Roger Ganser

Ganser, Roger H.

MADISON - Roger H. Ganser, 78, passed away on Friday, July 16, 2021, surrounded by his family at home in Madison, Wis. He is survived by his wife, Katherine Naherny; his son and daughter from his first marriage, Adam Ganser (Mia Sage) and Erin Ganser (Andrew Lockman); his five grandchildren, Jack, John, Noah, Lucy and Lily; his brother, Louis; and his former wife, Judith.

Born in Milwaukee to Kitty and Harry Ganser, Roger graduated from Milwaukee Lutheran High School. He received a Bachelor of Education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, before heading east and receiving a Master of Public Administration from the Rockefeller School at SUNY-Albany.

Never one to take the straight path, Roger enjoyed a rich and varied professional career. After a teaching stint in Illinois, and economic development roles in upstate New York and Minnesota, he arrived in Madison in 1977 as the first president of Madison Development Corporation. He went on to found and be the first CEO and President of Venture Investors of Wisconsin and would helm the firm for the next 26 years. VIW has been recognized as one of the Midwest's first venture capital firms, and Roger's contributions to the Wisconsin entrepreneurial ecosystem were recognized when he received the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Award in 2001.

In "semi-retirement," Roger dedicated himself to investor education, serving for over a decade on the Board of the National Association of Investors Corporation, where as Chair and Acting CEO he successfully guided the organization through significant challenges. His involvement in investor education extended to the Securities and Exchange Commission as a member of its Investor Advisory Board and internationally to the World Federation of Investors, an education and advocacy organization of 40 countries where he was President and Chairman of the board.

In addition to his professional achievements, Roger was a committed philanthropist and mentor. He took on a number of roles for UW-Whitewater, including chairing the UW-W Foundation board and establishing scholarships for students pursuing work in biotechnology and democratic systems.

At his "up north" home in Phelps, Wis., Roger led efforts to protect North and South Twin Lakes for future generations by establishing an official lake district. He consulted with advocates for bike trails in the Northwoods and seeded fundraising for a forward-thinking extension of a bike trail network for the community.

Work-life balance was never an issue for Roger. Among his passions were sailing, enjoying winters in Florida, undrivable British sports cars, fishing, theatre, jazz, traveling, and spending time with his grandchildren in Colorado, New York City and Wisconsin.

Roger's joie de vivre made him one of a kind. He met life with an infectious vibrance and enthusiasm that put others at ease. His generosity of spirit, kindness, humor, and wisdom made him a special light that will be missed by his family, friends and colleagues.

A celebration of Roger's life is will be held at later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a gift to:

*Lussier Community Education Center, Madison, Wis.

*Great Headwaters Trails Foundation, Eagle River, Wis.

*New Yorkers 4 Parks