The Festmaster heads the Oktoberfest Royal Family and is chosen annually by the Board of Trustees.  The Board of Trustees, consisting of the present and all past Festmasters, elects a chairman from its members.  The Board of Trustees Chairman, along with the past year's Festmaster, mentors the new Festmaster, bringing him up to speed on his duties, expectations, and appearances.

The selection of the Festmaster is one of the oldest and most cherished Fest traditions.  The selection process and naming of the new Festmaster is very secret and the mystery only adds to the fun!

The Festmaster's Ball is where our new Festmaster for the year is announced and is held every year on the opening Friday of Fest.

Congratulations to our 2012-13 Festmaster, Brad Sturm and Frau Lynn!

Festmaster Brad Sturm has always had a love for farming and agriculture, as he grew up on a farm in Southern Minnesota (St James) and was active in the FFA (Future Farmers of America).  In High School, Brad was part of a state award winning soils judging team….team mates referred to him as the “soils stud”.  Sturm currently enjoys tending to his perennials at home, but buys his vegetables at the farmers market.

Festmaster Sturm worked on the farm until age 18 and in the summers between college traveled with a crew building grain elevators in IL and IA. He taught High School Ag for one year, started a career in banking in 1979, and has been doing the same ever since. Brad is musically inclined as he has played the trumpet in high school, sang with High School and Church choir, individually sang at weddings and funerals, and on his wedding day sang to his bride as she walked down the aisle. However, he has yet to master singing “O Danny Boy."

Brad is a family man with eight brothers and three sisters and recently celebrated 35 years of marriage with his high school sweet heart, Lynn.  Brad and Lynn have two daughters, Serena and Emily, who are college graduates and gainfully employed. Serena and her husband Scott have blessed the Sturm's with two wonderful grandchildren, Odessa & Leo. Brad and his Frau have sailed the great lakes and the Florida keys, walked the Grand Canyon in one day, and biked 100 miles in one day on a tandem bike!  Brad picked up fly fishing in his 40’s and has spent many an hour fishing the local trout streams...he also enjoys poker and golf, but is not too good at either.

Words of wisdom from the 2012 Festmaster include: 
1. From my Mom “Keep your words soft, in case you need to eat them someday”
2. From my Dad “wanting is more fun than having”
3. Sailing advice “bottoms down”

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Coulee Bank in La Crosse, WI

• President and CEO        2006-Present
• Chief Operating Officer        2000-2005
• Senior Loan Officer        1993-2000
• Board of Director        2000-Present

US Bank f/k/a First Bank La Crosse: La Crosse, WI

• Vice President/Account Executive      1990-1993
• Assistant Vice President        1987-1990
• Commercial Loan Officer       1985-1987

Agricultural/ Commercial Loan Officer from 1983-1985 at Mid-Wisconsin National Bank f/k/a State Bank of Medford: Medford, WI

Agricultural Loan Officer from 1979-1983 at Farm Credit Services f/k/a Production Credit Association: Rochester, MN

High School Vocational Agricultural Instructor from 1978-1979 at Goodhue Public School System: Goodhue, MN

EDUCATION

• Obtained Masters of Business Administration in 1995 from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: La Crosse, WI
• Obtained B.S.-Agricultural Education in 1978 from University of Wisconsin-River Falls: River Falls, WI
• Obtained Associate of Applied Science-Agri Business Management in 1976 from University of Minnesota Technical College: Waseca, MN

COMMUNITY/INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT

• Current board member, past chair, La Crosse Area Development Corporation
• Current board member, Catholic Charities, Inc.
• Current board member UW-L College of Business
• Current board member, UW-L Foundation
• Current board member, past chair, Franciscan Spirituality Center
• Current board member, past chair, Serra Club of La Crosse
• Current board member, Gundersen Lutheran
• Current board member, Bridges of Belonging, Inc
• Current board member, La Crosse Promise, Inc.
• Past chair, past board member, Great Rivers United Way
• Past chair, past board member,  La Crosse Community Foundation
• Past board member, Wisconsin Bankers Association 
• Past Treasurer, past board member, La Crosse County Historical Society
• Past Treasurer, past board member,  La Crosse Symphony Orchestra
• Past chair, past board member, Bethany Lutheran Homes, Inc.
• Past board member, United Fund for the Arts and Humanities
• Past chair, Finance Council, Coulee Catholic Schools
• Past member, Finance Committee, Mary Mother of the Church, Catholic Parish
• Past member, Board of Advisors, AmeriCorps
• Past member Board of Directors, Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area
• Past member, Board of Directors, Coulee Region Business Center
• Past chair, past board member,  Junior Achievement of La Crosse
• Past board member, Greater La Crosse Chamber of Commerce
• Past Treasurer, past board member, La Crosse Public Education Foundation
• Past community board member, Franciscan Skemp Mayo Health System

HONORS, ACHIEVEMENTS, AWARDS

• 2006 Conductor “wannabe” winner, La Crosse Symphony Orchestra
• 2005 Campaign Co- Chair, United Fund for the Arts and Humanities
• 2005 Association of Fundraising Professionals, Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year
• 2004 Campaign Co-Chair, Great Rivers United Way
• 2004 Graduate Wisconsin Bankers Association Leadership Program
• 2003-2006 Board member, Wisconsin Bankers Association Technology School
• 2002 Fundraising “celebrity” for Causeway’s Jazz on the Green
• 2001 Man of the Year, Mary Mother of the Church Parish
• 1993-1995 Completed Graduate School of Banking program, Madison Wisconsin
• 1992 La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce, Committee Chair of The Year

* Fondly remembered.