Karen Iwicki:
CLASS OF 1974
Schurz High SchoolClass of 1974
Chicago, IL
Our Lady of Grace SchoolClass of 1970
Chicago, IL
St. Wenceslaus SchoolClass of 1970
Chicago, IL
Darwin Elementary SchoolClass of 1970
Chicago, IL
Brentano Elementary School Math & Science AcademyClass of 1970
Chicago, IL
Karen's Story
Life
Well, I have been a local reporter, news, and magazine writer on and off for many years, including freelancing with the Walworth County Week, Chicago Tribune, Lake Geneva Regional News, Spirit of Geneva Lakes Magazine, Geneva Lakes Lifestyles, and other publications. One year recently, I was even a technical writer on contract to Harley-Davidson, where I wrote and did graphics for the instruction sheets on how to add the parts & accessories.
Right now, I freelance and blog for The Beer Connoisseur Magazine. We homebrew, too! I was asked to contribute an article for the Fall, 2011 issue. (2015: I am now MW Sales Manager.) .I am known on Twitter as Karen262 where I tweet all things beer-related.
A crushed ankle in 1986 gave way after 5 operations to a total left ankle replacement and a partial fibula replacement in 2001. Yes, folks, it was that same ankle that continually was re-injured and landed me on crutches repeatedly in high school!
Mother to 2 daughters, now 29 and 33, and a son, now 30, I was among a group of 9 people who started the local PTSO (our version of the PTA) back in 1987. Active in the community, I previously served on the local Village Garden Club, as a Girl Scout leader, and was even Editor of my college newspaper for 3 years in the 1990's.
Our youngest was married in 2012. She receieved her Masters in Genomics last year and her DVM in May from The Univ. of WI - Madison College of Veterinary Medicine. Our oldest is currently on the board of a local non-profit,. Our son was recently named Commercial Lender at People's Bank in Elkhorn, WI.
Formerly, President and Program Director for Katrina's Angels. (Google my name....) I enjoy life, family, friends, pets, travel, perennial gardens and helping others.
I belong to the Pink Boots Society for women in the craft beer industry. Mark and I belong to the American Homebrewers Association and the American Breweriana Association. We like brewing our own beer and making huge batches of our own homemade sausage. We even grow some of our own hops.
School
Changing life patterns after 30, I decide...Expand for more
d it was time to get a degree. I received a degree in Technical Communications magna cum laude in 1997. Of course, I minored in Supervisory Management, a skill which grew stronger as the kids grew older and needed Superb Supervision. Hah!
College
Having been detoured from the University of Il - Chicago Circle campus after attending only a year, I wanted to learn more about life, have my own apartment, and grow. In 1994, following marriage and 3 children, I returned to school. Mediocre grades gave rise to straight A's! Imagine that! I later graduated and received an degree in Technical Communications with a GPA of 4.0 in 1997.
Workplace
I began working with The Beer Connoisseur Magazine in August, 2010. I am now MW Sales Manager. My husband, Mark, is also my partner in this endeavor. Mark and I attend beer festivals where we run a booth, selling subscriptions and Tshirts, giving out freebies, drinking and talking about beer with the best of them. I also blogged for the magazine for a while.
BY the way, I was President and Program Director for Katrina's Angels, Inc. a non-profit disaster relief organization that helped victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Tuscalossa and Joplin tornadoes, the Midwest Floods, Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, and other disasters. We recently closed our doors after serving over 10,000 people in various ways. (June, 2014) Just google it.
I have spent my life writing on and off since being encouraged by my original mentor, Emmy-winning Producer Elaine Madsen, in 1989. My articles have been published online on The Beer Connoisseur web site, and in print in the Chicago Tribune, Walworth County Week, Lake Geneva Regional News, the Burlington Standard, the Westosha Report, the Spirit of Geneva Lakes, Geneva Lakes Lifestyles and numerous other publications.
(A little note: A lot of people knew me in HS by the name of "Kerry." I hung out in lots of different groups and places. My friends and acquaintances are as varied as my life experiences.)
You can find me on Facebook. You can also find me on Twitter as Karen262 where I tweet all things beer.
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