About Our Board
545 Foundation is led by a volunteer board of year-round and seasonal residents who share a love for Manitowish Waters.
Tom Ahonen grew up in Ironwood, Michigan, in his family’s logging and lumber business, and earned a finance degree from Northern Michigan University. Over a 45-year career, he held consulting and leadership roles at Coopers & Lybrand, Kimberly-Clark and Platinum Group, then co-founded an investment group that helps families transition their businesses while honoring their legacy. Manitowish Waters has been his playground since his dad bought a place on Rest Lake in 1984, and today Tom shares it with Pat, his wife of more than 45 years, and Maisie the wonder dog. In semi-retirement, he has poured his energy into the community he loves, serving on the town’s Airport Committee since 2017 and on the building committee for the town hall, library and fire hall expansion.
President & TreasurerTom Ahonen
Laurel Tschurwald retired from Harley-Davidson in 2010 after 32 years, where she ran a subsidiary that built dealer management systems and later directed corporate IT software. She and her husband, Darrell, found Manitowish Waters almost by accident in 2005, when a realty office with its open light on caught their eye on the drive home. Since joining the Foundation in 2018, she has brought technology and social media know-how to its members. She still loves anything with gas and oil, now on three wheels.
Vice President & SecretaryLaurel Tschurwald
Patti Luckow grew up in the Town of Pickett, Wisconsin, watching her dad volunteer to shape their community, and later carried on his legacy as president of the Pickett Community Board. She retired from Kimberly-Clark in 2019 after leadership roles in forecasting, planning and procurement. Patti and her husband, Gary, have had a place on the Manitowish Waters Chain for more than 13 years and love sharing its four seasons with family and friends. She brings that same spirit of service to the 545 Foundation.
Vice PresidentPatti Luckow
Kristin Beischel
Kristin Beischel joined the board in 2026 to lead the Foundation’s marketing. Her career in marketing and advertising spans two decades with large national brands, including time as a chief marketing officer. She now runs her own marketing consulting business and writes Northwoods Table, a digital publication about food, home and lake living in northern Wisconsin. She has lived on Rest Lake since 2019, and she and her husband, Jeremy, run a painting and design business in Manitowish Waters. As part of the next generation of full-time residents, she is deeply committed to investing in this town and helping it thrive for years to come.
Director
Juli Coffey
Juli Coffey is a retired elementary teacher who is dedicated to strengthening community connections through volunteering. She started coming to MW in 1962 when her parents bought an old resort and then made it her home base in 2023. Juli loves an active lifestyle, and you will typically find her on the pickleball court, gardening or enjoying life on the lake. She believes MW is the perfect place to call home.
Director
Cindy Giesen
DirectorCindy Giesen retired in 2013 as a senior vice president at Kohl’s Department Stores after more than 30 years in corporate retail. She grew up in the Madison area spending time at her grandparents’ resort on Pelican Lake, and her husband, Tom, is from Superior, so Up North has always been at the center of their lives. They have had a place in Manitowish Waters since 2012 and moved here full-time from the Milwaukee area in 2021, and they love biking, hiking, boating, golf and snowshoeing here with their three sons and their families. On the board, Cindy brings her leadership experience to help preserve and support this beautiful, vibrant community.
John Langowski
John Langowski grew up in Cudahy, Wisconsin, visited the Northwoods throughout his childhood, and moved to Manitowish Waters full-time in 2020. He retired from the flexible packaging industry after serving as a production, quality and plant manager, and now puts those organizational skills to work as a volunteer, including leading the Adopt-A-Highway cleanups. When he isn’t helping out around town, you’ll find him on the pontoon, fishing, by a campfire with a glass of bourbon or on the snowmobile trails.
DirectorBill Vogel
Bill Vogel grew up on a dairy farm in Jackson, Wisconsin, dreaming of a log home on a northern lake. That dream came true in 2007, and he and his wife, Joyce, now live in Manitowish Waters full-time. Bill remains active in the family business alongside his sons and has long been involved in service groups, including Green Care for Troops, which provides free lawn care for the families of deployed service members. Away from work, he enjoys traveling by motor home, biking, snowboarding, flying and driving the UTV.
DirectorInterested in serving?
We're always glad to hear from neighbors who want to get involved. Contact us.