From Forestry to Appraisals, Our Knowledge Runs Deep.
Our work is characterized by our commitment to sustainable solutions, innovative thinking, the latest technology, and respect for the natural environment. Here is a list of our dedicated team of professional foresters, real estate consultants, certified appraisers, specialty and management staff.
Leadership Team
Lee currently oversees and implements strategic direction at Steigerwaldt. She is a third-generation consulting forester and business owner with a Bachelor of Science degree earned in 1999 from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in Forest Management, Urban Forestry, and Philosophy. She is a certified general appraiser in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, and an ISA certified arborist. Ms. Steigerwaldt has held temporary CGA licenses for special projects in California, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Virginia. Her prior professional experience was as a Production Arborist in Hailey, Idaho, before relocating to Tomahawk to work in the family business.
Lee offers business leadership perspective and experience in a growing and transitioning business and feels the emphasis on cultural expectations and principal values is key to thriving through transitions.
She enjoys working on the Christmas tree farm and at the maple syrup shack and pursuing steelhead in the Brule River in northern Wisconsin with her husband, Todd. She has two children, a daughter and son. Lee is an eleven-time finisher of the Ironman triathlon and is a believer in grit, tenacity, and consistency in business, organizational, and personal achievement.
lee.steigerwaldt@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 318
Ed is a forester and real estate appraiser with over 50 years’ experience. As Chairman of Steigerwaldt, Ed offers consult in daily business management and provides expert witness and appraisal services. His appraisal experience includes a wide variety of assignments including the appraisal of waterfront, recreation, forest land, residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial property, as well as easements and individual trees and landscaping. He currently directs real estate appraisal projects throughout Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and other states when requested. Ed is qualified as an expert witness in court proceedings in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, Oregon, California, and Florida. He has given numerous presentations covering real estate and tree appraisal. Ed also has 30 years of experience as a Wisconsin tax assessor.
ed.steigerwaldt@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 313
Jon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In addition, Jon holds an Associates degree in Automotive Technology from North Central Technical College.
Jon is responsible for directing, coordinating, and leading Steigerwaldt Tree Farm’s field operations and manages wholesale and retail Christmas tree sales. His duties also include budget management, performance targets, action plan, data analysis, and marketing for Steigerwaldt Tree Farms. Jon works as the tree farm field operations leader and works with other members of the department to develop and maintain client relationships. He supervises farm projects, processes, and scheduling between in-house departments to maintain efficiencies. He is the lead on maintenance of GIS data for Steigerwaldt lands and Christmas tree inventory. Jon also serves as the lead liaison with our Forestry Department, and directs and evaluates equipment needs and maintenance.
Prior to his current position, Jon was responsible for evaluating, identifying, leading a tree crew, and safely using a chain saw to successfully remove hazard trees from along trail systems to provide safe trails for recreationalists.
In his free time, Jon enjoys mountain biking and camping with his wife and three kids.
jon.andreas@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 347
Ashley earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies and Professional Writing from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse in 2008. She also attended St. Mary’s University and earned her Master’s Degree in Management in 2012.
Ashley is the Communication and Development Director at Steigerwaldt, continuously promoting their trademark: quality work fast, with honesty and integrity. Internally, her focus is on fostering an inclusive and creative work culture and strengthening team development, engagement, and relationships. She also invests time in company promotion, branding, and client experience. In addition, her responsibilities include all aspects of administration for multiple departments including forestry, marketing and communications, IT, and brokerage. She excels at office management, technical support, website maintenance, social media, creative solutions, marketing, and fostering an inclusive work environment. Ashley is also a Wisconsin Notary.
Ashley enjoys contributing to her community by volunteering for major city events. She is also an entrepreneur and owns a craft beer and coffee bar with her family. Her favorite moments are spent with her husband and dogs; whether traveling or at home, it’s always an adventure.
ashley.beatty@steigerwaldt.com
715.699.1401, ext. 201
As the Chief Operations Officer for Steigerwaldt, Josh oversees and implements performance and budget standards, executes upon strategic vision for Stegierwaldt entities, and works closely with the President and CEO to advise on major business decisions. He has worked for Steigerwaldt since graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources with a Forest Management Emphasis and a certificate in Environmental Studies. Josh is an active member of the Society of American Foresters and the Association of Consulting Foresters.
