Question 1

President -- Keith Nikolay, P.E.

Question 2

President Elect -- John Brome, P.E.

Accepted Answer

OOriginally from Chicago, graduated from the Milwaukee School Of Engineering with a BSEE. Worked for 37 years in new product development of electronic control systems for the automotive, construction machinery, machine tools, coin sorting, conveyor lubrication and agricultural machinery industries and acquired 14 patents. Retired in 2009, joined NSPE-WI in 2014 and have been SW Chapter president from 2016-2020, the SW Chapter MATHCOUNTS Coordinator 2017-2021 and helped orchestrate the NSPE-WI Discovery Conferences 2019-2022. John and his wife Nancy currently own and manage a successful rental property business with rental units in three southern Wisconsin counties and are regular attending members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School in Janesville. John and his wife have 3 children from a previous marriage and 5 grandchildren. John enjoys sailing, golf, camping and designing/building electronics projects.

Question 3

Past President -- Fred Groth, P.E.

Question 4

Secretary -- Colleen Scholl, P.E.

Question 5

Treasurer -- Elizabeth Regier

Question 6

State Delegate -- Fred Groth, P.E.

Question 7

Vice-President Membership -- Norman Arendt, PhD, FFL

Accepted Answer

Norm Arendt, PhD, CFII, CMAS
Southwest Wisconsin Chapter
normarendt@gmail.com
Dr. Arendt graduated from Wisconsin State College Platteville in 1970 with BS degrees in Mathematics, Geology and English.  He picked up a PhD in 1997 in Safety engineering from KW University in Thousand Oaks, California.  In 2007 he was named Engineer of the Year by the Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers (WSPE) and has received this honor twice from the Southwest Chapter most recently in 2018. Dr. Arendt was also awarded Engineer of the Year in Education by the Southwest Chapter in 2019.  Currently he serves as the treasurer for the American Society of Safety Professionals and the American Society of Industrial Security Madison area chapters, retired President of Madison Infragard and a vice-president of the WSPE Southwest Chapter.  Dr. Arendt is the Wisconsin Ambassador for the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) and serves on their online learning and webcast subcommittees.   At the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Engineering he serves on the external advisory board for the Center for Human Performance and Risk Analysis (CHPRA) that is chaired by Dean Vicki Bier.  Dr. Arendt also serves on the Engineering, Mathematics and Science Board (EMS) for UW-Platteville with a focus on the mathematics department. 
Dr. Arendt is authorized as an Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) and Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) outreach trainer and a fire service instructor through both ISFSI (both nationally and internationally) and the National Association of Fire Instructors (NAFI).  He is recognized as a Master Anti Terrorist Specialist and routinely teach courses for the Department of Homeland Security. Dr. Arendt has taught safety courses for many municipalities throughout Wisconsin as well as assisting business’ with safety and security issues.  He retired in 2019 as the Plan Reviewer, instructor and fire investigator for the Middleton Fire District and retired previously as a lieutenant and EMS Director for the Shorewood Hills Fire Department after serving on that department since 1979.

Recently Dr. Arendt became a Certified Expert in Cyber Investigations through the McAfee Institute.

Question 8

Vice-President Education-- Phil O'Leary

Question 9

Vice-President Government Affairs Portfolio -- Glen R. Schwalbach, P.E., F.NSPE

Accepted Answer

PROBITY Consulting, LLC
1090 Moonriver Drive
De Pere, WI 54115
(920) 532-6330
glenschwalbach@netzero.com
GovtVP@wspe.org

EDUCATION:
University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1968, B.S.-Mechanical Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 1976, Masters in Business Administration
 
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Energy consultant—Energy planning, wind energy advisory, project development, safety assessments, accident investigation, and business strategic investment growth, expertise on 2006-present.
President and owner of Probity Consulting, LLC.
Business consultant for an investment advisory firm, 2009-present.
Town board member for Town of Rockland, Brown County, April, 2009-present.
Member of Planning Commission for Town of Rockland, 2007-present.
Peer reviewer for U.S. Dept of Energy for wind project proposals in 2009 and for workforce training proposals for the Smart Grid in 2010.
Expert witness at hearings for Wisconsin's Global Warming Task Force.
Witness at five legislative hearings regarding Wisconsin's wind siting, renewables portfolio and energy jobs, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Lead developer and negotiator for a new gas interstate pipeline extension to northeastern Wisconsin, 2004-2006.
Delegate for the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), 2005-2009. Past NSPE Board member, 1991-2000 and 2003-2005. Named NSPE Fellow, 2006. Officer positions or board member for Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers (WSPE), 1988-present.
Liaison to the Wisconsin Dept of Regulation and Licensing-Engineering Section, 2007-present. Led WSPE efforts to require Professional Engineering exams for all licensure applicants, 2008-2010.
Past chair and vice chair positions for the American Gas Association’s (AGA) Managing Committee for the Operating Section, 2000-2003.
Active member on AGA technical committees, 1976-2000.
Member of the Transmission and Distribution Task Force for the National Petroleum Council commissioned by the U.S. Secretary of Energy. Deliverable was a five-volume natural gas study for U.S. energy strategy, 2002-2003.
Past Chair of Wisconsin Distributors’ Group, 1992-1993 and member, 1990-2006.
Representative of utilities for the Wisconsin Division of Energy’s Winter Fuels Planning Committee, 1993-2006.
Program planner for U.S. Dept of Homeland Security Workshop, 2002.
Member of a six-person gas expert team commissioned by the U.S. Dept of Energy to provide a ten-day training program in Indonesia with Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Don Santa, 1996.
Task Force member with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Public Utilities Institute exploring de-regulation in Wisconsin, 1995-1996.
 
