Andy Schumacher 

Andy’s father, now deceased, was a Fourth Degree Knight and a member of the Honor Guard.  It would seem natural that Andy would have some exposure to the Knights and would have understood what the organization was all about.  But, his dad seldom talked about the Knights and Andy’s earliest recollection of the brotherhood was an organization with trappings and the pomp of tuxedos and the regalia of the Honor Guard.  While that is certainly an important part of the Knights, it is that small part which Andy first came to notice and that to which many other people are first exposed. 

 

A native of Allouez, Andy is the youngest of twelve and eventually became a part of the Knights of Columbus through the invitation of Randy Barrett with whom he works.  He is presently one of the minority of Council 10243 in that he is not a member of St. Bernard Parish.  Andy and his family have been members of Holy Cross Parish in Bay Settlement for about three years now.  Prior to that, they were members of Cathedral and later of St. Bernard.  He met his future wife, Jeanne, in High School.  After High School he went to Stevens Point and graduated the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1985  He returned to Green Bay in 1987 on a job related move and ended up at Warren Insurance Group.  He works in insurance sales, and deals primarily with business and business life insurance.  He seems to enjoy his work and he feels that he does well in his profession because he doesn’t fit the perception that many people have of an insurance sales person.  “I’m not pushy.  Maybe that’s what people expect, but it’s not my style.” 

 

Andy’s average workday finds him in the office around 7:30 AM.  He spends a great deal of time on the telephone, meeting clients and on the road, estimating nearly 20,000 business miles annually.  He tries to get home for dinner each evening and then goes back to work for a couple of hours.  With such a hectic time commitment, he does believe in putting his family first.  There’s also a bit of time to relax, and he does find some time to enjoy bird hunting, especially grouse and pheasant.  He has made a couple of Council meetings and has, like so many others, been a part of the Tootsie Roll drive, food stands and cutting vegetables for booyah sales.

 

Andy and Jeanne have been married for about ten years now and have three girls, ages eight, six and three.  He serves the community at Holy Cross as a member of the parish Board of Education and he considers himself ”an aspiring usher.”  Besides all that, he was a charter member of the ‘Allouez Monday Noon Optimists’ and he serves on the Government Affairs Committee of Brown County Home Builders.  A person of deep faith, Andy makes a retreat annually and appreciates the Knights as men united in sharing their faith and in their commitment to service.  While his gentle, non-pushy style may not make his the ideal person to head a membership drive, his living of the Christian faith and his contribution to the life of Council 10243 has been a gift to us all.

 

December 1996