Josh specializes in forest operations oversight and execution for large private landowners (TIMO, REIT, and large private non-industrial ownerships). He is experienced in all aspects of Lake States and Appalachian silviculture; third-party certification systems (FSC, SFI, and ATF); timber sale harvest planning, establishment, marketing, contracting, and administration; inventory execution and field oversight; forest road maintenance and improvement; and reforestation planning and contracting. He holds a Wisconsin Real Estate Sales License and assists clients with timberland and recreational real estate acquisitions, dispositions, marketing, contracting, due diligence, recreational lease program oversight, and strategic direction.
Josh previously managed Steigerwaldt’s offices in Hayward, Wisconsin, Chilicothe, Ohio, and Negaunee, Michigan, where he had responsibility for oversight of up to 275,000 acres of client-owned properties, as well as client and company budget management, client relationships, project management, staffing, procurement, and execution of business directives and expectations.
Josh enjoys spending time with his family, deer hunting, searching for shed antlers, musky fishing, and coaching youth basketball.
josh.burling@steigerwaldt.com
715.699.1401, ext. 203
Richard serves as Valuation Operations Manager for Steigerwaldt Land Services, Inc. where he has worked since January 2020. Prior to his current position, he served as Project Manager as well as an Assistant Analyst/Real Estate Specialist. He has been a part of the forest industry in Wisconsin and Michigan since 2009 when he graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point with majors in Forest Administration and Utilization, Forest Management, and a minor in Business Administration.
Richard has a broad forestry background having been employed at a consulting firm, a tribal government, an international land management company, a logging company, a paper mill, and a nature reserve. He has extensive experience in land management and data analysis specializing in large-tract timberland valuation. He has a broad skillset and range of knowledge including project management, contract negotiation and administration, data quality assurance/quality control, design and implementation of timber harvest and inventory programs, short- and long-term harvest planning, and assisting with land acquisitions and dispositions.
In his current role, Richard leads Steigerwaldt’s Appraisal Department and is responsible for managing appraisal project efforts and client relations. This includes numerous property types and valuation assignments including large timberland investment, energy, utility, and transportation clients, and various forest and resource valuation projects.
richard.congdon@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 340
Dani serves as the Environmental Operations Manager at Steigerwaldt Land Services. She is responsible for leading the Natural Resources and Environmental department through strategic direction, project management, client relationship management, project procurement, department and staff oversight, and team development. Dani specializes in invasive species identification and control, prescribed burns, Wisconsin native vegetation, prairie restoration, bluff stabilization and erosion control, rain garden installation, bioswale maintenance, and vegetation monitoring.
Dani holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.
Dani holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.
Prior to her current position, Dani was a Restoration Ecologist overseeing the Stewardship department for a small native landscaping and environmental restoration firm in southeastern Wisconsin.
In her free time, Dani hikes with her dog Ducky. She hopes to make use of the Northwood’s lakes this summer to teach him how to kayak. She also takes time to do outreach and educate the public on Wisconsin’s native ecology as a Wisconsin Master Naturalist. When she isn’t looking at plants, she also enjoys leading 4H projects, crochet, embroidery, photography, and ceramics.
dani.decloux@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 321
Forrest serves as the Vice President of Analytics, Valuation, and Technology Solutions at Steigerwaldt Land Services. In this role, he leads a team that provides a wide range of forest resource and timber industry analysis services to private, industry, and public agency clients. Forrest works in tandem with Steigerwaldt appraisal, real estate, and forest management departments to support consulting efforts. He manages geospatial services at Steigerwaldt, and works to connect clients with GIS solutions that meet their needs, with an eye to enhance and leverage data and processes.
