Dan Manning
Executive Director

Dan Manning, a graduate of the United States Military Academy, has been the Executive Director of Salute the Troops since it was founded in April, 2012. After eight years of serving our nation in the Army, Dan left the military but continued his public service through non-profit and volunteer work, most recently by co-founding Salute the Troops in Fond du Lac, WI. He has an MBA from the University of Phoenix and is currently enrolled at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville, where is he working on a Masters of Science in Engineering Management. Dan is a Manufacturing Engineer at MAG - Giddings and Lewis in Fond du Lac, WI where he chairs the Holiday Harvest Committee and the Military Appreciation Committee. Dan was also recently elected to the Board of Directors for Equality Wisconsin.



Contact Dan

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Tony Phillips
Vice President

Graduating from Stoughton High School in 2002, Tony joined the Army and attended basic and Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Benning, GA from 2002-2003. After training, Tony was assigned to A Co, 2/87th Infantry Regiment in Ft. Drum, NY. During his time there, Tony spent time in multiple combat zones from 2003-2004. 

In 2008 Tony found himself weighing 325 pounds. With a daughter on the way, Tony found inspiration and recommitted himself to a healthy life and now weighs 180 pounds. In 2009, Tony began racing 5K’s and half marathons, completing his first marathon in 2010. In 2011, he ran 12 marathons.

Tony joined Salute the Troops to help provide resources to veterans struggling with financial and medical hardship; to help fulfill the promise we made as a nation that our veterans will not be forgotten and that they will not go hungry, homeless, or unemployed. This is the mission of Salute the Troops, and Tony is dedicated to seeing that through.
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Stephanie Barbuch
Treasurer

Stephanie Barbuch is a May 2012 graduate of Moraine Park Technical College with an Associates Degree in Accounting. She is continuing her education at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac where she is currently pursuing an Associates degree in Administration.  Having served five years in the U.S. Army as an Administrative Assistant, Stephanie is right at home in these fields of work. With her background in accounting, Stephanie joined the Board of Directors for Salute the Troops in July 2012 as the Treasurer.













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Chrissy Tank
Secretary

Chrissy graduated from Marian College with a Bachelors of Business Administration, where she majored in Human Resources Management with a minor in Organizational Communications.

Chrissy works in HR for ResCare HomeCare in Oshkosh WI as the Office Manager.

Chrissy joined MAG-IAS, LLC in 2011 to July 2012- (formerly Giddings and Lewis)-A global machine tool company with operations in all major markets and regions as a Corporate Human Resources Assistant. Chrissy got started in Salute the Troops at MAG by joining their Military Appreciation Committee. She wanted to volunteer and dedicate herself to supporting the veterans that have sacrificed so much for our freedoms.

Prior to MAG-IAS, LLC Chrissy worked for two of the oldest, largest, and most-recognized brands of baby and children’s apparel in the U. S. Oshkosh B’Gosh Inc. and William C. Carters. Chrissy worked 24 plus years, starting in Manufacturing as a Machine Operator/Training Instructor and working her way up to a dual position of Associate Technical Designer II/Product Specialist.

Chrissy is married and enjoys spending long rides on their Gold Wing, Sturgeon Spearing, fishing, hunting and spending time with family.

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Kristine Kiesow
Site/Activities Director

Kristine Kiesow  is the Senior Human Resources Coordinator at MAG (formerly Giddings and Lewis)Fond du Lac.

Kris began her career with MAG on May 18, 1981. Kris and her husband Dan reside in Brandon, WI and have two children (Nathan and Lindsay) and one grandchild (Isaac).  Kris has been a part of Salute the Troops from the beginning and has gladly taken on the challenge of planning and coordinating all events outside of the run to ensure an amazing day for all participants. Kris enjoys spending time with her family, boating and signing Karaoke in her spare time.











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Vicky Melius
Race Director

Starting as an Assembly Apprentice at MAG – Giddings and Lewis in Fond du Lac, WI in 2011, Vicky has a busy schedule with work and as a student at Fox Valley Technical College. But that does not get in the way of her community involvement.  Vicky has been a leader with the Boy Scouts of America for 11 years and Committee Chair of Troop 702 for the past 7 years. In addition to that, she is the Vice President of the Green Thumb Garden Club.  As a veteran of the U.S. Navy, Vicky knows what it means to make sacrifices in service to your nation, so she did not hesitate to lend a hand in forming Salute the Troops when it was founded in April 2012. Vicky initially served as Volunteer Director for the 1st Annual Salute the Troops 5k and is now serving as Race Director.    

Vicky enjoys spending time with her kids and her scouts, exercising, gardening, hiking, and helping others.
Contact Vicky

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Richard is a retired US Navy veteran with 23 years of dedicated service, including 16 years as a nuclear submarine officer and 7 years as an aviation hydraulics mechanic in the US Marines.  After retiring in 2005, he works in the energy field as an engineer, trainer, and manager.  He initiated, developed and led the energy departments for Mercury Marine, and currently works as the corporate energy manager for Briggs & Stratton in Wauwatosa. He was recognized as the International Energy Manager of the Year for 2011 by the Association of Energy Engineers.

Richard is active in the community as a Church leader, Boy Scout leader on the Ledge to Lakes, District Council, and Troop 709 committee, an active member of the Fond du Lac chapter of the Marine Corps League, and he co-founded the Wisconsin Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers in 2007.  He is currently serving as the Regional Vice President serving 8 states.

Richard holds a Masters degree in Operations Research, and a Bachelors in Nuclear Engineering and another Bachelors in Aviation Management.  Richard lives in Fond du Lac with his wife Sonia and family.











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Jason Burns
Board of Directors

Jason’s political involvement began at the age of 16 when volunteered on my first political campaign.  Since then he has involved himself in every election cycle.  Growing up in northern Michigan in a small tourist town on the shores of Lake Michigan was enjoyable, but also presented significant challenges.  When you start to question your own sexual orientation, and live in a city whose values you do not share, it is not easy.  His struggle would continue when he chose to attend Hope College in Holland, Michigan.  Hope is affiliated with the Reformed Church of America, and for most of his college career the college’s stance on homosexuality was “love the sinner; hate the sin.”  This stance forced students, including himself, to remain ‘in the closet.’  Near the end of his freshman year he came out, and began to work with the school to create a Gay-Straight Alliance.

After graduating from college Jason relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.   There he worked as an openly gay police office for the next 4 years.  During this time he found that he was able to effectively do his job, and to change the hearts and minds of those he worked with on their attitudes towards the LGBT community.  After leaving the police force, and the job he loved, he knew he would need to find ways to stay connected to the community.  Over the next two years Jason would manage two different political campaigns and work as the Major Gifts Officer / Director of Development for The Pride Center, one of the nation’s largest LGBT Community Centers.

After 6 years in Florida, Jason and his husband (Nathan) began feeling a little homesick for the Midwest. They had been looking for opportunities to return to the Midwest, and Equality Wisconsin seemed to be the opportunity they were looking for.  After applying for the position and navigating the extensive interview process Jason was thrilled to become the organizations Executive Director in February of 2012.

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Ed Barnes
Board of Directors

coming soon











Contact Ed

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