Professional Career.
Lakeshore Cleaners, Inc. I founded Lakeshore Cleaners in 1978, when I was 17 years old. It was started as an “odd jobs” specialty company. Over the past 42 years the business expanded into residential and commercial landscaping, including prairie development, pond maintenance, rock wall construction, lawn care, and snow removal. We have had a snow removal contract with the City of Appleton since 1979. Lakeshore employs 20-25 people. While the majority of our work is centered in the Fox Valley, we are a regional company, and routinely travel to locations such as Marinette, Wausau, Waupaca, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Lake Mills and Lake Geneva. Almost all of our business is repeat business from satisfied customers and others who are referred to us.
Willow Lane Assisted Living. I am a co-owner in Willow Lane, which was opened in 2014. It is a 28-room facility with a staff of 32. Willow Lane is unique in that it is designed to offer residents and their families not only excellent personal care, but also an environment that features nature and natural surroundings. Residents are able to enjoy seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables grown on-site. Willow Lake is a central feature of the property, which also includes woodlands, walking trails, a covered wooden bridge and boardwalk, an apiary and JR’s Farm.
JR’s Farm has goats, a llama, miniature horses and donkeys, chickens, ducks, turkeys and pigs. It and the walking trails are open to the community at no cost. It is common for neighborhood families with children to frequent the farm, and for people walking dogs to enjoy the walking trails.
Education, Professional Associations, Certifications and Licenses.
Education. I attended Appleton High School – West, and obtained a General Education Degree at Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC).
Professional Associations. I am a member of the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) (30 years) and the Wisconsin Nursery and Landscape Association (WNLA) (27 years).
Certifications. I hold a certification from FVTC in landscape design. I am also certified in algaecide, herbicide and biological agent applications by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).
Licenses. I hold a Commercial Driver License (CDL) from the State of Wisconsin.
Family Life and Background. I am married to Karri (seven years). We were both married once, previously. Combined, we have four adult children and seven grandchildren from our previous marriages.
I am an Appleton native. I had a difficult time as a teenager. I was a “hippie kid” who dropped out of school and was subsequently kicked out of the house at age 16 by my parents. Their actions were justified, as I was not a good kid. In retrospect, this was the wake-up call I needed in life. For a while, I literally lived out of a Good Will box at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Richmond Street. It was during this period that I learned a lot about people and about life. I learned respect for others, and I learned that I needed to make decisions between ‘right and wrong.’ A year later I was able to start Lakeshore Cleaners and learned the value of hard work, how to operate a business and the importance and value of opportunities. I have carried these important lessons with me throughout my life. I am grateful for the people in my life who helped steer me in the right direction.
Ron Wolff for Grand Chute, Supervisor #1
Paid for by Wolff for Grand Chute, Ron Wolff Treasurer