Maggie Steffen has been hired as the Interim Executive Director for Downtown Rhinelander Inc. effective July 30. Steffen succeeds Sue Bessert, who resigned from the organization on July 10 after serving in the role since 2008.

Steffen is a Rhinelander native, and has more than 12 years of non-profit experience, with a focus on event planning, fundraising, marketing and management of volunteers. Most recently she has worked with Northcentral Wisconsin Technical College. Locally she previously worked as the marketing director for the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association.

She credits her success to her creative spirit, hard work and taking pride in what she does. She is excited about her new position.

When asked how she feels about being able to work with the downtown businesses, she said “I never dreamed, as a farm girl, that I would be in a position to help my community.”

Steffen will serve as the organization’s executive director until at least mid-October, as the hierarchy of the organization is examined and possibly reorganized following an examination of the results of a survey of the organization’s stakeholders. More information on that will be released soon.

Steffen will be around for the Redikulus Dae on Aug. 1, and the Beverage Garden at the 2012 Oneida County Fair Aug. 2-5, so be sure to stop by and greet her.