May/June/July 2004


Feature Articles:


Ross Names 3 Vice Presidents

Wolbrink Succeeds Klinger at Charities; Conway, Wiebe Brought In To Lead Restructured Business, Fraternal Divisions

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Director General Donald Ross in early March announced a sweeping restructuring of Moose International management, in which nine department heads formerly reporting to him will now report to one of two new Vice Presidents, who now lead reorganized divisions of Business Operations and Fraternal Operations.

Thomas P. Conway assumed his duties as Vice President/Business Operations on March 15, with direct supervision over the departments of Finance; Claims & Loss Prevention; Information Systems; Human Resources; and Purchasing/Conventions/Administrative Services.

Kurt T. Wiebe began his duties March 22 as Vice President/Fraternal Operations, with direct supervision over the departments of Membership; Women of the Moose; General Governor; Supreme Secretary; Community Service; Fraternal Education; Moose Legion; Publications; Government Relations; Family Activities; and Ritual & Sports.

Additionally, effective March 1, Ross also named Kurt J. Wolbrink to Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of Moose Charities Inc., which became open with last December’s departure of Paul G. Klinger.

Conway, 43, comes to Moose International from the Schaumburg, IL-based American Academy of Dermatology Association, a 14,000-member medical specialty society, which he had served as Executive Director since 2000. There, he directed a staff of 125 employees, and led the organization’s efforts in strategic planning, policy development, human resources, technology and applications, fundraising, and investment management.

Prior to going to the AADA in 1996, Conway had been Vice President/Treasurer for 10 years with the National Futures Association.

Conway earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Illinois State University in 1982 and is a certified public accountant; he received a master’s degree in business administration from Loyola University in Chicago in 1991. He is married and the father of three children; the Conways reside in Glen Ellyn, IL.

Wiebe, also 43, comes to Moose International from the Oak Brook, IL-based Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, a trade association representing nearly 4,000 manufacturing firms throughout the state. Wiebe had served the IMA as Vice President/Marketing & Communications since 2000. While there, he developed marketing initiatives, membership campaigns, and government-relations programs; as well as overseeing the IMA’s publications, newsletters and electronic media.

Wiebe served from 1994-2000 as Vice President/Com- munications for Chicago-based Metals Service Center Institute; from 1992-94 as Director of Communications for the Illinois-based Automotive Service Industry Association; and from 1985-92 as Director/Creative Services and earlier as Exhibits Marketing Coordinator for the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors.

Wiebe earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications from Ball State University in Muncie, IN, in 1982. He is married and the father of three children; the Wiebes are residents of St. Charles, IL.

Both Conway and Wiebe are to be enrolled this spring into the Moose fraternity at Batavia, IL Lodge 682.

Wolbrink, 47, has served since 2000 on the staff of Moose Charities, which works with corporations, foundations, fraternal units and interested individuals to raise funds toward the capital and operational support of both Mooseheart Child City & School, a 1,000-acre residential/educational community 40 miles west of Chicago for children and teens in need; and Moosehaven, the Moose fraternity’s 65-acre community for senior members in Orange Park, FL.

Wolbrink assisted in the completion of a $16 million campaign during 2000-2002 to fund the construction of the LifeCare Center at Moosehaven, a modern 130,000-sq.-ft. assisted-living facility. Prior to coming to Moose Charities, Wolbrink had spent 18 years in development positions with social-service agencies and higher education, including the Boy Scouts of America and Naperville, IL-based North Central College.

Wolbrink earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Central College in 1982. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the National Committee on Planned Giving. He is also a life member of the National Eagle Scout Association.

Wolbrink has been a member since 2000 of Batavia, IL Lodge 682, and of Mecca Moose Legion 9. Wolbrink is married and the father of two children; the Wolbrinks reside in Naperville, IL.

Conway, Wiebe and Wolbrink will report to Director General Ross; also continuing to report to Ross will be Mooseheart Director Scott D. Hart, Moosehaven Director E. Faye Stevens, and General Counsel Leonard J. Solfa Jr.


Retiring: Thulin, Albright, Lautzenheiser


Charles Thulin

Chet Albright

Jeanenne Lautzenheiser

> Three Moose International officers, with fully 66 years of service at he adquarters among them, have announced their retirements this spring.

Retiring as of May 10 is Supreme Treasurer Charles Thulin, who came to Moose International as Assistant Comptroller in 1971 and had served as the fraternity’s top finance officer since 1978.

Having already retired, both effective March 8, were Supreme Secretary Chet Albright, who had been a Moose International officer since 1985; and Jeanenne Lautzenheiser, who had served the Women of the Moose since 1990 as Director of Chapter Development and ultimately Director of Finance.

Thulin succeeded retiring Comptroller George Pelton
in 1978. He served as the fraternity’s chief financial officer under that title (later modernized to Controller) until 1995, when a change in the General Laws transformed the office of Supreme Treasurer to a full-time post and Thulin was elected to it.

Thulin joined the Moose at Mitchell, SD Lodge 875 in 1964; he served as Secretary/Manager there and later at Yankton, SD Lodge 1356. Thulin, a member of War Eagle Moose Legion 68 in Iowa, received the Fellowship Degree of Honor in 1968 and the Pilgrim Degree of Merit in 1975. Thulin received a conferral as Past Supreme Governor by acclamation of the Supreme Lodge at the 1999 International Convention.

Albright has been affiliated with the Moose for more than a half-century, beginning with his admission to Mooseheart Child City & School in early 1950 following the untimely death of his mother. He graduated from Mooseheart High School in 1957, joined Batavia, IL Lodge 682 in 1959 and served for 25 years on that Lodge’s Ritual staff—winning the International Ritual Competition with Batavia in 1967 and taking the individual title as Prelate the same year.

A member since 1960 of Mecca Moose Legion 9, Albright received the Fellowship Degree of Honor in 1965 and the Pilgrim Degree of Merit in 1985. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from Aurora (IL) University in 1962, but until 1985 he earned his living with the barbering trade he had learned at Mooseheart. He came to Moose International to succeed the late Wilmer Orr as Director of Ritual & Sports in 1985; in 1998 he became Director of the Moose Legion as well. In 1999, he succeeded Donald Ross as Supreme Secretary and Director of Fraternal Operations.

Lautzenheiser, a native of Van Wert County, Ohio, joined Van Wert Chapter 6 of the Women of the Moose in 1967. She attained the Academy of Friendship Degree in 1970, the College of Regents Degree in 1973 and the Star Recorder Degree in 1974. She served as Deputy Grand Regent for Ohio in 1976-77, then was appointed to the International Academy of Friendship Board for 1978 through 1980; she served as that Board’s Dean during the 1987-88 Moose year.

Lautzenheiser was recruited by then-Grand Chancellor Vivian Borom to come to Women of the Moose headquarters as Director of Chapter Development in 1990; Grand Chancellor Tonie Ewoldt appointed her Director of Finance in January 1999.

Lautzenheiser and her late husband Dale are the parents of an adult son who lives in Atlanta; she has relocated to the Atlanta area to be near him.



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Please click on any photograph below to view a larger image.



Thomas P. Conway
Vice President, Business Operations




Kurt T. Wiebe
Vice President, Fraternal Operations




Kurt J. Wolbrink
Vice President/COO, Moose Charities