Mark A. Wiewel

President/CEO

mwiewel@wculife.org

Paul J. Grawe

 Secretary/COO 

pgrawe@wculife.org

Kent D. Stegeman

 Treasurer/CFO

kstegeman@wculife.org

Robert G. Mitchell, FICF, CSA

Vice President of Sales

rmitchell@wculife.org

Western Catholic Union has become one of the fastest-growing fraternal organizations with Robert G. Mitchell leading the highly-productive sales team.

A New York City native, Bob worked for Mutual of New York from 1970 to 1987 as a field agent and trainer, then Sales Manager of their Lansing, MI office.  In 1987 Bob joined Metropolitan as State Sales Director.

Bob joined Western Catholic Union in 1990, and has been extremely successful in achieving excellent sales results for the organization. Their assets have increased 2400% since he started.

Bob has given many speeches to the National Fraternal Congress of America, including presentations before the Fraternal Section in Las Vegas, NV, Secretarial meeting in Fort Myers, FL,  and has spoken before the Iowa, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania State Fraternal Congresses.

Sales awards include: Several Million Dollar Roundtable Awards, MONY’s Top Club Awards, National Quality Awards, National Sales Achievement Awards and was named Quincy’s Salesman of the year in 1993 for his remarkable success in increasing sales at the Western Catholic Union.

Bob is married to Susan Mitchell, is the father of two married daughters, and grandfather of three boys – Ryan, Teddy and Wesley, and one granddaughter, Elizabeth. He enjoys camping, gardening, is an exquisite cook, enjoys playing with his two giant Newfoundlands, and is extremely involved in ham radio.

Steve L. Looten

Director of Fraternal Activities and Communications

slooten@wculife.org

Steven L. Looten is the new "fun guy" at the Western Catholic Union, having been hired in July 2007 as the new Director of Fraternal Activities and Communications. Fun and games are nothing new to him, since Steve was a TV Sports Director in the Quincy area for nearly 20 years, where he got to cover many state championship teams, World Series games, the Masters golf tournament and the Rams' thrilling win in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Prior to joining WCU he was also an active real estate agent in Quincy. Steve has helped with fund drives at Quincy Notre Dame High School, Culver-Stockton College in Canton, MO, and Quincy YMCA and Adams County Red Cross. He serves on the National Fraternal Advisory Board for the National Fraternal Congress of America, the QND Hall of Fame Committee, and has volunteered at the Quincy Community Theater and has been a board member at the Quincy Museum. Steve is a member of the Exchange Club of Quincy.

He recently produced the new Western Catholic Union video, as well as a DVD to celebrate "100 Years of Quincy Blue Devil Basketball." His wife Amy is the Executive Director of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, and is a vocalist for St. Peter Church. They have two sons in college , Steve, Jr. and Dan.

Roger W. Player

Quincy, IL

Roger W.Player has been a member of WCU since 1975 and has served on the WCU Board since October 2000. He is a consultant for Titan Wheel International.  Roger has a Bachelor's degree in accounting.  He is an active member of the WCU Quincy branch.  He served a six-year term on the Notre Dame High School Foundation Board with three years as their representative to the QND School Board.  Roger has been married to Nancy for 30 years and is the son of Stephen (former National Treasurer, deceased) and Cecelia Player.

Earle W. Ruhnke, Sr.

Tucson, AZ

Earle W. Ruhnke, Sr. retired from the Chicago Fire Department in 1998 after 37 years of service. He began his career as a firefighter in 1961 and was promoted to Fire Engineer in 1970.  He earned the rank of Lieutenant nine years later and was promoted to Captain in 1992, a position he held until his retirement in July 1998.  Earle joined North American Union, LaSalle Branch 15 where he served in the positions of Auditing Committee, Committee of Trustees, Executive Board and then President of NAU Division of WCU for six years.  He has been on the WCU Board of Trustees since October, 2000 and has been a member of NAU/WCU since 1956.  Earle and his wife Marie reside in Tucson, AZ.

Sherri L. Schaefer

Clover Bottom, MO

Sherri L. Schaefer is in her third term as a member of the WCU Board of Directors.  She has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Accounting, a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing, Completed a Strategic Marketing Course, and has a MBA from Lindenwood University. She is the Adult Education Coordinator at Four Rivers Career Center in Washington, MO. She is a member of St. Francis Br. 269 in Clover Bottom, MO and has been involved with the WCU in various capacities for the past 24 years. Sherri and her husband John were married on September 13, 1980. She is the oldest of seven children and her parents are Robert & Patricia Lause of Clover Bottom, MO.

Henry G. Schaper, Sr.

Oakville, MO

Henry G. Schaper, Sr. is retired from Union Electric Co, (Now AmerenUE) with 39 years service. After he retired from Union Electric, he spent three school years as a computer instructor at Good Shepherd Grade School in Hillsboro, MO. He served and retired from the Reserve Forces of the U.S. Military (U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Air Force Reserve and the Missouri Air National Guard) after 23 years of service. Henry has been a member of WCU since 1937 and currently serves as Vice President of WCU St. Louis IX Branch and President of the St. Louis District. In his spare time, Henry amazes children with his magic act!  Henry and his wife Barb were married on May 9, 1959, and is the father of 4 and grandfather of 17 grandchildren and two angels.

James F. Wilper

Quincy, IL

James F. Wilper has been a member of the WCU since January, 1954. He has served on the Board of Directors from 1980 through 1992 and again from 1997 to the present. He has served as President of the WCU Quincy Area District and is a member of the WCU Executive Committee. He is a member of the Lion’s Club. Jim is a part owner of Custom Glass & Glazing in Quincy, IL.  He and his wife Judy have two boys.