Don Semler Member Monday

 

Don Semler, Foundation Chair, is no stranger to volunteer activity and community service. A full-time resident on Whitefish Lake since 2005, he has a long history of serving Hayward.

 

Born and raised in Toledo close to beautiful Lake Erie, Don studied chemical engineering and business administration at Michigan State University. Don worked in a variety of financial and business development roles for IBM, Norwest Corp. (Wells Fargo) as well as First Bank System (US Bank). He also served as president/CEO of a half dozen small IT related and management consulting companies. Don is also a veteran, having served on active duty, then completed service as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves

 

A resident of Edina and Minnetonka before moving full-time to Hayward, Don served those communities as the board president for YMCA Camp Menogyn, as well as a board member for the Minneapolis Area Greater YMCA. He was also a Deputy with the Hennepin County Sheriff Office – Water Patrol Division.

 

In Hayward, Don served on the School Board for 8 years in a variety of roles including treasurer, finance chair, Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee, curriculum committee, and the Waadookodaading Board. For the Hayward United Methodist Church, he has held board positions including finance chair, as well as served on the Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation Board in a variety of executive committee and other positions. A member of the Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Immersion School Board, he has served the Whitefish Lake Association for more than a decade in a variety of positions including board president. Other volunteer experiences include serving as a member of the Birkie Security Team, chair of the Sawyer County Broadband Committee, a member of the board and executive committee for the Hayward Chamber of Commerce, founder and adult advisor for the Sawyer County Youth Police Academy, as well as co-founder of the Sawyer County/LCO Economic Development Corporation (President, Executive Director, Board Chair).

 

In addition to his current role as Foundation Chair, he has served as club president, as well as chair of the Vocational programs, newsletter editor, membership, character education,  Rotary Reads, Scholarship Committee, and as a Birke Race Chief (Mosquito Brook Food Station).

 

Don and his wife of 32 years, Gretchen, have five kids and 7 grandchildren in the Twin Cities area, where they resided before moving to our community. His hobbies include family, friends, technology, wildlife, the environment and current events.