Get to know scott

Below is a timeline that highlights the ways Scott has been involved in the community both personally and professionally. These various experiences have prepared him to be an effective leader as the next Eau Claire City Council President.

Scott, his wife, Shirley and his three children smiling at the camera. They are standing with bikes in the woods.

2002

Scott & his family moved to the Putnam Heights neighborhood from Neenah after taking on a new professional role as Vice President of Marketing with a national business headquartered in Eau Claire. They quickly immersed themselves in the community and soon considered Eau Claire the place they wanted to put down roots and contribute to as citizens.

As part of the business community, Scott soon got involved as a volunteer for the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, participating in its events, including the annual Chippewa Valley Rally legislative day in Madison. His activities and responsibilities included: 

  • Chair, Governmental Affairs Committee

  • Member, Board of Directors

  • 2012 Volunteer of the Year

2003

Scott featured on a news segment about the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition. He is standing in front of a railroad crossing in Eau Claire.

Scott’s connection with the Chamber led him to involvement in the Chippewa Valley Passenger Rail Committee (now the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition), of which the Chamber was a founding organization. The Coalition provides leadership and coordination to develop passenger rail service for a balanced transportation system for long term sustainable economic growth.

Scott eventually became Chair of the Coalition’s Board of Directors. Its activities and accomplishments have included: 

  • Inclusion of future train service to Eau Claire in the official Wisconsin and Minnesota State Rail Plans 

  • Worked with area county and municipal governments in 2021 to create the Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission to be eligible for federal planning grants

  • Secured a federal grant, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, for the study now underway to establish an Eau Claire-Twin Cities rail corridor.

Scott and his wife Shirley smiling while holding cups of coffee. Behind them is their coffee shop, "Gloria Jeans" that was located in the Oakwood Mall in Eau Claire.

2004

Scott & his wife Shirley started their entrepreneurial journey as owners of Gloria Jean’s Coffees, a shop located in the Oakwood Mall. They spent 10 years being proud members of the business community, gaining an understanding of the highs and lows, risks and rewards of running a small family business, working with employees, and serving customers.

Scott was an active member of its National Franchise Advisory Committee. They grew their business into one of the top five stores in the country, and won the 2010 International Whole Bean Sales Award.

2013

Scott standing at a podium talking to an audience.

Scott moved from a volunteer role to staff member as the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs and Workforce Director, later moving to a role full time in advocacy. He has been involved in many of the Chamber’s most important initiatives, including:

  • Coordinating the annual Chippewa Valley Rally legislative day in Madison along with the Chippewa Falls and Menomonie Chambers

  • Organizing monthly Eggs & Issues policy breakfasts focusing on critical local, state, and national economic issues.

  • Worked with Volume One to create the Think Eau Claire website and video as a tool to showcase the value of living in the Chippewa Valley.

  • Developing the Chamber’s Business Issues Agenda to articulate positions on important policy issues as they impact the local economy and quality of life. 

  • Building relationships with policymakers at all levels of government. 

  • Working with legislators from both sides of the aisle in Madison to assert Chippewa Valley priorities, with success stories including tourism legislation, the Confluence Project, funding for the UWEC Health & Health Sciences Building, and transportation improvements. He most recently coordinated the Chippewa Valley Rally for a final time in February 2026, where local leaders advocated for housing legislation, childcare, EMS, education, and PFAS remediation funding.

Scott and Shirley smiling at the camera. They are wearing bike helmets and are in front of a garage with a mural that says, "Ride".

2014

After their kids graduated from Eau Claire Public Schools and eventually went out on their own, Scott & Shirley decided that the vibrant life of downtown Eau Claire would be the best fit for their next chapter. 

The move downtown opened up easy access to the trails, music, and restaurants. If you’re out and about, it’s likely that you’ll see them enjoying all that makes Eau Claire a great place to call home. They helped establish the Phoenix Park Urbanites resident group, and Scott was a founding board member of the Downtown Neighborhood Association. 

Living downtown also provided an intersection with Scott’s work, supporting downtown businesses’ relationships with city government, advocating for tourism as a member of the Visit Eau Claire Board of Directors, and participating in policy discussions about issues like parking, zoning, homelessness, and downtown development.

Scott and his wife Shirley smiling at the camera. Behind them is the a white apartment building, river and bridges in downtown Eau Claire where they live.

2018

Housing: With both the supply and affordability of housing in our community becoming a more acute issue, Scott’s focus at the Chamber on this issue took on increased emphasis. His direct involvement has included:

  • Participating in the Chippewa Valley Housing Task Force (2018-20)

  • Five years as a member of the City of Eau Claire Housing Opportunities Commission

  • During the City’s recent rewrite of its zoning regulations, working alongside a diverse group of affordable housing advocates and the local housing industry to assert the importance of encouraging housing affordability and supply.

  • Participating in the Housing Our Neighbors Collaborative, which this winter released its report identifying six key strategies to align the community’s approach to ending homelessness. 

2019

Scott and Jennifer Murray smile at the camera. Behind them is a poster board that says, Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.

With fellow MIPRC Commissioner Jennifer Murray, WisDOT at the Fall 2025 meeting in Kansas City.

Scott’s role in advocating for passenger trains expanded geographically when Governor Evers appointed him to the eight-state Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC), an inter-governmental entity charged with coordinating and improving train service in eight states. He served as the Commission’s Financial Officer from 2022-2024. 

Besides involvement in the policy side of passenger rail, Scott and Shirley have enjoyed train travel ever since their first long-distance train trip on their honeymoon over 45 years ago. They especially like to take the train to cities, big and small, that are walkable and where good transit makes things accessible without an automobile… an aspiration Scott has as an improved value for Eau Claire.

Scott, an white male with white hair, smiles at the camera. Behind him is a train station.

2026

After more than 12 years in his professional role, Scott’s retirement from the Chamber at the end of February opens up a new chapter. It’s his desire to give back to the community by applying his knowledge and experiences to a leadership role as President of the Eau Claire City Council. He is committed to fully take on the role, with the best interests of the residents of Eau Claire as his only priority.