The new Executive Director...it's me! Thank you all for your help and support over the past 6 months as I earned my wings. As a Rhinelander native, I remember when downtown was the place to be.  

Downtown may have changed but it is still the heart of the community. As I, DRI, and our community moves forward, we need to be patient but forward thinking. Good things are ahead. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you.

What's Up Mark?

Message from DRI President Mark Gutterer, owner of Rhinelander Cafe & Pub 

Exciting!

• DRI has completed the survey of our stakeholders, and it was very affirming of our current path. This has really energized our volunteers.
• We are getting ready for Taste of Chocolate, and planning for future events.
• There is a renewed interest on the design committee towards being ready for a future renovation/remodel of Brown Street.   We are moving full steam ahead in partnership with the city in the planning process of this huge undertaking.
• Our new Organization chair, Joan Belongia, is motivated towards communicating with our membership, as well as, organizing our volunteer list.
• Our economic restructuring committee has fielded several requests for our downtown works low interest loan program. We have welcomed new businesses into our community(downtown), and are aware of more that are looking.

Dan Kuzlik, Chair Economic Restructuring

Did you know Dan is a world traveler? International travel is his

hobby, traveling to every continent many times - except Antarctica
which he plans on visiting some day. He enjoys sailing in places
throughout the world. He's an adventurist loving diversity, once staying in a yurt in Mongolia during one of his travels.
       He was born in Rhinelander but moved to California for a brief
time and then moved to Chicago where he attended school. Graduating from high school in Chicago he then attended Southern Illinois University and graduated with his undergraduate degree in Marketing Management from
St. Joseph's College in Indiana. He then earned his master's degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
      Every summer since 1955 he traveled with his family from Chicago
to Rhinelander for vacations on the Moens Lake Chain. No wonder he is an avid silent sports enthusiast who enjoys cross country skiing,snowshoeing, and kayaking.
       Dan also lived in Oregon and Minnesota but moved back to Rhinelander in 2004 working as the Community Resource Agent for the UW-Extension in Rhinelander. He also owns commercial property in Rhinelander including the former Curran School building.
       For the last fifteen years Dan has supported a mission project in Chimbote, Peru which he is very passionate about. Once a year he travels to Chimbote where he has donated monetarily to the education fund for schools and school supplies while also promoting involvement from the Rhinelander Rotary Club for that project.. To reach this remote area up in the mountains he travels by train, bus, car and sometimes by horse. As you can see, this is a project dear to Dan's heart.
         Another thing dear to Dan is Downtown Rhinelander. Dan says, "As one of the initial developers of Downtown Rhinelander,Inc.  I am committed to its success."

Economic Restructuring

by Dan Kuzlik, Chair 

DRI Economic Restructuring Committee is focused primarily on business retention and recruitment in Rhinelander's historic downtown area.

Promotion:

by Ben Rosenthal

"I want to thank everyone who is and who has been a part of Downtown Rhinelander Inc. during my time as the Promotions Chair.  I began as the Promotions Chair in January 2011.  I had the privilege to get to know those on the committee and on the board....and to help promote a great downtown area.  As I leave to open an insurance office in Plover Wi.........I will always have terrific memories of my time in Rhinelander and the people who have made my time here special.  My sincerest THANKS."    

• Editor's note:  We are currently looking for a  volunteer for the Promotion's chairperson as Ben has resigned and is leaving the Rhinelander area.
• Would you be interested in becoming the chairperson for the committee or  working on the Promotion's committee?  If you are interested, please contact Maggie, our executive director, at msdri@frontiernet.net, or 715-362-7374.