MEL'S CHARITIES - Key Persons


Amy Sterkenburg

Job Titles:
  • Event Manager

Blaine Bergmann

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Founders Board

Dick Phalen

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Mequon / Community Volunteer / Board Member since 2010, past Board President

Don Hahn

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Founders Board

Ed Bublitz

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Founders Board

Ed Trygstad - President

Job Titles:
  • President
  • Board of Directors - President
Ed was raised on a small farm in South Dakota and through his career at Miller Brewing, finally settled in Ozaukee County in 1997. Upon retiring from Miller Coors in 2018, Ed followed his passion to give back and feels blessed to be welcomed onto Mel's Charities team, where he is now president. Ed and his wife Melinda reside in the Town of Cedarburg and are dedicated to making lives better through Mel's Charities. "Giving back and paying it forward is so vital the overall well-being of communities. Among my many blessings is the opportunity to support the mission of Mel's Charities."

Gene Peterson

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Founders Board

Greg Wilterdink - Treasurer

Job Titles:
  • Treasurer
  • Treasurer / Grafton

John Lerand

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Cedarburg / Retired Business Development Leader ( Poblocki Sign Co., Sensia Healthcare, Rite - Hite Corp ) Director since 2021

Mary Kay Baumann

Job Titles:
  • Secretary

MIKE LA ROSA

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Cedarburg / CEO / Owner of LaRosa Landscape Company, Inc

Ross Rintelman

Job Titles:
  • Director

Sara Walker

Job Titles:
  • Director

Susie Hoppe

Job Titles:
  • Volunteer Coordinator

Tim Horrigan

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Founders Board

Tom "Mel" Stanton

Job Titles:
  • Executive Director
After growing up in Cleveland and Green Bay, Mel settled in Ozaukee County in the mid 1980s. This journey began when he encouraged a gathering of friends to help one family in need. From that simple act of charity, Mel's Charities has grown into an organization that has raised over $2million to impact countless lives in Ozaukee County. Mel truly has a servant's heart, guided by a strong faith, and driven with incredible energy to find new ways to impact people in our community. "Our story is a true testament of what can be accomplished by having fun, not taking yourself too seriously and a huge dose of God's grace. We keep impacting more lives every year…and we're just getting started."

Tom Altstiel

Job Titles:
  • Director

Tom Meaux - VP

Job Titles:
  • Vice President