LICENSURE: Registered Professional Engineer, State of Wisconsin since 1973, License # 13741-006.
 
EXPERIENCE:
Thirty-eight years of continuous work in gas and energy industry. From 1989 to 1996-executive leadership responsibility for gas engineering of all corporate gas transmission, distribution and gate station facilities. Responsibilities also included oversight of gas supply procurement, gas transportation contracting, gas quality and gas utilization and efficiency activities. Direct responsibility for input into federal regulation of gas pipelines, both for market activities and safety of design and operations.
Founded of an energy marketing subsidiary in 1993 and served as its COO from 1994-1995. That subsidiary became WPS Energy Services which contributed significantly to WPS Resources’ (now Integrys Energy Group) earnings.
Lead project to assess international initiatives though personal meetings with key contacts such as Robert Gates, current U.S. secretary of defense, Israel’s director of national security, and Indonesia’s deputy of the ministry of mines and energy.
Managed of a project to construct a compressed natural gas fueling station and converted 30 gasoline fleet vehicles to natural gas.
From 1996 to 2006-served as assistant vice-president-corporate planning for WPSC’s holding company, WPS Resources Corp. Responsible for corporate energy asset development. Actively interacted with the U.S. Office of Pipeline Safety, the National Transportation Safety Board, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Congress. Provided testimony for regulatory hearings at the state and federal levels. Participated on a Homeland Security task force.
Conducted operational due diligence on two possible mergers of utilities and one acquisition. Led integration of people and processes on latter.
Participated on the National Electric Service Reliability project for gas turbine generators representing the American Gas Association.
Trained Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff on reliability of electricity generators utilizing the U.S. natural gas pipeline grid.
Participated of the Natural Gas Quality Task Force to address reliability of gas transmission and distribution for all end-users including gas-fired electric generation in the U.S.
In 2003-coordinated due diligence, led negotiations and closed acquisition of one-third partnership interest of Guardian I Pipeline for $26 million. Served on Guardian’s management committee until Guardian’s governance stabilized.

Question 10

Vice-President Technology -- John Mika, P.E.

Accepted Answer

John graduated from UW–Platteville in 2014 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and in 2021 with a M.S. in Engineering. John’s engineering experience first started at Wisconsin Public Services (WPS) as an Associate Controls Engineer and working at a power plant. In 2016, he changed industries and joined Johnsonville Sausage as a Controls Engineer. In 2022, John became the Automation Controls Engineering Coordinator at Johnsonville. His current responsibilities include leading a team of controls engineers that are responsible for the robotics strategy, designing and installing automation equipment, production cybersecurity, and supporting maintenance teams. In 2020, John became a registered professional engineer in Wisconsin and joined NSPE.

Question 11

Young Engineer Representative -- Elizabeth Regier

2025-2026 NSPE-WI Officers
(Elected Annually)

President -- Keith Nikolay, P.E.

President Elect -- John Brome, P.E.

Past President -- Fred Groth, P.E.

Secretary -- Colleen Scholl, P.E.

Treasurer -- Elizabeth Regier

State Delegate -- Fred Groth, P.E.

Vice-President Membership -- Norman Arendt, PhD, FFL

Vice-President Education-- Phil O'Leary

Vice-President Government Affairs Portfolio -- Glen R. Schwalbach, P.E., F.NSPE

Vice-President Technology -- John Mika, P.E.

Young Engineer Representative -- Elizabeth Regier

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

2025-2026 NSPE-WI Officers (Elected Annually)

President -- Keith Nikolay, P.E.

President Elect -- John Brome, P.E.

Past President -- Fred Groth, P.E.

Secretary -- Colleen Scholl, P.E.

Treasurer -- Elizabeth Regier

State Delegate -- Fred Groth, P.E.

Vice-President Membership -- Norman Arendt, PhD, FFL

Vice-President Education-- Phil O'Leary

Vice-President Government Affairs Portfolio -- Glen R. Schwalbach, P.E., F.NSPE

Vice-President Technology -- John Mika, P.E.

Young Engineer Representative -- Elizabeth Regier

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

2025-2026 NSPE-WI Officers
(Elected Annually)