Oct 22, 2015 | Inspiration Wall Honorees
Nominated in 2015. After graduation from Berlin High School in 1936, Ben Seaman was working in a factory in Milwaukee when the 2nd World War began. Because that industry was essential to the war effort his entry into the U.S. Navy was delayed. It was while he was on ship in the South Pacific that he read about a new car to be built and sold in the “States.” He wrote to the Kaiser-Frazer company asking about a franchise. He got his answer at another port and the Berlin native became an automobile dealer. Thus, the West Side Garage was born. The first home for the dealership was an old ice cream factory.
Seaman built his West Side garage business, selling over 1,000 automobiles from 1946 to 1953. With the exception of one dealer in Milwaukee, the Seaman agency became the largest in Wisconsin, setting records for the company even though those cars were not the most popular in the American market.
While on a hunting trip in Canada, Ben was stricken with polio in 1952. He was able to overcome the disease but he walked with a noticeable limp for the rest of his life.
Over the next several years Seaman added new dealerships to his stable of cars and added property to grow his West Side dealership to encompass an entire city block. He also purchased a bus company that still operates today….Mascoutin Transporation.
His interest in his community, its welfare and its people are evident by the number of organizations he belonged to, worked for, and lead. He was one of nine men who started the Berlin Community Development Corporation, a corporation dedicated to bringing new businesses to Berlin.
His huge entrepreneurship is matched by his generosity in helping other people start up their own businesses. He was always willing to sit down with anyone and share with them his experiences, successes and failures. Ben Seaman had an ‘open door’ policy long before the term became a catch phrase for society.
His favorite saying was: The harder you work, the more successful you will be.
Mar 27, 2015 | Inspiration Wall Honorees
Nominated 2014
Rolf Peterson graduated from Berlin High School in 1957. Not having an interest in college, he joined the Navy. While serving his country he began to realize he had the intelligence to go to college. After the Navy he enrolled at Oshkosh State College (now UW-Oshkosh). He received a Bachelor of Science Degree and then went on to graduate school at the U. of Iowa. His first year was very difficult and he was on probation and then failed his first dissertation defense. With determination he pressed on and later had his M.A. thesis published during the 4th year of the program. He received his PhD., Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa in 1970.
In his early years, he focused on child clinical research. He spent two years as a visiting lecturer at the University of Western Australia (Perth) and began to develop a strong focus on adult health psychology. After returning to the states, he joined the Chicago Medical School as Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training (DOCT). He also served as Department Chair, 1984-86. While there he continued work with a colleague doing research on Anxiety Sensitivity and was the first author of the original ASI manual.
In 1986 he joined the Department of Psychology at George Washington University as Professor and DOCT. He remained in this position until 2005, also serving as Acting Department Chair for three years. Dr. Peterson served on several special ad hoc appeal committees and a variety of other university and department committees, many American Psychological Association committees and served as Chair of the Site Visit Team to over 20 universities for the Committee on Accreditation for the APA, until his retirement in 2013.
Dr. Peterson was a licensed Psychologist his entire career and also Board Certified in Clinical Health Psychology. He is author or co-author on over 100 research and scholarly publications. He was the Dissertation Director for 81 students over a 44 year span.
In 2012 Dr. Peterson received “Outstanding Leadership and Dedication to Board Certification” Award from the American Board of Clinical Health Psychology. Upon retirement the Psychology Department at George Washington University created the ‘Rolf A. Peterson Scholarship for Doctoral Students at the Meltzer Center’ (the Psychology Department Clinic).
Dr. Peterson’s accomplishments are inspirational given the fact that he was Learning Disabled throughout his student life struggling academically through elementary school, high school and beyond.
Mar 27, 2015 | Inspiration Wall Honorees
Nominated 2014
David C. Good graduated from Berlin High School in 1966. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from UW-Madison and later his M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) from that school. He spent his residency at the University of Minnesota Hospital, Minneapolis, in Neurology.
He is an academic neurologist and has been Professor and Chair of Neurology at Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pa. since 2004. Previously he served on the faculty of Southern Illinois University in Springfield and Wake Forrest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. He is certified through the National Board of Medical Examiners: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology; and American Society of Neurorehabiltation. The list of Consultant and Staff appointments for him is long and impressive.
Dr. Good’s career has involved research, patient care and teaching medical students and resident physicians. He very much enjoys the teaching aspect of his duties. He is an internationally known researcher and educator in the field of Rehabilitative Neurology, specializing in strokes.
