Speakers

A DECADE OF DARKNESS.  In 2013, the La Crosse Public Library Archives department launched the very first Dark La Crosse walking tour, which featured a variety of stories exploring notorious incidents from our city’s history.  Since then, the walking tour has been expanded into a stage production, a video series collaboration with the La Crosse Tribune, a TV series ("Rivertown") collaboration with FOX 25/48, and a trolley tour that is a staple of the Explore La Crosse trolley tour options in the summer.  Archivist Scott Brouwer will share the impetus behind this ongoing project, some of the original stories, and plans for the future.

W. Ryan Geister joined Trane over 27 years ago and currently serves as a National Sales Leader for Trane Systems with strategic roles within Trane Technologies, including serving on the Trane Technologies Global Refrigerant Strategy Group.  Ryan’s career has encompassed various roles in engineering and leadership positions, including the business leader for the products manufactured and shipped globally from La Crosse.  These roles offered opportunities to collaborate with the broader Trane organization and customers around the world.  Additionally, Ryan has served industry organizations, including technical, regulatory, and business development committees at AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) for over 15 years.  Ryan earned his engineering degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his MBA from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse.

Program Topic:  “Ever since the first Montreal Protocol meetings began regulating ozone depleting substances in the 1980s, rules and a focus on greener solutions began to evolve. Since then, there has been an increased focus and accelerated timing on regulations for all fluids (blowing agents, refrigerants, fire-suppression, etc.) that are being used today.  The latest Montreal Protocol’s Kigali Amendment signed October 16, 2016 began a shift to broader environmental concerns requiring industry to once again, innovate and change.  Today, the world turns to “decarbonizing,” a term that is often misunderstood.  Notable, buildings represent nearly one third of the world’s energy consumption and carbon emissions.  With so many challenges, it can seem overwhelming, with many wondering how changes will impact local issues.  Specifically, the increasing pace of change coupled and high market demands with a highly political environment and rapidly changing regulatory requirements, disruption to traditional processes is occurring in the marketplace. This presentation will help offer insights to the growing political and economic pressure on decarbonization, define what that means, and offer an insight into the next generation of systems and refrigerant technologies used for conditioning our homes and businesses.”

Marv was born at home, delivered by family doctor in New Lisbon, WI. He has six siblings (shown in the picture).

Marv graduated in 1958 from New Lisbon High School, 1963 from St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI, as a history major, and 1966 from the University of Wisconsin Law School. He has been a practicing attorney in La Crosse for 56 years. His current practice focus is estate planning, wills, trusts, elder law.

Marv was married to Edna Sue for 38 years. He has been a member of this club since 1983-39 years. Marv is a parishioner of St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, is a Packer fan, and loves to play golf..