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Leadership

Our leadership team

Wisconsin pride runs deep in our office. Most of us grew up and went to school here, and we are proud of the telecom legacy we’ve built for our home state through decades of dependability, adaptability and hard work.

Erik CaPaul

CEO

Telecoms pro. Family man. Off-roader.

Erik is a Wisconsin native with two BAs and a Juris-Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

With more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, comes to Access Wisconsin with a strong management record for major players like AT&T and TDS.

Renee Schultz

Director of Customer Support

Industry vet. Active listener. Office historian. 

A graduate of Edgewood College, Renee’s long tenure with Access Wisconsin began in 1993.

From managing some of Wisconsin’s earliest compressed video distance learning systems, Renee migrated to supporting broadband distance learning and BadgerNet.

Sue Englund

Director of Finance

Number expert. Dog lover. Broadway enthusiast.

Another Wisconsin native, Sue obtained both a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Business from Lakeland College.

Sue joined Access Wisconsin in 2001 after gaining comprehensive accounting experience in both the medical and manufacturing industries.

Steve Schollmeyer

Director of Network Services

Tech Pro. Badgernet Vet. Problem Solver.

Steve provided engineering support on the State of Wisconsin Badgernet Network for over 20 years.

Before joining Access Wisconsin he worked on government, educational, medical and commercial accounts for both AT&T and Presidio.

Our board of directors

Ntec

Christy Berger
General Manager / Executive VP

Northwest Communicatons

Mike Jensen
President and General Manager

Lakeland Communications Group, LLC

John Klatt
President and CEO

TDS Telecommunications, LLC

Jean Pauk
Manager - State Government Affairs

Solarus

Doug Wenzlaff
President

Our members

This extraordinarily talented and dedicated group of 29 independent service providers has invested in us and we, in turn, have been investing in our communities.

Contact us

Contact our team to start working with Access Wisconsin

Corporate Headquarters
1113 Stephenson Ln
Waunakee, WI 53597, USA
Phone: 608-849-6600

Ntec

Christy Berger, General Manager / Executive VP

Christy Berger is General Manager and Executive Vice President of Nelson Communications Cooperative dba/Ntec in Durand Wisconsin. Ntec provides landline phone service, Cable TV and Fiber Internet to the Arkansaw, Durand, Gilmanton and Nelson Wisconsin area.

Christy was born and raised in rural Lund, Wisconsin and graduated from Pepin High School. She continued her education at UW-River Falls, Wisconsin graduating with a B.S. in Accounting. Christy is also a Licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Christy began her career at Ntec in 1985 as CPA/Office Manager. In 2001 she was promoted to Assistant Manager and in 2002 Christy was named General Manager/Executive Vice President of Ntec, a position she holds today.

Christy has been very active in the telecommunication industry serving on several committees as well on the Board of Directors with Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association, including President; Wisconsin Statewide Telephone Cooperative Association and NTCA The Rural Broadband Association. Christy has served on several committees within the NTCA organization and in 2009 Christy received the NCTA Management Achievement Award for her commitment to the industry and community.

Christy has also served on the Board with Wisconsin Independent Network (WIN), Access Wisconsin and Wisconsin Locally Owned Telephone Association. Christy continues to be very involved in the telecommunications industry on the local, state and national level.

Through the years Christy has been involved in many local civic organizations including the Durand Library Board, Sabylund Lutheran Church council, Durand Commercial Club and the Quilt Makers Group.

Christy and her husband, Greg, live in the Durand area. She has a son and one step-daughter along with two grandchildren. In her free time, Christy enjoys reading, quilting, flower gardening and Scandinavian Folk Art Painting.

Northwest Communicatons

Mike Jensen, President and General Manager

Michael D. Jensen was born and raised In Clear Lake Wisconsin, where he graduated from high school in 1967. He then attended college at the University of Wisconsin @ River Falls graduating in 1971 with a B.S. degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. While at the university Mike lettered in football and also received the scholar athlete award.

Following graduation Mike resided in Amery from 1971 -1973 and was employed by an engineering-surveying firm in Balsam Lake, WI. In 1973, Mike moved his family to Milwaukee, WI, working for a development company as assistant director of engineering and land planning. While living in Milwaukee he did post-graduate work at Marquette University.

In 1975 Mike returned to Amery as accountant and Assistant Office Manager of Amery Telcom. He became Office Manager/Assistant General Manager in 1978. Mike was named President/General Manager of the firm in 1982, a position continues to hold today.

