Board members of the Valpo Parks Foundation unanimously voted to elect Martin Sonnenberg, of Task Force Tips, as Board President.
Martin Sonnenberg is Executive Vice President of Task Force Tips, Inc. a leading firefighting equipment company based in Valpo. He has been a resident since he arrived at Valparaiso University in 1987, graduating in 1991 with a B.S. in Accounting.
Martin has been a Board member since 2008 where he has served as Treasurer and on various committees. He has also served in various capacities on the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce since 2006, three years as Treasurer and most recently as Chair of the Board in 2011. Martin also serves as a volunteer coach on his son’s various sporting teams. Martin looks forward to continue serving the Valparaiso community.
Mark Ritzi, of Horizon Bank, was named the Parks Foundation Treasurer. Ritzi has been in Northwest Indiana for more than 20 years as an experienced mortgage lender. He is also very involved in many professional and service-based organizations including the Northwest Indiana Builders Association, Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors, YMCA, Junior Achievement, and St. Paul Church, as well as a volunteer coach his children’s extracurricular activities.
In addition to electing officers, the Valpo Parks Foundation Board nominated four new Board members. Monica Flanagin Decker of Flanagin Mail Service, Chris Mahlmann of Ideas in Motion, Jon Schmaltz of Burke Costanza Carberry, and Nick Sommer of Century 21 Alliance Group will be welcomed to the Foundation Board at the March 8 meeting.
The Valparaiso Parks Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides opportunities for the community to support the continuing legacy of high quality experiences provided by Valpo Parks. For information on how to get involved call the Parks office at 219.462.5144.