News: Neillsville - 4 Promoted by Nelson Muffler (Nov 1976)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Lezotte, Trogner, Diers, Kapfer, DeMert

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 11/11/1976

Four Promoted by Nelson Muffler (Local Men - 1976)

The promotion of four Neillsville men to positions of increased responsibility was announced this week by Glenn Lezotte, president of the Nelson Muffler Division of Nelson Industries, Inc. Nelson operates three plants in Neillsville.

John Trogner has been named manager of purchasing; Donald Diers has been names supervisor of cost accounting; Max Kapfer has been promoted to distributor sales coordinator and aftermarket sales; and Dennis DeMert has been named manufacturing liaison officer.

Trogner joined Nelson Muffler in September 1958, working in the Neillsville plant. During 18 years with Nelson, he has served successively as: shipping clerk, bookkeeper, plant manager at Black River Falls and supervisor of cost accounting.

Diers worked for 2 1/2 years in the Neillsville plant after joining nelson Muffler in June of 1963. He then was transferred to the Nelson Filter division as quality control inspector. Since moving to the company’s headquarters in Stoughton in August 1966, he has worked in inventory control, data processing and accounting.

Kapfer has been connected with nelson since June 1969, when he started working in the filter division. In November of that year, he transferred to the Stoughton office to assume duties in the purchasing department; and in September 1975, he was transferred to the Muffler division as a buyer.

DeMert has been with Nelson since February 1975, but previous to accepting full-time employment he worked for several summers in the welding department and final assembly line in the Neillsville plant. He was transferred to the Stoughton office in April 1975 and assumed duties in the production control department and in the areas of quality control and safety.

DeMert’s new duties will be one of liaison between plant manufacturing facilities and the Stoughton office. These duties will be in the area of manufacturing support systems, such as communications, cost analysis, job procedure sheets, and follow-up matters assigned to him by either plant or Stoughton office.

At the same time, the promotions of Neillsville men was announced, Lezotte also announced the elevation of four other employees to positions of increased responsibility.