Meet Heather Gergen
Heather Gergen is a Wisconsin transplant. She moved to Southeast Wisconsin 30 years ago after living in Ohio, New York and California.
While Heather is not originally from Pewaukee, she has definitely made it her home. Heather served for nine years as a trustee on the Village Board in Pewaukee. She has been on the Joint Library Board, Park and Rec Board, Fire Contract Committee and Historic Preservation Board, and is running for Village Board trustee again this April. She believes in the importance of serving her community and helping those less fortunate than herself.
Being an active leader in her children’s activities has always been important to her. “I was a Girl Scout leader for 13 years and the fundraising chair for my son’s Boy Scout troop. Scouting has been an important part of both of our children’s lives. Currently, I am a mentor for my son’s robotics team. I’ve been responsible for making team meals for four years, in addition to, helping with marketing,” says Heather.
Currently, Heather is involved in the Pewaukee-Area Arts Council, the Joint Library Contract Committee and WMAI women’s networking group. “I enjoy connecting people who might be able to help each other or have similar interests. It is important to me to bring people together rather than divide them.”
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I am married and have two children. Our daughter is a sophomore in college and our son is a senior at Pewaukee High School. My husband, John, can be seen walking our little grey miniature schnauzer around the village every morning.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
Using my creative skills on a variety of projects- photography, marketing, volunteering- keeps my mind sharp. I have been a photographer since I was 16 years old and have been operating my photography business in Lake Country since 2010. Working full-time as a marketing strategist at ProHealth Care for almost five years also keeps me busy. Prior to that, I was a founding member of JSOnline.com and worked there as a producer for 14 years along with stints at TasteofHome.com and Kalmbach Publishing.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
There are so many- Good Eats, The Spanish Traveler, Lago Su Bella, Beach House Bistro, Artisan 179, People’s Park.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
We’ve lived in the Village of Pewaukee for 20 years. During that time, we’ve seen the Village experience tremendous growth and redevelopment. The library was constructed, Village Hall took over the old library space, the old Sentry was demolished and eventually replaced with Koepp Park, the schools expanded, new businesses such as Costco and Kwik Trip came to town, Smokey’s was transformed into Laimon Park. All the while the Village has kept its same small-town feel.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
There are so many interesting people in the community. I can’t pick just one. I enjoy talking to people who are part of families who have lived in the community for several years and can tell you about the history of the area. Our former neighbors, the Sampsons, lived on the farm that eventually became part of the school and Steeplechase. Our friends, the Opies, have lived in Pewaukee for years and are always participating in the community. Abby Lorenz tells a fascinating history of Pewaukee Lake on the Park and Rec or PAAC pontoon tours in the summer. Penny Williams used to write a column in the Lake Country Reporter that told the history of the area. And who can forget the kind, local photographer Roy Schnieder who always shared his smile along with his photos of the community. These are just a few of the familiar faces in the community that I have learned from over the years.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
When Harry Met Sally. The West Wing, Outlander, Ted Lasso.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Make memories with friends and family that will last a lifetime. Don’t complain about something without offering a solution to the problem. And I always treasure the quote: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
Duncan’s, the dime store that was across from Pewaukee Beach.
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?
Adam Hamilton. He is a United Methodist pastor who has written several books. During the pandemic, I started watching his sermons and Tuesday night vespers on Facebook Live. It depends on what time of year which restaurant I would pick. In the summer, I would go to a place with a good view of the lake as long as they had lunch hours. In the winter, I would go to Good Eats.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I love that I can go to most of the local businesses and usually run into someone that I know. Pewaukee is such a treasure. It has the feel of a small resort town since it is by the lake, but it has all of the amenities of a larger city with the shopping and public services- and it is all very walkable.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
The world is changing so quickly that I think that’s a very difficult question to answer. As almost empty nesters, at this point, I can only say spending time with family and living on the lake.
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I was a child model for the logo of a popular lawn service company in Ohio called Barefoot Grass.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
Graeter’s ice cream- an Ohio favorite that you can buy at Meijer’s locally. You can’t go wrong with any of the chocolate chip varieties.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My children.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Love. Family. Friends.
