Grafton Chamber honors those who make a difference

By KRISTYN HALBIG ZIEHM

Ozaukee Press staff

A slate of businesspeople and public servants who have “gone above and beyond” will be recognized by the Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce on May 17.

The slate of honorees are people who “have made a difference for our community and our Chamber,” Executive Director Pam King said. “All of them are awesome, and they all do way more than just their jobs in the community.”

Being honored are The 024 Taproom as Outstanding Business, Shawn Grady of Computer Service Specialists as Outstanding Business Person, postal carrier Herb Justman as Outstanding Community Partner and former Grafton School Board member Paul Lorge and former village officials Jim Brunnquell, Tom Krueger and Dave Antoine as Outstanding Public Servants.

The 024 Taproom has been in business more than five years and in that time has become a fixture in the community, offering unique beer tastings, King said.

The taproom has hosted numerous fundraising events, and owners Paul and Liz Alexander have been involved in the community for a long time, King noted.

This year, the taproom will host the fifth annual Beer on the Bridge in June, an event that brings in 30 beer distributors and 300 to 400 people, she said.

And, King noted, the taproom was one of the first businesses in the village to bring in food trucks, creating a unique atmosphere.

“They brought that vibe to our community,” she said.

Shawn Grady, owner of Computer Service Specialists, has been in business for more than 30 years, providing support for businesses large and small, King said.

A Grafton native, Grady has also been a longtime community volunteer, she said. He was a very involved member of the Jaycees until it dissolved, working on the Holidaze and Fourth of July celebrations and helped with the parade staging.

Justman is a postal carrier whose route includes the downtown.

“He just does his job with a smile on his face. He’s a really nice man, really positive,” King said. “He likes our community, supports it.”

Justman, who lives in West Bend, is an auctioneer who has lent his talents to various fundraising efforts, including the Grafton Education Foundation’s Night of Giving, she said.

The Chamber this year also is honoring four village and school officials who stepped down from their posts this spring, King said.

“They have made a huge difference in life in Grafton,” she said.

Brunnquell was a village trustee from 1995 to 1997 and then again from 1999 to 2003, when he was elected village president.

Krueger, who was the village’s utility engineer for eight years and utility director for 27 years, retiring in December 2013, was elected as a trustee in 2015.

Antoine has been a trustee from 2011.

Lorge was elected to the school board in 2002. He served as the board treasurer before being elected president in 2018.

The Chamber will present the awards during a meeting and reception at the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17.

The cost is $45. To register, visit the Chamber website at grafton-wi.org.