After 18+ years of working at Thrivent Financial®, our own Captain Greg will be retiring on April 26! From training hundreds of people to being involved in important key initiatives, Greg made a lasting impact at Thrivent.

Joy Sams, the information technology manager at Thrivent Financial®, said Greg has been an instrumental resource on the Mutual Fund Accounting Information Technology team.

“His knack for asking the right questions and documenting the systems/processes has been a key resource within our area for others to be successful,” Sams said. “He will definitely be missed on our team.”

What’s ahead for Captain Greg? A lot more fishing (and time for teaching kids and their families how to fish, of course)!

On Friday March 29th, Captain Greg visited Westside Elementary which is located in Kimberly, Wisconsin.  Captain Greg presented his Basics Seminar to the thirds graders.  Captain Greg recorded a video so you all could see how excited the youth were for the Fishing Clinic!!.  The third graders learned about all the skills and equipment needed to begin.  Captain Greg shared his biggest walleye he has caught as he had it mounted.  He reviewed how old the walleye was, there special eyes, lateral lines, gills and how to properly hold a fish for a picture.  Captain Greg then talked about safety while fishing, spin cast and spinning fishing combos, knots, different fishing presentations, fish identification, live and artifcial bait and the Aquatic Invasive Species message of ‘Clean Drain Dry’.

Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association each youth received a Future Pro Shirt.and to Greg’s and Learn 2 Fish With Us sponsors each youth also received a fishing hat!!

On Friday March 22nd, Captain Greg visited Woodland Elementary and presented his Fishing Basics seminar to the third graders.  Woodland Elementary is located in Kimberly, Wisconsin.  Due to all the third graders attending the Fishing Basics seminar Greg held two seminars.  The Third graders learn about all the skills and equipment needed to begin.  Captain Greg shared his biggest walleye he has caught as he had it mounted.  He reviewed how old the walleye was, there special eyes, lateral lines, gills and how to properly hold a fish for a picture.  Captain Greg then talked about safety while fishing, spin cast and spinning fishing combos, knots, different fishing presentations, fish identification, live and artifcial bait and the Aquatic Invasive Species message of ‘Clean Drain Dry’.  Greg also talked about the Shakespeare My Fishing Journal which is a fishing educational book that each of the youth received.  Captain Greg talked about recording your fishing trips in the journal such as the date, where fished, what caught, what bait and presentation used.  He said if they could record the water temp that would really help.

Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association each youth received a Future Pro Shirt.

The past Saturday it may have been gloomy but that did not stop future anglers from coming to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sport Show to attend Learn 2 Fish With Us Fishing Basics Seminar.  The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sport Show is held at State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin.  Our Fishing Basics seminar was held on Saturday March 9th at 11:30 AM and 4:30 P.M.  Future Anglers both young and old learned about all the equipment and skills needed to begin fishing.   The skills included safety while fishing, how to use a spin cast and spinning fishing combo, casting, how to tie knots, different fishing presentations, fish identification, live and artificial bait and the Aquatic Invasive Species of ‘Clean Drain Dry’.  All youth attending the 11:30 Am Fishing Basics seminar received a fishing combo thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association.  Youth attending the 4:30 P.M. received a Plano tackle box with tackle such as Northland jigs, Tru-Tuyrn hooks, sinkers and a bobber, everything needed to begin fishing thanks to Learn 2 Fish With Us and our sponsors.

Captain Greg, Learn 2 Fish With Us Angler Educator was at the Wisconsin Fishing Expo for the eight year in a row.  The weather may have been questionable due to the rain, snow and ice but it did not stop the families and adults from making it to the Fishing Basics seminar.  Fishing Basics educated the families to all the skills and equipment needed to begin fishing.  Greg hosted two seminars on Saturday, February 23rd and one on Sunday.  Thanks to the National Professional Anglers Association for sponsor the seminars with fishing combo’s and NPAA Future Pro Shirts.

On Tuesday, February 26th, Greg attended the Menasha High School Fishing Team meeting where he talked about the National Professional Anglers Association and why being a member is so important in the fishing industry and their possible fishing career.  Greg also covered the mission of Learn 2 Fish With Us and what we are doing to grow the sport of fishing.  Greg also discussed with the Menasha High School Fishing Team, how they could help as volunteers at upcoming events. .

After the meeting we had a bracketed Backyard Bass fish off where Marcus won!!

On Tuesday, December 18th, Captain Greg from Learn 2 Fish With Us attended the Menasha High School Fishing Team meeting.   The Menasha High School Team just formed a couple months ago and were looking from tips for their upcoming ice fishing tournaments.  During the meeting Greg reviewed safety while ice fishing, equipment and many useful tips.  Captain Greg also reviewed the new technology that Garmin has called Panoptix and can really help while ice fishing.

During the meeting Greg and Karen Karch offered two students memberships to the National Professional Anglers Association.  The students were asked to some an essay on why they would like a membership to the National Professional Anglers Association.  The students selected were Max and Marcus.