By Thomas J. McKillen
Managing Editor
A job switch introduced Kevin Nash and his household to Germantown, and a love of neighborhood will hold him right here.
“As soon as my spouse received right here and she or he requested if we had one other job switch or one thing occurred, the place would we go? I stated, ‘That is it, we discovered the home,'” Nash stated throughout a latest interview. “I felt early on that we’re going to be right here for a very long time. I’ve simply been so blessed to be within the enterprise that I have been serving to folks for 25 years, serving to folks in such a approach that has constructed and strengthened the neighborhood.”
Nash grew up within the Chicago space and he and his household resided in Kenosha earlier than shifting to Germantown in 1997 when his spouse acquired a job switch at Brio Toys, which had a Germantown location. Nash started his actual property profession in Germantown in 1998 and stated he has “by no means regarded again.”
“In 1999, we knew we needed to name this house. I assumed it was particularly fascinating and useful that so many residents reside right here and their households return to their beginnings,” Nash stated. In his work as a Realtor for Shorewest Realtors, Nash has performed a job in bringing folks to the world of Metro Milwaukee and Germantown.
“I do know metro Milwaukee. Seeing the neighborhood for what it’s, celebrating the neighborhood – I like Milwaukee. I like metro Milwaukee as I’ve helped so many households through the years. Individuals suppose it is a straightforward job – it actually is not. It takes a variety of persistence, it takes a variety of braveness – it’s important to know lots of people,” Nash stated. “I’ve moved folks to Germantown who grew up right here, left and got here again. I’ve helped folks with job transfers. I’ve helped first timers, finish of life folks in transition, I am happy with what I’ve performed as a result of folks need assistance and if I might help folks then I have been rewarded.”
Nash took the recommendation of the late Steve Spaulding, who instructed that Nash become involved in the neighborhood. Nash first turned concerned in the neighborhood with Management Menomonee Falls, the place his workplace was positioned on the time. From there, Nash turned concerned in Germantown actions. Nash has been an envoy for the Chamber of Commerce since 2000 and was in Management Germantown’s inaugural class of 2000. Nash has been on the board of Management Germantown since 2003 and is a previous president of the group. He’s additionally a previous president of the Germantown Historic Society and a volunteer coordinator and Oktoberfest Committee consultant since 2003. He served as chairman of the Grand Circus Prepare Committee from 2000 to 2003, has been concerned in additional than 40 parades in Germantown, participated in meals drives for the native meals pantry, served Life Church as a pacesetter and Life Group chief, and attended the Residents Police Academy.
Nash’s neighborhood sponsorships have included the Performing Arts Pavilion, the Deinsville Pavilion, the Germantown Group Scholarship Fund, the Germantown Management Scholarships, the annual Oktoberfest pageant, a Style of Germantown, Police K9 operations, and he has been a member of the Germantown Chamber of Commerce. since 2002. Nash was chosen as Citizen of the 12 months by the Germantown Chamber of Commerce in 2013.
Throughout an interview, Nash cited sponsorships on the Performing Arts Pavilion and the Dheinsville Pavilion as examples of dedication to the neighborhood the place his youngsters are rising up.
“We did this as a legacy for our grandchildren, to allow them to return to these parks and benefit from the services and see that grandma and grandpa had been part of that,” Nash stated. “The neighborhood has responded by trusting me to promote their house and serving to folks transfer in and in and out flip we give again to the neighborhood.” Nash additionally talked about the village’s Maifest and Oktoberfest festivals, that are each a celebration of the individuals who moved to the world and the neighborhood they helped create.
“It is a celebration that you’d consider German roots, however what it is was is a celebration of the Germantown neighborhood as a result of we’re such a tight-knit group. Individuals find it irresistible right here, and rightfully so,” Nash stated.
Nash stated his curiosity in village historical past was sparked by Irene Blau. Different individuals who have influenced Nash through the years embody former Police Chief Peter Hoell, present Village President Dean Wolter, BMO Harris Vice President Glenn Schroeder and Life Church pastors Aaron Cole and Ryan Coggins. “All folks with nice imaginative and prescient and a ardour for servant management,” Nash stated of Hoell, Wolter, Schroeder, Cole and Coggins. He added that Carol Miller of Server Merchandise is “a tremendous lady who at all times received issues performed.”
Having been part of the village because the late Nineties, Nash has seen first hand how the village has grown. Nash defined how the village had roughly 11,000 residents on the time his household moved to the village, a determine that has grown to roughly 22,000 residents. Throughout this time the brand new library was opened and enhancements had been made to Germantown’s college grounds. Nash famous how Management Germantown has been concerned with the village for the previous 20 years, with management courses that embody representatives from native authorities and enterprise.
“Because the village has modified within the final 20 years, Management Germantown has built-in with municipal departments, the police division, county authorities, native authorities and companies, and has the neighborhood to convey all these folks collectively in a single room for a management. undertaking for 9 months out of the 12 months,” Nash stated. “Relationships start to develop inside the neighborhood because the neighborhood started to develop.”
When requested how he wish to see the village develop over the subsequent 25 years, Nash talked about that an effort ought to be made to protect the agricultural character of the village north of Freistadt Highway together with bettering the faculties and conserving them related. , particularly mentioning the highschool’s industrial arts part (which was added after a 2016 referendum handed). “It is superb, the place the longer term is in these younger youngsters,” Nash stated. “Simply so we do not lose our id of who we’re as a folks.”
Nash later mirrored on the neighborhood’s dedication to preserving the previous whereas dwelling within the current.
“Germantown is a particular place with a deep sense of neighborhood that started in 1842 however continues in the present day. We now have issues which are distinctive to the village, park names, constructing structure and festivals to have a good time the place the village got here from and to have a good time who we’re,” he stated.
He then added: “As we’ve grown, my sincerest hope is that we don’t change the core of who we’re, the identical core of the earliest pioneers, individuals who migrated to a rustic with related values of neighborhood and household. , a spot the place we have a good time who we actually are, a caring neighborhood.”
