DONALD SHEPARD

Tad Shepard, fourth generation descendent of the founder of Menasha Corporation, and former CEO, passed away on July 5, at the age of 87. Tad grew up in Neenah, and attended The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT. After serving in the Marines in WWII, Tad attended Yale University, where he received his BA. In 1950, Tad returned to Neenah to begin his career at Menasha Corporation. He became President and Chief Executive Officer in 1981 and in 1987 he was also named Chairman of the Board. He continued as President and CEO until 1989 and as Chairman of the Board until 1993.and retired from the Board in 1995. Tad was a dedicated and effective leader of Menasha Corporation. From 1982 to 1989, the company experienced significant growth under his leadership, growing from $195 million to $545 million in sales. He was the last family shareholder to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the company and is credited with developing and nurturing a professional leadership team and diversifying Menasha away from its dependence on paper-based products. Tad was deeply committed to giving back to the community through contributions to many local charities and through serving in a variety of civic positions. In 1960, Tad received a Distinguished Service Award from the Jaycees. He subsequently served as president of the Chamber of Commerce. Tad was also very active on the Neenah School Board. In 1967, after a number of years as a commissioner, Tad was elected president of the school board. During his 3-year tenure, Tad brought his passion for transparency and community involvement to the operation of the school board. Regular public forums and citizen action committees were part of his legacy. In his first month as president, Tad formed a citizen action committee to explore the feasibility of a second senior high school, and 2 years later, the town broke ground on what was to become Armstrong Senior High School. Tad also served on the Board of The First National Bank of Menasha for 37 years. He was a trustee on the Lawrence University and Theda Clark Memorial Hospital boards. After 9 years on the board of the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum, Tad was elected President. Under his leadership, the museum developed its first strategic plan, went through a successful accreditation process, reinstalled the museum collections, and professionalized its staff, including hiring the first full-time curatorial staff member. Tad is survived by his wife, Jane Shepard, four children; Sylvia Shepard (Will Holtzman) of Wilton, CT, Buzz Shepard (Jane Shepard) of Excelsior, MN, Bill Shepard (Shannon Kennedy) of Neenah, WI, and Julie Waite (Michael Waite) of Menasha, WI; and eleven grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his brother, Chuck Shepard. The memorial service will be held at The First Presbyterian Church in Neenah, WI, at 11 AM on Friday, July 8, 2011. A visitation will be held at the church beginning at 10 AM. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Theda Care At Home Hospice, 3000 East College Ave, Appleton, WI, 54914, or Saving Paws Animal Rescue, 3130 Meade St., Appleton, WI, 54914. We are grateful for Tads extraordinary dedication to our family and our community. We will miss his passion, his sense of humor and his love of life.