Allen Mahnke retires after 22 years of service

After 22 years of service at the Wittenberg Telephone Company, plus another 23 years of service in the communications business, Allen Mahnke retires Thursday.
He has witnessed and navigated through significant changes in the industry over the years as a world with rotary dial phones and telephone booths with pay phones on street corners gave way to Internet-based services.

“We had four- and eight-party lines when I first started,” Mahnke said.

Mahnke replaced WTC general manager Lud Landowski when he retired in 1997. It was the first time WTC hired someone from outside the company, according to Cheryl Peterson, WTC president.

Mahnke brought a skill set in management to the job, Peterson noted.

“Al’s fresh perspectives and problem-solving abilities were key to his success,” she said. “In my view, his greatest achievement was guiding both Wittenberg Telephone and our sister company at the time, Niagara Telephone, through a very challenging period in the years following the death of my father in 2007.”

The corporate structure was changed following Sydney Peterson’s death, and Mahnke was put in charge of both companies.

Mahnke had worked for Urban Telephone Corporation in Clintonville for 23 years prior to moving to WTC because it gave him more career opportunities. He eventually became vice president of the board and CEO.

According to Mahnke, of the 41 independent telephone companies in Wisconsin, 10 are considered cooperatives and very few have made it into the third generation of ownership as WTC has. He attributes the success of the company to the exceptional customer care it offers and for having a local office with local employees.

Scott Nyman was hired in August to replace Mahnke and was approved by the board as general manager on Dec. 7. Mahnke will stay on until the end of March to help ensure a smooth transition.

Mahnke and his wife, Pat, have been married 38 years and live in the Clintonville area. They hope to spend some time in Florida relaxing with family and friends. They have two grown children.