Goga retires and sells Family Vision Center

WITTENBERG - A chance discussion at the gym paved a path for retirement for one and a path to owning a business for another.

Doctors of Optometry Raymond Goga and Ken Martell struck up a conversation at the YMCA one day discussing their futures.

Goga was thinking about retirement but hadn’t made any plans toward that goal. Martell, working for Shopko Optical since 2000, was thinking about going into private practice. What grew out of that conversation was a win-win scenario for both.

Goga owned and operated Family Vision Center, his private practices in Wittenberg and Marathon City, and was in a partnership at Envision Eyecare with Dr. Chris Marquardt and Dr. Jeff Sarazen in Wausau.

Last year, Goga had sold his portion of the Envision Eyecare clinic in Wausau to his daughter, Dr. Erin Goga, who had been working in the Wittenberg office since 2009.

In 1977, Goga opened the clinic in Wittenberg mostly because he got such a warm reception when he was first looking in the area.

“Wittenberg has always been so good to me,” said Goga, fondly. “The bank and all the other businesses were so good to me. I made some good friends — not just patients, I made friends.”

Twenty years ago, on the suggestion of a patient at his Wausau clinic, he opened another office in Marathon City. With three locations, he has been a very busy man.

Martell grew up in Wausau and has been with Shopko since 2000, working out of the Wausau and Marshfield locations. The last three years, most of his focus had been in Marshfield.

“Shopko was a good company to work for, it’s just unfortunate what happened,” said Martell, referring to the company filing for bankruptcy earlier this year.

He noted that this will be a better opportunity for him as well as less traveling time between Marathon City and Wittenberg.

“It’s a nice business to be in a private business,” said Goga who acknowledged that corporate security is nice, but he has enjoyed being a business owner.

He and his wife, Julie, will continue travelling, which is something they have always made time for in the past. Goga plans to spend more time with his music; he’s taught himself both drums and guitar. In 2013, he self-published a novel, “And the Band Played Nam,” about a teenage girl band that toured with the USO. He admits there may be another book in him.

“I like to stay active and plan to workout more,” said Goga. “I can’t sit still.”

When he first came to Wittenberg, he played for the baseball team, which helped him form long, solid friendships. At 70, he now plays on a softball team but has also been having fun with pickleball, which is a fast-paced combination of tennis, badminton and ping pong. The paddle sport was created for all ages and skill levels and is gaining popularity in Wausau.

At 47, Martell is looking forward to making friends here over the next 20 years.

He and his wife, Stephanie, live in Wausau. Their son, Steven, 20, is majoring in biochemistry and neurobiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and wants to do research. Daughter Katie is a senior at Wausau East and is thinking about working in physical or occupational therapy.
It’s not surprising that the children are interested in pursuing careers in the medical field. Martell’s family has several nurses and doctors.
Martell enjoys spending time outdoors and keeps busy with mentoring the youth group at his church and Boy Scouts. He and his two brothers are Eagle Scouts, and so is his son.

Katie is going for Eagle Scout. On Feb. 1, girls were allowed to become members of the Boy Scouts. According to Martell, there are not a lot of girls in the Samoset council, so she could be the first female to become an Eagle Scout in that troop.

Martell has retained Goga’s staff, and they are busy lining up insurances and setting appointments.

The Wittenberg Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome Martell to the community.

AT A GLANCE
Family Vision Center
601 Webb St., Wittenberg
715-253-2157
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.