Past Presidents

2019 – Ryan Amundson is serving at President for the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter. Ryan has worked in public relations at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino since 2006, managing the department since September of 2016. In his role, Ryan oversees the property’s media relations, public affairs and social responsibility efforts. Prior to that, he was a reporter and editor with The Freeman newspaper in Waukesha. Ryan holds a BA in print journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

2018 – Patrick McSweeney, APR, Fellow PRSA, has been involved in PRSA for more than two decades and is a past president of the Southeastern Wisconsin chapter. He also twice served as president of PRSA’s North Florida chapter prior to relocating to Milwaukee in 2014. After earning a Journalism degree from The Ohio State University, he worked as a reporter, editor, producer and anchor at newspapers, radio and TV stations in Ohio and Florida before transitioning to PR. During the past 20+ years he has served as the spokesperson for a government agency in Florida and worked with well-known automotive, high tech, retail brands, vacation destinations and others.

2017 – Sara Rude is Vice President, Public Relations Account Supervisor at Cramer-Krasselt. Sara is a proud alum of UW-Milwaukee, where she graduated with a degree in Journalism & Mass Communication and a minor in French. Go Panthers! She has over 10 years in marketing and public relations experience in agency, non-profit and corporate settings.

2016 – Heidi Fendos is the owner of Fendos PR of Wauwatosa and has over 25 years of experience specializing in tourism, education, health care, not-for-profit and small business accounts. Heidi is a graduate of UW-Whitewater.

2015 – Bill Bussler is a public relations manager at Kohler Co. He specializes in strategic communication planning, agency integration, corporate reputation management, content development, and media relations. He has held leadership positions in both agency and corporate settings and has been an active member of the PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter since 2003.

2014 – Samantha Andrews, MBA, APR
2013 – Don Klein
2012 – Michael Pflughoeft, Fellow, APR
2011 – Laura Monagle, APR
2010 – Mary Scheibel
2009 – Crystal McNeal
2008- Dave Fantle
2007 – Jeff Bentoff
2006 – Lisa Ehlke
2005 – Carol Weber, APR
2004 – Priya Barnes
2003 – Michael Pflughoeft, Fellow, APR
2002 – Paul Daniel
2001 – Kelly Skindzelewski
2000 – Evan Zeppos
1999 – Harry Cherkinian
1998 – Linda Edmondson
1997 – John Caspari
1996 – Evan Bane
1995 – Terry Dorr
1994 – Barbara Wesener
1993 – Diane DeLaSantos
1992 – Mary Ingles
1991 – Joseph Lindner
1990 – Caroyln Bellin
1989 – Marilyn Vollrath
1988 – Nancy Schwind
1987 – John Luecke
1986 – Thomas Towers
1985 – Mary Moudry
1984 – Jacqueline Meili
1983 – S Joseph Moran
1982 – Thomas Nedwek
1981 – Thomas Traband
1980 – Thomas Altenburg
1979 – William Spevacek
1978 – John L. Black
1977 – Dorothy Thomas Black
1976 – John A Bartels
1975 – William G McMackin
1974 – Maurice Bishea
1973 – Robert Rasmussen
1972 – Santo Saliture
1971 – Edwin W Hanson
1970 – Robert J Doyle
1969 – Bert C Mulroy
1968 – Charles Prout
1967 – Harry Backer
1966 – Bernard Solochek
1965 – Lee Baker
1964 – Raymond Niemitz
1963 – Loretto J Fox
1962 – Les Pollard
1961 – John Dierbeck Jr.
1960 – William Cary
1959 – Edwin Moore
1958 – John Paige
1957 – Greta Murphy
1956 – Kenneth Willett
1955 – Lawrence Smotherman
1954 – Allen Gibbs
1953 – Allen Gibbs
1952 – MH Frank
1951 – Kenneth Haagensen