Friese, McCartney, Skorik bring expertise in key industries of innovation and manufacturing
Regional leaders Mike Friese of Encapsys LLC, Kelly McCartney of Jewelers Mutual Group and Bethany Skorik of Fincantieri Marine Group have been named to the board of directors of New North Inc., the regional economic development corporation for the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin. They were advanced by New North’s board development committee and subsequently approved by the full Board.
Additionally, Mike Vogel, senior vice president at Nicolet National Bank and part of the New North board of directors since October 2022, has been approved as a member of the organization’s executive committee.
“We are excited to bring three new, diverse perspectives from across the New North to our Board,” says Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North Inc. “Innovation and manufacturing are benchmark industries in our region, making them ideal additions.”
Mike Friese is vice president and business manager of Encapsys, LLC, a business unit within Milliken & Company’s Chemical Division. Milliken is a global company that designs and manufactures innovative solutions for the textile, chemical, floor covering and healthcare industries, including microencapsulation products developed and manufactured at its Wisconsin locations. Friese has spent more than three decades in the paper and chemical industries, starting with Appleton Papers in 1993, where he rose to technical director for development. He subsequently was executive director of research & development following the company’s name change to Appvion, before he began serving in a leadership role for the spin-off company, Encapsys, LLC, in 2015. Encapsys became a subsidiary of Milliken & Company in 2021.
Friese holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and math from Carroll University, a master’s degree from the Institute of Paper Chemistry and a doctoral degree from the Institute of Paper Science and Technology at Georgia Tech.
Kelly McCartney is vice president of jeweler solutions for Jewelers Mutual Group, a provider of insurance solutions and digital technology offerings to jewelers and consumers from its headquarters in Neenah. She has been part of the insurance industry for two decades. McCartney held roles in commercial lines, underwriting, business analysis and integration, information technology, and product/consumer insights before assuming her current position in 2022.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational administration from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
Bethany Skorik is the director of internal communications and public affairs for Fincantieri Marine Group, the U.S. subsidiary of one of the world’s largest shipbuilders which has three shipyards in the New North. She has been with the company since 2010; in her current role, she focuses on enhancing the employee experience and managing internal communications across a diverse workforce, including both office personnel and manufacturing teams. Skorik additionally builds strategic relationships with stakeholders and community partners to grow the Fincantieri brand and economic impact across Wisconsin.
A Wisconsin native who resides in Marinette, she received a B.S. degree in political science and a B.A. degree in international relations from St. Norbert College. Skorik also holds a certificate in organizational leadership from Harvard Business School.
New North, Inc., is a 501(c)3 non-profit, regional economic development corporationfostering collaboration among private and public sector leaders throughout the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, known as the New North region. The New North brand unites the region both internally and externally around talent development, brand promotion and business development, signifying the collective economic power behind the 18 counties. The counties include Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago. www.thenewnorth.com
