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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 12/6/06 |
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In
the News Archive - Year:
November 18, 2006 Guest column: Ken Bothof Anderson happy to stay close to home The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has a proud tradition of giving back to the Green Bay community and retaining its students in the area after they graduate.
In the coming months we will be profiling a number of these individuals who competed in athletics during their time at UW-Green Bay and have transitioned into successful professional careers while making a positive impact in the community.
A Green Bay native and Southwest High School graduate, Tom Anderson opted to stay at home for college and played basketball for UW-Green Bay from 1974-78. Anderson went on to have an impressive career, including being named an NCAA Division II first-team All-American his senior year and eventually being selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association draft.
The team posted a remarkable combined record of 56-5 during his final two seasons in a Phoenix uniform, highlighted by a national runner-up finish in 1978. When UW-Green Bay opted to start an athletics Hall of Fame in 1993, Tom was a member of the inaugural class. He ranks second in school history in career assists and sixth in scoring.
He graduated from UW-Green Bay in 1978 with a degree in accounting and chose to remain in the Green Bay area. Both his family and his wife Laurie's family are also in the area.
"Green Bay is a great place to raise a family and I have had the opportunity to work for very good companies," Anderson said.
Today, he is employed as the senior vice president of operations and finance at GENCO, a supply chain solutions company that provides transportation, logistics, warehousing, distribution and consulting services for companies looking to lower their costs. In his role he is able get involved with many aspects of the business while leading the operations, financial and support areas.
Anderson believes that his successes can be traced back to growing up in a very strong family environment and getting a solid well-rounded education at UW-Green Bay. This included being a part of a basketball team that helped him develop the leadership skills and strong work ethic he has today.
"Being a student-athlete requires a person to manage his or her time well, have discipline, get results, be a team player and a leader, and communicate well with others," he said. "Those are all characteristics that are also required in my profession and being a part of a team that focuses on achieving goals together is very satisfying to me."
Despite a busy work schedule, Anderson is involved in a number of volunteer efforts, including serving on the Phoenix Fund Board of Directors and previously with the UW-Green Bay Alumni Association.
He also makes time to give back to the sport of basketball, which allowed him to earn his college education. Through serving as a youth coach with the Ashwaubenon girls basketball program, Anderson has had the opportunity to pass along his knowledge of the game as well as helping instill the life skills that athletics has taught him.
"I think it's important to have youth understand the team concept so that they can take that forward in their lives in whatever they decide to do. I've been a part of very successful athletic teams and work groups with the one key component being the ability to work well together."
Kenneth Bothof is director of athletics at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Contact him at bothofk@uwgb.edu or at (920) 465-2145.
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