He has extensive experience in designing and implementing varied timber and resource inventories, including detailed data acquisition, analysis, reporting, and modeling using state-of-the art hardware and software applications. He oversees cradle-to-grave services on forest carbon projects including project design, inventory, GIS and analysis, and modeling. With a deep knowledge of Lake States silviculture, particularly northern hardwood management, Forrest specializes in forestland real estate due diligence and investment analysis. He has also worked on analysis, inventory, and modeling assignments on projects located across the country from the northeast through the Adirondacks and Appalachia regions, to the western states, including Alaska.
forrest.gibeault@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 317
]Jacki earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Urban Planning at University of Wisconsin – Whitewater in 1996. She has continued her education by working on her Master of Business with Keller Graduate School of Management.
Jacki's primary responsibilities include company budgeting, financial reporting, and general accounting activities of our various entities. Other responsibilities include producing timely and accurate financial reports, working with department directors on budgeting and variance analysis, fixed asset accounting, tax accounting, supervising employees in the accounting department, oversight of outsourced payroll, and maintaining computerized accounting systems.
In her free time, Jacki enjoys spending time with her family, canoeing, camping, and scrapbooking.
jacki.grigg@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 320
Haakon serves as the Vice President of Energy, Infrastructure, and Real Estate for Steigerwaldt and has been with the company since 2004. He worked as a staff and project forester prior to transitioning into his current role in 2011. Haakon earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management from Michigan Technological University in 2003. He is a member of the International Right of Way Association, Society of American Foresters, and Association of Consulting Foresters. He served as the chapter chair of the Northeast Chapter of the Society of American Foresters from 2011 to 2013 and holds the SR/WA designation from the IRWA. He is a Wisconsin and Michigan Notary, and is a Wisconsin Cooperating Forester.
Haakon’s current job duties at Steigerwaldt include performing and overseeing all aspects of utility, renewable, and governmental acquisition and permitting projects. Haakon coordinates and ensures client expectations are met in relation to project budgeting, forecasting, schedule, and workflow to ensure successful completion on time and within budget. Additional duties include attending public meetings, obtaining necessary local and state permits, preparing market studies, negotiating with public and private landowners, settling damage claims, and handling vegetation management issues. As Operations Director, Haakon is also responsible for the development, implementation, and supervision of the day-to-day activities of the Real Estate team. This includes reviewing, evaluating, and managing the acquisition process, ensuring due diligence and compliance with all client and statutory requirements, and ensuring project database and spatial solutions are current and correct.
In his free time, Haakon enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters, brook trout fishing, and spending time outdoors.
haakon.h@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 332
Tom Hittle serves as Senior Vice President of Land and Resource Management at Steigerwaldt Land Services, Inc where he is responsible for department management and project execution.
He has over 30 years of forestry consulting experience and served as Steigerwaldt’s Forestry and GIS Operations Director for 15 years prior to his current position. In this previous role, he was responsible for management of over 350,000 acres of client-owned timberland. He has a wide range of expertise in forest management and timberland real estate gained from years of hands-on consulting and forest management efforts on small and large private forestlands, and for county, state, federal, tribal, utility, investment, and conservancy clients. Tom’s experience includes due diligence for timberland acquisitions, resource analysis and forest management planning, systems development and implementation, and management scenario modeling on a variety of consulting projects. He has appeared as an expert witness, testifying on timber volumes, values, and forest management practices for clients in Marquette County, Michigan, and Adams, Washburn, Portage, and Langlade Counties, Wisconsin, and has worked on numerous other projects settled prior to court.
Tom was appointed in 2013 by the governor of Wisconsin to serve on the Wisconsin Council on Forestry; in 2019 he was appointed as the Chair of the Council. He served as State Chair for the Wisconsin Society of American Foresters (2014 – 2015), and also served as the State Chair for the Wisconsin Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters (2017 – 2018). Tom is actively involved in forest policy matters and is an advocate for the forest industry, recently giving presentations to the Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association, Wisconsin Counties Association, Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands-Board of Directors, Wisconsin Statewide Department of Natural Resources Forestry staff, and at regional and national Society of American Foresters conferences.
tom.hittle@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 314
Chris serves as the Analytics and Technology Solutions Manager at Steigerwaldt Land Services. He is involved in project management, staff oversight, and business development support within the department. He is responsible for client communications, managing his team, supporting data collection, and overseeing technical analysis.