Through the years Mike has been active in many local civic organizations including Amery Community Club, President of Amery Little League, as well as coach of youth baseball, football and hockey teams. He is also a Past President of the Amery Golf Club. Mike has served on the boards of Apple River Hospital, Northwest Banking & Savings, Amery Service Agency and Bremer Bank.

Mike has also been very involved in the telecommunications industry serving on many committees as well as on the board of Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association several terms and as its president in 2002. Mike was a founder and Chairman of the Board of American Digital Switching. Mike currently serves on the NTCA/ SMC Board and on its Industry & Policy Committee. Mike also proudly serves on the board of Access Wisconsin, and has for the past 30 years.

Mike and his wife Cindy live in the Amery area where they enjoy spending time with their family which includes16 grandchildren.

Lakeland Communications Group, LLC

John Klatt, President and CEO

John Klatt began working for Amery Telecom in 1981 as a summer employee while attending college where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in general business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1984.

After returning to Amery Telecom John was later hired as General Manager of Cochrane Telephone Cooperative. In 1989 John was hired as General Manager of Luck Telephone Company in Luck, Wisconsin. In 1995 Luck Telephone Company and five local Independent Telephone companies purchased a regional cable television company, and John managed that initiative and served as President of the resulting company, Vision Communications, LLC. Motivated by the Telecommunications Rewrite Act of 1996 and taking effect in 1997, Luck Telephone Company and Milltown Mutual Telephone Company merged to form Lakeland Communications, Inc. John was promoted to the Board and became President of the Board of Directors and the CEO of the corporation. John currently serves in those capacities.

In 2007 John was awarded the NTCA Life Achievement Manager Award. John served as a Wisconsin State Telephone Association (WSTA) Board member (1994-2000) and as President in 2000. He was recently elected to the WSTA’s Hall of Fame in 2013. John also is a past Board member and served as President of Wisconsin Locally Owned Telephone Association in 2011. He is an RSA 1 Cellular Partnership-Board Member, Access Wisconsin-Board Member. Also, is Vice President and a Board member of Polk County Economic Development Corporation. He has also served on St. Dominic’s Parish Council and as Chairman. He currently is a Trustee of St. Dominic’s Parish and a member of Knights of Columbus.

TDS Telecommunications, LLC

Jean Pauk, Manager – State Government Affairs

Jean is a State Government Affairs Manager at TDS Telecommunications, LLC (TDS). She is responsible for regulatory and legislative issues affecting TDS’ ILECs and CLECs in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois.

Jean is active in numerous state and industry organizations. She is a Past President of the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association and currently chairs the Regulatory & Accounting Committee. She served on the Minnesota Telecom Alliance Board of Directors from 2008-2014 and was Board Chair from 2012-2014. Jean is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Telecommunications Association of Michigan first Vice Chair. Jean also serves on the State 911 Subcommittee working on NG911 issues. Jean served on the Wisconsin Universal Service Fund Council until December 2019 and on the Legislative Study Committee on Rural Broadband. Jean joined the Access WI Board in 2019.

Jean began her career at TDS Telecom in 1988. Prior to taking the position of State Government Affairs Manager in September 2000, she held the position of Federal External Relations Manager. In that position, she was responsible for monitoring federal regulatory and legislative issues, assessing their impacts to TDS, and developing policy positions. Jean also worked for six years in the Information System Department as a functional analyst for the billing systems.

Jean grew up outside Waunakee, WI on a dairy farm and learned the value of hard work at an early age – milking cows, raising chickens, baling hay, and doing other assorted chores.

Jean is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Finance and a Masters of Business Administration Degree in Managerial Economics.

Jean lives in Fitchburg, WI with her husband Roger. She has three step-daughters, five grandchildren, and 2 cats. In her free time, Jean enjoys outdoor activities such as golfing, biking, snowshoeing, hiking and attending sporting events (Go Brewers! Go Packers! Go Badgers!)

Solarus

Doug Wenzlaff, President

Douglas J. Wenzlaff is the President of Solarus. He started employment at Solarus in 1983, spending time in the Accounting, Central Office, and Plant Departments before becoming CEO and then President. He was responsible for technical implementation of the Internet deployment in 1995 and led the implementation of digital video service by his company in 1999.

He graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater with a degree in Business Administration, and also has a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh.

Doug is a past President of the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association and the Wisconsin Locally Owned Telephone Association. He serves on the board of Access Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Foundation.

Doug is active locally in the Wisconsin Rapids Rotary club, and serves on the United Way board.