UW-Whitewater Foundation announces new Board Directors for 2026-27

Three University of Wisconsin-Whitewater graduates and seasoned professionals with more than 75 years of combined experience in business will join the UW-Whitewater Foundation, Inc., as Board Directors starting July 1, 2026.

Danielle Bly ‘00, a vice president at WEC Energy Group, Lynn Gardinier ‘90, a principal and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with Baker Tilly, and Dave Holterman ‘97, president of First Community Bank in Milton, will begin their terms on the Foundation Board this summer.

“We are incredibly honored to welcome Danielle, Lynn, and Dave as UW-Whitewater Foundation Board Directors,” said Katie Kuznacic, president of the UW-Whitewater Foundation. “Each of these distinguished Warhawks brings a wealth of leadership experience and a deep-seated passion for the university. Their willingness to serve their alma mater is a testament to the lasting bond between our graduates and the university.

“As we look toward the future, their collective insights will be instrumental to enhance our mission to support student success and to ensure that UW-Whitewater remains both a premier destination for higher education and a vital engine for the region’s prosperity.”

Founded in 1962, the UW-Whitewater Foundation benefits the university and its alumni, students, faculty, and staff. The dedicated Foundation team drives long-term university support through strategic engagement and impactful giving, supporting UW-Whitewater’s transformative programs that facilitate student success. Using a collaborative, results-driven approach, the Foundation works closely with donors, philanthropists, and stakeholders to fulfill aspirations and legacies for the good of the university.

The Foundation is currently in the midst of a $50 million+ campaign — Our Stories. Our Future. — to support UW-Whitewater’s present and build for its future. 

Danielle Bly

Bly has worked at WEC Energy Group, one of the largest electric generation and distribution and natural gas holding companies in the nation, for 25 years. In her role as Vice President, Supplier Diversity — which she has served in since 2020 — Bly is responsible for fostering corporate relationships with suppliers, contractors, area businesses, and local government. Her team has regularly exceeded strategic targets, reaching a high of $333 million in supplier diversity spend in 2023.

Bly also serves on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Public Service Foundation, the We Energies Foundation, the Greater Milwaukee Urban League, Black Arts MKE, Pius XI Catholic High School, and Stella’s Playground. She previously served on the Boards of Professional Dimensions and Danceworks, Inc.

A proud member of TEMPO Milwaukee, the Milwaukee (WI) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, and Jack & Jill of America, Incorporated, Bly was named one of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Black Leaders in 2021 and was recognized among the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Women of Influence in 2014. She also earned the PowHer Network Bridge Build-Her Award, the Trailblazer in Women’s Leadership Award, and, most recently, the TEMPO Milwaukee Mentor Award.

Bly earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from UW-Whitewater in human resource management in 2000. She and her husband, Ramel, have two children.

Lynn Gardinier

Gardinier has more than 30 years of experience working primarily with manufacturing and distribution companies and their owners on both the audit and tax side. 

A team member at Baker Tilly since 1991, she is a Principal and CPA with the accounting firm, serving as the Janesville office market leader and a people leader for Wisconsin. As market leader, Gardinier is responsible for driving growth and company partnerships across Rock County and its surrounding areas. As people leader, she oversees assurance professionals in the Janesville and Milwaukee offices.

Gardinier currently serves on the boards of Forward Foundation and Cedar Crest and is a member of the UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics Advisory Board. She is treasurer of the Walworth County Fair Foundation and a member of the finance committee for St. Teresa of Calcutta Pastorate. She was previously a Board Director with United Way Blackhawk Region, the American Red Cross, Forward Janesville, and the Janesville Performing Arts Center.

Gardinier graduated from UW-Whitewater with a BBA in accounting in 1990. She and her husband, Smokey, have two children who are UWW graduates and four grandchildren. 

Dave Holterman

Holterman began his nearly 30-year banking career during his final semester as an undergraduate at UW-Whitewater. He currently works as president of First Community Bank in Milton, where he leads strategic efforts to drive sustainable growth and long-term success for the organization. He oversees initiatives that ensure regulatory excellence, foster meaningful career development opportunities for staff, and deliver exceptional value and service to clients.

An active community leader who is dedicated to supporting education, economic development, and community enrichment. Holterman previously served on the Milton School Board for 4 years and currently serves on the Advisory Board for UW-Whitewater at Rock County, as a Board Director for Forward Janesville, as a committee member at the Children’s Museum of Rock County, and as President of the Foundation at Blackhawk Technical College.

Holterman attended UW-Whitewater at Rock County in 1994 and later graduated with a BBA in finance from the Whitewater campus in 1997. One of his children, Samantha, is also a UWW graduate. Holterman and his wife, Jonette, are proud residents of southern Wisconsin.