At its annual meeting on December 10, the Greendale Historical Society has elected seven new members to the Society’s Board of Directors. The board members are William Attewell, Jeff Birmingham, Kathleen Hart, Sara Hackbarth, Kevin Nitka, Ted Mainella, and Stephan Zielinski. The board met Monday, December 17th at the Society’s offices in the Greendale Public Library and elected the following officers: Ted Mainella, President; Stephan Zielinski, Vice-President; Kevin Nitka, Treasurer; Sara Hackbarth, Secretary. Each will serve a two-year term.

The Board of Directors praised all departing board members and especially President Sally Chadwick for her “many years of dedicated leadership of the Greendale Historical Society and devoted concern for the preservation of the unique history of Greendale.” During her tenure, the Society published an illustrated oral history of Greendale that went to two printings. Chadwick also championed the successful designation of Greendale on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Board of Directors, elected at the last general meeting December 10, will direct The Greendale Historical Society’s efforts to readapt the old Fire and Police buildings into The Greendale Community Center and Museum. The Center will house a vibrant, interactive museum featuring many items of historical significance from the original days. The entire story of this successful endeavor will be told. Plans include a replica of a Greendale original home for young and old to experience. “Our plan is to do it right, making the Greendale Community Center and Museum nationally famous”, said newly elected President, Ted Mainella.

The Board will appoint Society members to leadership roles on committees for grant writing, fundraising events, project design, and local membership drive. A letter will be mailed next month to Greendale residents explaining The Greendale Community Center and Museum project and inviting Greendale residents to join the Society.

The society continues to work with Dr. Stephen DeLeers, a consultant to nonprofit organizations and a grant writer. He will continue to assist the Historical Society’s Board of Directors in a number of areas critical to the success of the project. These include board development, organizational structure, membership enhancement, public relations, budgeting, and grant writing.

The Greendale Historical Society is writing a grant to the Economic Development Initiative (EDI). EDI grant funds can be used in projects that involve activities such as property acquisition and rehabilitation of publicly owned property, such as the former fire and police buildings in Greendale.

The Greendale Historical Society’s next meeting is Thursday, January 17th at 6 pm. This will be the first of several “Bring a Friend” open meetings designed to introduce the Society to residents of Greendale. With over one hundred current members, “we want more of our community to learn about and participate in the special history of Greendale,” said the Society’s Events Chair, Barbara Krawczyk.


About the Historical Society Board:

Ted Mainella (President, Board of Directors)
Born in Greendale and went to Greendale schools (private and public) through high school. My parents lived in a Greendale original home. My wife, Mary, was also born in Greendale where her father Tom Hartman owned an appliance store in the Village for 30 years. We rented a Greendale original and later owned one.

I retired in 2002 from the Mukwonago School District where I was the technology coordinator. I have been a member of the Greendale Historical Society for many years. I worked with the Society to edit and publish two editions of “Greendale Remembers” an oral history of Greendale, which sold over 3000 copies.

I earned degrees from UW-Oshkosh (BS-ED) and UW-Milwaukee (MLS). I am currently teaching as an Adjunct Instructor with the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota as a graduate instructor of computers and technology.

I have a commercial pilot’s license with an Instructor’s rating. My wife and I have two children and two grandchildren.

Stephan Zielinski (Vice-President, Board of Directors)
Born in Greendale, my parents graduated from Greendale High School. I moved back to Greendale after being in Minneapolis for 20 years. During my 18-year career as a hairdresser, I served as an assistant styles director for the Minnesota State Cosmetology Association and on the education committee of the National Cosmetology Association.

I also served on the Board of Directors of Direct Aid (a HIV counseling service) and several other charitable fund raising organizations.

I currently am one of the store mangers at Jo Ann’s Fabrics and Crafts in Greenfield. I am happy to be back home and look forward to the challenges of stewardship with the Greendale Historical Society.

Kevin Nitka (Treasurer, Board of Directors)
I was born in Milwaukee and raised in Greenfield (a suburb of Milwaukee). I've been a resident of Greendale since 1993. Married, with one daughter.

Graduate of Lakeland College with a B.A. in Accounting and a Minor in Economics

Professional Experience:
Certified Public Accountant with over 20 years of progressive experience in the financial services industry. Currently Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for a large credit union in the Milwaukee area. Professional affiliations include membership in the American Institute of CPAs, Wisconsin Institute of CPAs, and Financial Executives International.

I joined the Greendale Historical Society because I have a genuine appreciation for history in general and the historical significance of Greendale as one of only three Greenbelt communities in the U.S. In addition, I want to do my part in helping the historical society to continue to work toward readapting the old police and fire buildings into the Greendale Community Center and Museum.

Sara Hackbarth (Secretary, Board of Directors)
I am the Facilities Information Supervisor at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A GIS Certificate and M.S. in Resource Analysis/GIS from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota compliment my B.S. in Environmental Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

After functioning as a Geography/GIS tutor and teacher’s assistant during my college years, I found employment managing GIS projects with a small environmental consulting firm. In fall of 2004, I took my current position with MMSD, where I manage CAD, GIS, one call utility marking, and facilities information related activities

Outside of work, my husband, Staff Sergeant Carl Hackbarth, and I care for our one-year-old son, Keegan. My remaining hours are spent on fixing up our 1930s Greenbelt community home, participating in outdoor activities, and cooking. On a personal note, I enjoy sailing, mountain biking, tennis, and snowboarding.

William Attewell (Board of Directors Member)
Attewell was raised in Greendale and owns and operates a marketing and public relations firm. He has previously served as editor-in-chief of two statewide publications. He lives in his historic Greendale original home and has been active in a number of several community organizations in the metro-area.

Jeff Birmingham (Board of Directors Member)
Past President Greendale Original Neighborhood Association, Past Vice President Greendale Historical Society, Past Board of Directors Greendale Entertainment Association, Present Village Board Member, Present Milwaukee County Firefighter/ Fire instructor, Lead coordinator “Fill The Boot” MDA fundraiser, Honor Guard Milwaukee County Fire Department, Seasonal Manager Crystal Ridge ski hill and Greendale Historian.

Kathleen Kendellen Hart (Board of Directors)
Moved to Arbutus Court in Greendale in 1938. Was in the first kindergarten class. Married at St. Alphonsus in 1955, is the mother of nine and has returned to Greendale and lives on Apple Court.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree from UW Milwaukee in Community Education and the Humanities. She worked for the U. S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development and retired in 1998 as a loan specialist.

She was elected to the Milwaukee School Board in 1981 and served for four years. She has been an advocate for numerous non-profit organizations by being an organizer and volunteer coordinator and has served on the boards of Jobs with Peace, the Mental Health Association, and the Pledge of Resistance. She was the program director for a Home and School Association. She was chairperson of the Human Relations Committee of the Committee of 100.

In 2001 she volunteered with the Mercy Corps in Baltimore for one year as a paralegal with Alternative Directions an organization, which gave support to women coming out of prison.

Currently she is a member of the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Milwaukee County Genealogical Society. She is the State Director of WI-CURE (Citizens United to Rehabilitate Errants).

Brenda Siemers (Steering Committee)
Born and raised in Illinois, Brenda Siemers completed her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at UW Oshkosh in 1999. She is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Anthropology with a certificate in Museum Studies at UW Milwaukee. She has experience interning and working for the Oshkosh Public Museum, Milwaukee Public Museum, and the Campbellsport Historical Society. Brenda enjoys traveling to National Parks and museums across the U.S. and currently resides in Greendale with her husband and daughter.