AEDC Board & Officers

Paul Shafer, Executive Director

Paul has been Executive Director of the AEDC since March of 2011. Paul is a retired Plant Manager of a local food production plant employing 150 people and doing 100+ million pounds of product annually. Paul has lived in Amery since 1984. More About Paul
Paul Schafer

Tom Bensen, AEDC President

Tom Bensen has been a member of the AEDC board since 2009 and was elected President in December 2017. Tom is currently the principal at Amery Middle School and has worked in this position since 1999.
Phone: 715-268-9771 Ext 303, Email Tom Bensen

Tom Benson

Debra Rudquist, AEDC Vice President


Debra Rudquist joined the AEDC in 2018.  She is the CEO of Amery Hospital & Clinic which is the largest employer in the Amery community with 420 employees.  Deb grew up in Taylors Falls, MN and moved to the Amery area in 2015 after taking the CEO position at the Amery Hospital & Clinic.  She has strong ties to the area with parents who were longtime residents of Garfield Township and two sisters who live in the area.  Prior to her position at Amery Hospital & Clinic, Deb was a healthcare leader for 19 years at Allina and 5 years at Fairview.
Deb Rudquist

Matt Johnson, AEDC Secretary

Matt Johnson has served on the AEDC Board of Directors since its inception in 2008. He served as vice president from 2008-2011 and was elected secretary in 2011. Matt is a pharmacist and has owned Chet Johnson Drug in downtown Amery since April, 2000. Matt was born in Amery and has lived here his entire life.

Phone: 715-268-8121, Email Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson

Scott Jensen, AEDC Treasurer

Scott Jensen has served on the AEDC Board since its inception in 2008.  Scott is the President and General Manager of Northwest Communications where he has worked since 1999.  Scott was born in Amery and has lived here all his life.

Phone: 715-268-6066, Email Scott Jensen
Jensen

Kelly Boucher, Director
Kelly Boucher became a member of the AEDC Board of Directors in June of 2018.  Kelly manages the medical assembly department at SMC in Amery. Kelly and her family moved to Amery in 2011.

Kelly Boucher

Ed Flanum, Director 


Ed Flanum was elected to the AEDC Board of Directors in 2017. Ed is a Land Surveyor and the owner of Northland Surveying, Inc., which he started in August of 2000. Ed was born in Amery and has lived here the majority of his life.
Phone: 715-268-2454, Email Ed Flanum
AEDC PHOTO

Jim Richison, Director 
Jim Richison was elected to the AEDC board of directors in 2017. Jim and his family moved to the Amery area in 2009 and both of his sons are graduates of Amery High School. 

Jim Richison

Patty Bjorklund, Director 

Patty is a member of the AEDC representing the City of Amery.  Patty is currently the Administrator for the City of Amery.  She has been employed by the City of Amery since 2019.  Patty currently is very involved in the economic as well as commercial and residential development for the city.  She is working toward the goals of the city which involve growth and sustainability of the city through progress.  

Patty

Mark Tryggestad, Director

Mark was elected to the AEDC Board in 2014.  He is a retired pharmacist who was the Director of Pharmacy and Lean Flow Facilitator for the Amery Hospital and Clinic.  A longtime resident of Amery, Mark is currently treasurer of the Lake Wapo/Bear Trap Sanitary District.


Mark Tryggestad

Ed White, Director

Ed White was first elected to the board during its inception in 2008 and then after taking some time off was reelected in 2013. Ed is the owner of Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Services and Stems from the Heart Floral and Gifts.
Ed White

Jason Whitley, Director

Jason Whitley lives in Amery, Wisconsin with his wife, Chelsea, and four children. He is an alum of the Amery Public Schools - class of ‘89. He began his legal practice in 1996 and has been practicing in Western Wisconsin since that time. Jason is a partner in the Law Firm of Novitzke, Gust, Sempf, Whitley and Bergmanis.
Jason Whitley