Rick Witte

Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
The earliest photo of my wife, Laura, and I was our first communion at St. James Church in second grade. Clearly we met pretty early in our lives, but only really crossed paths every once in a while. It wasn’t until senior year at Mukwonago High School I worked up the courage to ask her to a movie.We started dating then in 2000, went to college together, married after we graduated and started having children soon thereafter. We now have five kids: Leah, Evelyn, Ruby, Ricky and Wesley. Our experience with our children has been the most challenging, and therefore the most rewarding, part of our lives.

Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
My first job was at Crossroads Pizza in Mukwonago. Amazing job! Loved every second of serving pizza to people. I was exposed to so many different types of people. Having to interact with so many different people at that young age was a great experience. Serving pizza only lasted while in high school. I quickly transitioned to serving people. While attending UW-Whitewater I became an RA my second year and stayed in that role until I graduated. That role transitioned into an Assistant Hall Director role at UWW while attending UW-Madison for my masters degree in Leadership. That time at UW-Whitewater was amazing for Laura and me. I learned from so many great people along the way and the university environment is second to none. After getting my masters I was hired as a teacher at Arrowhead High School (AHS). I know, I know…my childhood rival. I remember joking with my wife “ha, Arrowhead has an opening…should I apply?” We laughed and joked about it but I eventually did apply, interviewed and got hired. I worked with amazing people at AHS and absolutely loved the students with whom I got to work. Now I am back home teaching in Mukwonago. My entire family is here. There is no place on earth I’d rather be right now. What do I love most about what I do?…Using my story to help others find value in their own. I have never felt more prepared to do just that in my life. THIS PLACE RAISED ME. I’M HERE TO WORK MY ASS OFF AND GIVE IT ALL, AND THEN SOME, BACK.

Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Fork in the Road…period. T does such a great job running that place.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
My mom and dad moved us here in 1984. I grew up in Mukwonago. We built a home right off the swamp overlooking the Mukwonago River. My dad called this his heaven. He could walk out our back door and hunt/fish whenever he wanted. I still remember his shotgun blasts waking us up during duck season. I moved away for a bit while getting my undergrad and grad degrees…but I feel I never really completely left.

Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
My mom. She has been teaching in this community for a long time. I think she is the most experienced teacher in the district, and that’s saying a lot right now in Education. We have lost so much experience lately. Not only does she have experience, she still has tremendous passion for what she does. I am finally learning how to listen to my mom and, man, she is great at what she does.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
I’d shove one of our canoes in the back of one of our old suburbans and get on the Mukwonago River to get some fishing in with someone who wanted to go.

Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
Movie..Inception. TV Shows…Seinfeld or The Office.

Q: What advice would you give to people?
Don’t take my advice.I might have thoughts on a topic. You may, or may not, find some value in those thoughts. But I have learned over time that I don’t have any advice for anyone else.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Enjoy what I’m doing right now.

Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
Dave Matthews Band

Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
I’ve got a lot to say here. I’ll start with the old Greenwald Shopping Center. I remember going grocery shopping with my mom at the old Sentry. Next to that a Video/Game Rental place opened up and I remember going there with my sister and brother to rent movies and video games. I’ve already spoken about my time at Crossroads Pizza, also located in this area. Some of my fondest memories, however, live in the space on the other side of the center in a place that used to be called JTs Gym. When I was a student at Park View Middle School and the summer before High School a couple friends and I would ride our bikes to JTs. We fell in love with the weight room at that place. The owner, Joel, was a huge influence in my life. We’d walk in and that dude would put what seemed at the time every weight in the place on a bar…and lift it! In between sets, he’d walk over by us and help us out. He made us feel like we belonged. I still see him riding his motorcycle around Mukwonago and I make every effort to thank him for being such a cool part of my life. I also have to mention Skate Connection, the old skating rink located at what is now Accent on Dance. I attended Section Elementary School (during the great Roger Dickert era) and Skate Connection used to host skating parties for the local schools. I’d wake up on those mornings all jacked up. Just couldn’t wait to get over to the skating rink, go fast, hang out while loud music played and lights flashed. Everyone loved getting over to that place. I mentioned Section…another place that brings the past and present together for me. I was so competitive, and this place brought it out of me everywhere. From student/staff basketball games, to tether ball at recess to marbles under the old oak tree…I wanted to win at everything. A couple other places that bring it all back for me are St. James Church and Big Bend. My mom started her teaching career in this area at St. James. I attended CCD classes with my friends there. But what I remember most were the dances on Friday nights. They used to host dances in the gym and all my friends and I would go to see if we couldn’t figure out whichever girls we were chasing that week. My mom then moved to Big Bend Elementary (Bob Brueggemann era). I would spend so much time at that school growing up. Playing basketball in the gym, roller skating down those ramps in the hallway and walking over to the gas station across the street to buy slushies. As you can see, this place has been good to my family and I. My turn to give back.

Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
At this moment in my life, Sean McNulty. That man has served this community for quite some time. Wisdom grows exponentially as time passes. There is really no rush when it comes to being really, really good in our line of work. The amount of experience we’ve lost in the past ten years is detrimental in Education, and I think we’re feeling a bit of that right now. Sean is still here. Spend 10 minutes with him and you will find out how much he cares about Mukwonago Schools and, more specifically, the people in those schools. In my short time here I have had a few short conversations with him. Each time I walk away a better human, and better prepared to serve the community. He is our leader for one more year, so lunch would be a cool opportunity. I’m not sure where we’d go.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
The hard-working mentality we have. These kids work, and work hard. They’re fighters.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
No idea. I know I’m about to make dinner for my wife and that’s about all I know.

Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I love music. I love playing both piano and guitar.

Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Any place where one of my kids is doing something they truly love and I happen to be there to witness that moment.

Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
October; Halloween; October 13th

Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
My wife Laura. Love can save a life. Kind of like water when we need it most. It is different for all of us. I know for a fact she is the definition of love in my life, and this is comforting like nothing else.

Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My son Ricky was born with severe low muscle tone and this makes him dependent on us for almost everything. He is seven years old now and still undiagnosed, so we’re not sure why. He has yet to say a single word to me, but he has taught me more about life than anyone else around…and it is not even close.

Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
My garden, a storm on the way, great food surrounded by great people.

Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Good to be back.