Chris received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Forestry and Resource Management from the University of Tennessee. He worked for the USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis unit before moving to the private industry. He also worked in procurement at a coastal plastic resin manufacturer before moving to serve as Wood Sourcing Manager where he managed a large sourcing operation over seven states.
Chris specializes in managing forestry operations from a technical perspective as well as interpersonally. He is experienced in a variety of inventory and research methods and carries a wide-reaching network of industry professionals. Some of his skillsets include forest data acquisition, GIS solutions, analysis, reporting, communications, team management, budgeting, and strategic planning. His experience has been primarily focused across the 13 most southeastern states in the US, with work relating to both southern Appalachian hardwoods and southern pine species.
Chris enjoys spending time with friends and family in addition to a variety of hobbies including fishing, surfing, jiu jitsu, boxing, and music.
chris.king@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 336
Joe serves as Vice President of Field Operations for Steigerwaldt Land Services. Joe has worked for Steigerwaldt since October 2010 and has been a forester in northern Wisconsin since graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry with a Forest Management and Urban Forestry Emphasis. He is a member of the Society of American Foresters and the Association of Consulting Foresters. He is a cooperating forester with the Wisconsin DNR, a certified plan writer, and is FISTA-SFI trained.
Joe specializes in oversight and execution for forest operations for our large private landowners (TIMO, REIT, and large private non-industrial ownerships). He is experienced in all aspects of Lake States silviculture, third-party certification systems (SFI and ATF), timber sale harvest planning, establishment, marketing, contracting, and administration, inventory execution and field oversight, forest road maintenance and improvement, and reforestation planning and contracting.
In his current role, he is responsible for supporting the Forest Opertions division through technical support on timberland operations, providing training and guidance to field personnel, and providing safety program oversight for field personnel.
Prior to his current position, Joe was Regional Operations Director.
In his free time, Joe enjoys supporting his kids in their extra-curricular activities and being active outdoors.
joseph.mattke@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 304
Derek serves as the Forestry Operations Manager at Steigerwaldt Land Services. He is involved in project management, staff oversight, and business development support within the department. In his current role, Derek oversees a team of foresters who provide all aspects of land management for our large private landowners. He is responsible for operations oversight on client-owned properties, as well as client and company budget management, client relationships, project management, staffing, procurement, and execution of business directives and expectations.
Derek earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management, with a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in 2012. Prior to enrolling at UWSP, Derek enlisted in the U.S. Army from 2005 to 2007. Derek is a member of the Society of American Foresters, a cooperating forester, and a Certified Plan Writer for the Wisconsin DNR; he has also earned his FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot license.
Derek specializes in all aspects of timber sale setup and administration on a variety of timber types for clients including non-industrial private landowners, investment companies, and government agencies. Derek assists on timber inventory projects nationwide by providing logistical planning, as well as performing fieldwork. Derek also supports teams that monitored the implementation of forestry Best Management Practices (BMP) in Michigan and Minnesota.
In his free time, Derek enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and kids. Some of their favorite activities include traveling, biking, camping, and fishing.
derek.schummer@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 307
Janet serves as the Geospatial Solutions Director at Steigerwaldt Land Services. She is responsible for leading geospatial services into new growth areas and supporting the Analytics and Technology Services division by advancing GIS approaches. She is also responsible for client communications, team management, project deliverables, and the management of department data, systems, and processes. Janet specializes in geodesign, which leverages geospatial solutions throughout landscape planning processes, including stakeholder engagement.
Janet began her career as a landscape architect with the U.S. Forest Service and went on to earn an M.S. and PhD from Michigan Technological University in Landscape Ecology. From there, she spent 25 years as a professor at Washington State University and the University of WI-Madison where she taught GIS, landscape ecology, and regional design courses. In this role, she also led research projects and traveled around the Great Lakes region, Asia, Switzerland, and Washington State.
Most recently, before joining the team at Steigerwaldt, Janet founded and ran a private consulting business for Geodesign.
Outside of work, Janet most enjoys water-based activities, liquid or frozen: swimming, paddling, ice skating, snowboarding, and skiing.
janet.silbernagel@steigerwaldt.com
715.453.3274, ext. 335