Throughout his career he has published many scientific articles, book chapters, and three books. He has been invited to give lectures throughout the U.S. and world-wide. He has accepted leadership roles in several scientific and professional organizations. Many honors have come his way, among them: Phi Beta Kappa; Alpha Omega: Alpha (Medical Honor Society); ‘Best Doctors in the U. S.’ and ‘America’s Top Physicians.’ “He absolutely loves his work; it is his passion and far more than a vocation,” stated his nominator.
Dr. Good stated “I still consider Wisconsin my ‘home’ and am grateful to the many outstanding teachers at Berlin High School who supported my education and encouraged my future career.
Mar 27, 2015 | Inspiration Wall Honorees
Nominated 2014
George L. Hess Jr. graduated from Berlin High School in 1955 and served four years in the United States Air Force, later receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree from UW-Oshkosh.
From 1960 to 1962 he worked in the electronics field in Buffalo N. Y. and then in Oak Creek, WI on the Modular Guidance System in the U.S. Space Program. In 1962 he joined the C.A. Chier Sand Co. as a partner with his father-in-law, Cliff Chier and brother-in-law, Russell Chier. In 1979, he and Russ co-founded the family owned business now known as Badger Mining Corp., an industrial silica sand mining firm.
George became a licensed pilot in 1982 and a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assoc. (AOPA). He authored Tales of the Bearpaw Bear Hunters, and also did oil and acrylic painting. He was a member of several service organizations and served on Boards of Directors, including Badger Mining Corp.
With his and Chier’s leadership, Badger Mining annually won national awards and recognition for their corporate governance and for their employment ambiance and professionalism and exceptional treatment of their employees. “I have been fortunate to work with outstanding associates. The T.E.A.M. (Together Employees and Management) working environment has made our family business successful and a fun place to work. The power of team allows every associate to experience the feeling of ownership,” stated George on his nomination form.
You don’t have to be smart to surround yourself with associates that are smarter than you. But it is a key ingredient of success.
Mar 27, 2015 | Inspiration Wall Honorees
Nominated 2014
Russ Chier learned the meaning of hard work and responsibility by working in the family business, C. A. Chier Sand Co. owned by his father, Clifford Chier. After graduating from Berlin High School in 1955 he went into the business full time learning all aspects of the operation. By the early 1960s he became a partner along with his brother-in-law, George Hess. When Cliff Chier retired the two men incorporated the company (Chier Sand) and in 1979 co-founded Badger Mining Corporation taking it from a local and then regional industrial sand company to an international organization. Through their leadership the company has won a number of awards and other recognition.
Their hard work, initiative and vision grew this company to the highly respected and significant employer that it is today. The company’s value statement: “We are committee to environmental responsibility, health and wellness, quality, safety, and integrity, while providing a rewarding and enjoyable place to work,” summarizes the pair’s leadership and ethical values.
Russ Chier, George Hess, and Badger Mining Corp. are “the role model” for exceptional community service. Russ’ generous spirit helped foster the employee attitude of helpfulness that is still prevalent in the company today.
He was a very kind and generous man who touched the lives of many people.
Mar 27, 2015 | Inspiration Wall Honorees
Nominated 2013
Alfred James Treder, and family moved to Berlin when he was 5 years old. He has worked various aspects of space and missile Guidance & Control systems for over 50 years, from conceptual design through development and flight. Since the early 1990s he has been a key player in the specification and development of the Guidance, Navigation and Control subsystem for the United State’s part of the International Space Station. His primary responsibility was making sure the Station met its pointing accuracy requirements.
Treder graduated from Marquette University in 1963 with a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. His first exposure to space projects was with Gemini manned capsule avionics testing. He later was involved in the Apollo avionics design. In 1976 he was on the flight team for the Viking Mars program which did the first successful Mars landings. His job with Boeing in the Seattle area introduced him to the International Space Station. He became Senior Principal Engineer and formed the ISS Pointing Accuracy Assessment Team in late 1993. After retiring from Boeing in 2000 he continued to be involved with the space station as a contract engineer, a job he held until 2011.
Treder has written multiple articles for a variety of publications on his work in the U.S. Space Program. He is an Associate Fellow of AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) and a longtime member of the AIAA Astrodynamics Technical Committee.
With his second retirement he is now spending time with his other passion, photography, as a professional artistic photographer. His work has been shown in art shows and has been published in major magazines.
One of his favorite sayings is: Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves; some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up.
