Board of Directors

Ave Bie was the managing partner (retired) of the Madison office of Quarles & Brady and practiced in the firm’s public utilities and corporate practice groups. She worked on state and federal issues for clients at the firm’s six offices nationwide. She is the former chairwoman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin and has a wide range of government experience coupled with an extensive knowledge of the inner workings of government regulation and licensing. Prior to becoming chairwoman of the PSC, Bie served as deputy secretary for the state Department of Corrections, deputy secretary of the Department of Regulation and Licensing, and director of appointments for the Office of the Governor.

Lisa A. Mauer is the former owner of three companies serving the metalworking industry. Mauer spent 33 years in the industrial distribution, manufacturing and related services markets.

Ellen Nowak is vice president of regulatory and government affairs for ATC and former Commissioner of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Nowak was first appointed to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission by Governor Scott Walker. Nowak also served in the Walker administration as the Secretary of the Department of Administration. Prior to that service, Nowak served as chief of staff to Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas, legal counsel and chief of staff to the Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly, and deputy director of School Choice Wisconsin. She also served in private practice at Mallery & Zimmerman SC.

David Lubar is president of Lubar & Co., a private investment firm founded in 1977 whose investment activities include acquisitions of middle market operating companies as well as growth financing for emerging businesses.

Jason Kohout is a partner and business lawyer practicing with Foley & Lardner LLP. Kohout is very involved in the community and serves as secretary for the Harvard Club of Wisconsin and secretary of the Badger Institute.

Corey Hoze is senior vice president of government relations and regulatory affairs for Associated Banc-Corp, one of the top 50 financial services holding companies operating in the United States, with total assets of $34 billion and approximately 270 banking locations serving more than 150 communities in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.

Gail L. Hanson served as chief financial officer of Aurora Health Care Inc. from 2011 to her retirement in 2018. Prior to that, Hanson was deputy executive director for the State of Wisconsin Investment Board from 2004 to 2011. She was senior vice president, treasurer and CFO at Cobalt Corp. and Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin, having served in a variety of roles from 1984 to 2004, and was an audit manager at Price Waterhouse, where she worked from 1977 to 1984.

Nick is a Managing Partner at Operose Advisors. Prior to founding Operose Advisors, Nick was Principal and Director of Geneva Capital Management in Milwaukee, WI. While at Geneva Capital Nick oversaw the growth of the firm’s institutional business from $1 billion of assets under management to $6.8 billion.

Shannon Whitworth is the executive director of the Free Enterprise Academy at Milwaukee Lutheran High School and an attorney with over 20 years of litigation and public policy experience. The…

Attorney Matt Rowe focuses his practice on a wide range of business transactional matters, including corporate finance and securities, mergers and acquisitions and related acquisition financings, and the representation of banks and other financial institutions in connection with regulatory matters.

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