MEETING MINUTES
& PROGRAM SUMMARY
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Atlas Mill, Suite 150
CALL TO ORDER BY CHAIRPERSON TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 68
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Mark Moderson, Gwen Sargeant, David Buss, John Marx, Brian Schneider, Karen Probst, Linda Muldoon, Jim Krueger
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
October 16 - History of Pierce Manufacturing.
November 20 – Appleton Picture Show.
December 7 – 7th AHS History Fair, Appleton City Center.
December – No Regular Monthly Meeting.
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
Officers and Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss, Research Specialist
D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
PRESIDENT SUTTER OPENING REMARKS:
A. Sutter gave formal notice of our Annual Business Meeting, agenda will include: 1. Election of Board Members for the coming year. Only one third of the eleven member Board shall be elected each year, and those shall serve for a three year term. Officers for the next calendar year shall be elected by the Board of Directors at it’s first meeting of the 2014 calendar year.
2. A proposal for revision of the Bylaws to allow our organization to be formally
associated with the Wisconsin State Historical Society will also be voted upon.
B. Thanks to Bill Breider and Sue Pawlowski of the Appleton Area YMCA for an excellent program last month on the history and growth of area YMCA’s and YWCA’s.
C. Door Prize – two $5.00 Car Wash Tokens was provided by Bergstrom Automotive and
was won by Dave Dahlke..
E. HISTORIC EVENTS COMING IN THE AREA:
1.The Historic Grignon Mansion has reopened in downtown Kaukauna.
2. The Bergrstrom Mahler Museum in Neenah is featuring a stained glass display
provided by our own Board Member Linda Muldoon.
F.. Thanks again to Randy Stadtmueller for the use of Suite 150 in the historic Atlas Paper
Mill Complex for tonight’s meeting.
G. Just a reminder that previous meeting presentations can be found on YouTube.
H. Another reminder that Sutter and Schneider still have DVD videos of Appleton’s
historic trolley cars and their history.
Officer and Committee Chair Reports
Christine Williams, Vice President, gave a report on:
(1) Upcoming programs and events.
(2) Encouraged us to watch for City administered History Walks that are planned.
(3) Also please visit the Outagamie Museum’s current exhibit on “Foods and Us”.
(4) Special event will be held on September 19th from 11:30-12:30. Henry Goldin will be speaking at Fox Valley Tech on his experience in concentration camps.
AHS 7th History Fair:
Jim Richter, Co-Chairman, of the AHS History Fair spoke on extensive planning underway for this our 7th History Fair. He and Co-Chair Mark Moderson are meeting with representatives of veterans organizations and military artifacts collectors to provide exhibits for the event. The focus will be on “Appleton at War”, and emphasize how World War II affected Appleton and it‟s residents.
PROGRAM – Sept 18 - History of Presto Products presented by Jim Krueger, Presto Products Retiree.
Special Guests Representing the Firm:
A. Jack Lynch, President.
B. Frank and Bill Heckrodt of the Management Team.
C. Clarence Wallace.
D. Kim Hanagan, former Presto Employee, and developer of a local history web site.
E. Several current and former employees.
Speaker Backgrounds:
A Jim worked at Presto Products for 42 years, retiring in 2003.
B. Has seen the operation grow from a small plant to an international corporation.
Significant Events in History of Presto Products:
A. The company was started with $15,000.00 at a garage in Menasha.
B. From 1961 to 1963 the firm attracted a number of major accounts.
C. The company‟s business really took off in the 1970„s.
D. By 1972 they reached $8 Million Dollars in sales.
E. By 1975 the firm grew to 500 employees.
F. Also in 1975 the Corporate Headquarters was built on Perkins Street in Appleton for $18 Million Dollars.
G. Currently the firm is a $500 Million Dollar company.
H. In 1978 the firm was bought by Coca Cola, who considered Presto as one of the finest firms under their control.
I. With a change in corporate direction Coca Cola chose to sell the firm n 1985. The original owners and employees acquired the firm.
J. In the 1980‟s the firm grew their product line beyond plastic bags and plastic film products. Deoderized products as well as other home care products were added.
K. In 1985 Reynolds Aluminum purchased the firm.
L. The firm continued to grow and some of their greatest accomplishments were the addition of an extensive line of private label products. At one time the firm was making some 2000 different labels.
M. Alcoa Aluminum purchsed Reynolds Aluminum, but ended up selling Presto.
N. The firm is currently owned by Rank Industries of New Zealand.
O. A second plant was added in a brewery in Appleton‟s Industrial Flats.
P. A third plant was added on Reeve Street in Appleton.
Q. Later additional plants were added in Weyauwega, Little Chute and Lewiston.
R. Due to the cost of freight charges on their plastic products, the firm also added plants in South Boston, Massachusetts, and Virginia.
S. Product development has continued with the addition of Rain Runners, Car Stops, Eco blocks, Geoweb Soil Containment Products, and the Geoblock Soil Containment System.
T. The firm has done extensive research on plastic pallets.
U. Recently they have begun manufacturing of cotton swabs at their Weyauwega Plant.
V. Also new are wet type Baby Wipes and Baby Bottle Liners.
Presto Products was Unique:
A. Ray Nitschke, legendary Green Bay Packer, was spokesman for the firm for many years.
B. The company was formed based on strong principles,, and included a Bill of Rights.
C. Each year company executives have given a detailed financial report to it‟s employees.
D. The management has always treated their staff with respect and dignity.
E. Presto Management was very generous to the community as well.
Respectfully, James L. Richter
AHS Secretary, 9/5/13