Amerequip nets award for child advocacy

Amerequip, a Kiel-based designer and manufacturer of custom equipment for the lawn, landscape, agricultural, construction and industrial markets, will receive the first-ever Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators "Bert Grover Child Advocacy Award — Business." The business award was created to acknowledge the exceptional business and educational partnerships throughout Wisconsin.

Amerequip is being recognized for its development and launch of Teaming for a Brighter Tomorrow, a collaborative initiative involving the Kiel and New Holstein school districts as well as businesses, community members and local governments. Teaming for a Brighter Tomorrow provides support for a comprehensive network of programs to give the youth in the communities a chance to succeed.

“Today’s youth face so many challenges,” said Amerequip President/CEO Mike VanderZanden. “I wanted to do something, to work with the schools to ensure all youth in the two communities where Amerequip has facilities are successful in school and in life."

Amerequip was nominated for the award by New Holstein Superintendent Dan Nett, who said: “Amerequip, and its CEO Mike VanderZanden, exhibited the kind of leadership that really stands out. Mike cares about our communities. He wanted to know what was needed to help students succeed and then went about putting together an initiative that will have a long-lasting, positive impact by bringing everyone to the table. We cannot thank him enough. The award is well deserved. “

The Bert Grover Child Advocacy Award for Business will be presented during WASDA’s Annual Education Conference May 11 at the Concourse Hotel in Madison