Distinguished Alumni award 2005
2005 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient
Richard A Walz
1973, Wood Technics
President and CEO WalzCraft Industries, Inc.
A farm boy from southwestern Wisconsin, Dick Walz is now a major corporate leader in western Wisconsin. A 1973 graduate of the Wood Technics program, Dick started his own construction company after graduation, Builder's Unlimited, which he operated until 1985. WalzCraft Industries was started in 1982 as Cabinet Factory, Inc. in a small pole building on Brice Prairie, an area just north of La Crosse. Now, WalzCraft Industries has a 340,000 square foot facility in La Crosse's north side Industrial Park, and employs 380 people, many of whom are Western grads. The facility also hosted Vice President Dick Cheney in August 2004.
Dick's dedication to the college extends beyond employing its graduates. He credits much of his success to the education he received and feels that at this point in his life it's important to give back to the college in appreciation for the positive impact it had on his life. He has contributed in-kind materials and products to the Wood Tech program and provided major donations to the Foundation, including the WalzCraft Industries Endowed Scholarship Fund. He also provides internship opportunities and part-time employment to our students, always scheduling their work hours around their classes.
