2005 Young Alumni Award

Joseph Steiner ’95

Currently employed in insurance sales and retirement and investment planning with Catholic Knights, Joseph Steiner is quick to point our how he has the “best of both worlds” (professionally and as a volunteer). His work enables him to help individuals with their financial and security concerns, but also to work side by side with them with volunteer outreach to the community and in various family activities.

Joseph transferred to St. Norbert College in his junior year n order to experience a good program for psychology, his eventual major. His years at SNC impacted him in many ways, but they especially taught him to “always look at all sides of a situation before accepting what is being fed to us…to analyze both sides and to come to my own conclusion.” He has since been able to use these analytical skills and apply them to everyday life situations in his work and in his community activities.

As a volunteer, Joseph has worked with Habitat for Humanity, St. Norbert Abbey Peruvian Missions, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, West De Pere High School Music Theater, Fox Valley Mission’s outreach to inner-city neighborhoods, Catholic Knights Branch fundraisers and outreach activities, and the Brown Country Jail Ministry.

One lesson he learned, most especially from doing prison ministry, is that “people, no matter where they are, whether it be in the inner-city of a big city, a re-population village in El Salvador, people in jail or prison, or helping out with Habitat for Humanity right here in Green Bay, have something to share with us just as we have something to share with them.” We need, he would add, to be able to accept what is “new or inspiring from the people that we meet and minister to.”

Joseph hopes his future will include many opportunities to continue to grow his business and to help his clients and their families feel secure about their futures, and to help them to plan in order that they may do so. And, he hopes to soon start a family of his own with a woman he dearly loves.

This future will also include continuing to give back to his community by doing more volunteer work and “to seek out those outlets and people that need my help the most.” This desire was early influenced by his parents and family who “always taught me that we should help those around us who need it most in very practical ways. Not by giving money or just praying for them, but not being afraid to dig in and get our hands dirty in order to help them out…not for the recognition of our peers, but from the knowing that we have helped those around us as we would want them to help us.” Wise advice for all of us!