronald and Joyce Wanek

UW-Stout Polytechnic students receive a tour of Green Bay Packaging, University Partner Award recipient. Photo by Amanda Rodriguez.