John Kutz Joins Fort Atkinson Community Foundation Board of Directors

Fort Atkinson, WI – January 13, 2026 – The Fort Atkinson Community Foundation is pleased to announce John Kutz will be joining the Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2026 for a five-year term, beginning in January.

Kutz, Vice President & Director of Sales at MSI General, was nominated by Premier Bank and will be taking the seat of the Foundation’s 2025 Chairman, Lisa Caras, who will move into the non-voting Past Chairman role.

“Few people embody community spirit like John,” states Caras. “His dedication, experience, and vision will be invaluable to our Foundation Board as we work to support and uplift the citizens of Fort Atkinson. We couldn’t be happier to welcome him to the team.”

A dedicated community leader and strong advocate for community engagement and volunteerism, Kutz earned his bachelor’s degree in Humanities from Maranatha Baptist University in 2004 and then went on to earn his Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021.

Kutz joined MSI General in 2012 as a Project Director and has worked his way up through the company serving as a Project Executive one year later, before taking on his current role of Vice President, Director of Sales in 2018. In 2021, Kutz also became co-owner of the company, which was founded in 1957.

In addition to his impressive professional resume, Kutz is a well-known and heavily respected community leader in Fort Atkinson. He is an active leadership member of both the Fort Atkinson Kiwanis Club and the Chamber of Commerce and has also previously served on the Planning Commission for the City of Fort Atkinson and Project LEAD. His volunteer experience includes, but is not limited to, Feed Your Soul, senior exit interviews and job fairs with the Fort Atkinson School District, and the Fort Atkinson Summer Charity Concerts. He is a member of various regional business and manufacturing associations and is an active member at Faith Community Church. Through his role at MSI, he has also contributed to significant community construction projects for BASE Fort Atkinson, Crown of Life Christian Academy, and Green Bay Packaging.

“I am excited to be able to make a difference through supporting so many terrific investments in Fort Atkinson,” notes Kutz. “Hopefully my impact to the board will be positive, as I offer my valuable perspective from my experiences as a business owner, volunteer, and father.”

The Community Foundation’s Board of Directors consists of five members, each serving a term of five years.  These volunteers are chosen for their community involvement and knowledge of the educational, cultural, civic, public, and charitable needs of the Fort Atkinson area.

Appointments to the Board are made, in turn, by the School District of Fort Atkinson, PremierBank (as trustee), the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Atkinson Historical Society, and the Fort Atkinson City Council.  However, directors do not represent or act as advocates of their respective appointing bodies but are rather chosen to represent the community in general.

The 2026 nomination fell to Premier Bank and Kutz quickly rose to the top of their nomination list.

“John has exhibited a deep commitment to the Fort Atkinson area and one that we feel will embrace the attributes and mission of the Foundation,” states Russ Turk, Chairman/President/CEO of Premier Bank.

Members of the Community Foundation’s 2026 Board of Directors are Chairman Jim Schulenburg, Vice Chairman Bonnie Geyer, Treasurer Robert Cassiday, Secretary Whitney Townsend, and Director John Kutz. The Board of Directors is supported by Past Chairman Lisa Caras and the Foundation’s Executive Director, Megan Hartwick.

Questions about the board or foundation in general can be directed to Hartwick, FACF Executive Director at facf@fortfoundation.org or 920.563.3210. Details are also available at www.fortfoundation.org.

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The Fort Atkinson Community Foundation was established in 1973 with a gift of $25,000 from Mary Hoard, who wanted to benefit “a future Fort Atkinson.” Inspired by the thoughtful gift, community-minded citizens set up the foundation to be able to accept donations to enhance the quality of life in Fort Atkinson. Run by a volunteer, five-member Board of Directors and full-time Executive Director, the foundation now manages over $42 million in assets across 92 funds and distributes hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in scholarships and local grant funding. All funding supports the organization’s mission of “A Better Fort Atkinson.”