Gerald Baldner
Gerald Baldner feels that he has been truly blessed in his life and giving back to the community is a natural part of success. For many years, Baldner and his wife Betty have been supporters of Rainbow Network, an organization that provides health care, education, and small business assistance in Nicaragua, Gundersen Health System’s Global Partners, and Junior Achievement. Baldner has served as president of the boards of Horse Sense, Clearwater Farm, and the La Crosse Children’s Museum. He was also a member of the Gundersen Medical Center allocations board and the La Crosse Downtown Main Street board. The Baldners have provided financial support to the Amie L. Mathy Center for Recreation and Education, the La Crosse Children’s Museum, and Downtown Main Street. Baldner taught at Viterbo from 1978–83 and has been an advocate for the university ever since. He has attended countless Viterbo athletic events and created a scholarship for members of the men’s basketball team. He was inducted onto the Viterbo Athletics Wall of Fame in 2001. Serving three full terms as a member of the Board of Trustees, Baldner was honored with the title of Trustee Emeriti for his outstanding service to the university. An entrepreneur at heart, Baldner started and ran several very successful businesses, including Kitchen Solvers, Cabinet Factory (now WalzCraft), Creative Laminates, and Counter Creations. He has written three books and serves as a public speaker on a variety of topics.