Jim Holperin: tourism is in his blood
Alumni & Friends, Summer/Fall 2004

Jim Holperin ‘73 was cognizant of the importance of tourism in Wisconsin at an early age. Born and raised in Eagle River, he helped his family run a grocery store that catered to Northern Wisconsin’s tourist trade.

In May 2003, Gov. James Doyle appointed Holperin as Wisconsin Tourism Secretary.

A Wisconsin advocate, Holperin says he fully understands the importance of a strong tourism industry here in Wisconsin. Tourism is the state’s third largest industry with an estimated $11.7 billion in economic impact to Wisconsin annually. More than 325,000 people are employed in tourism sector jobs in the state.

“It’s important for us as a state agency to continue to promote travel to the state and within the state so that we can sustain a strong tourism economy on an annual basis,” Holperin said. “When tourism flourishes you have a stronger quality of life, which creates a ripple effect throughout the local economy. In many ways, the travel industry defines a quality of life for the state as well as for a community.”

Holperin majored in English and minored in history at UW-Whitewater followed by a semester of law school at UW-Madison. It was during his time in Madison that public service first struck a nerve with Holperin.

“I started out doing clerical work in the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and eventually migrated to the state legislature. The atmosphere there was electrifying and it was interesting watching the dynamics of the political process,” Holperin said. “It was an exciting place to be.”

He served as the assistant chief clerk of the Wisconsin Senate and as a legislative analyst in the Wisconsin Assembly prior to waging a successful campaign to become an assemblyman in the state legislature. He spent 12 years in the Wisconsin Legislature representing Oneida and Vilas counties, specializing in tourism and natural resource issues.

Following two decades at the state capitol, Holperin returned to his hometown of Eagle River. There he spent nine years as the director of Trees for Tomorrow, an accredited specialty school that hosts 5,000 middle and high school students every year who come to learn the best ways to manage our forests, water systems and other renewable resources.

Holperin and his wife, Kathy, an occupational therapist, have two sons, Christopher and Andrew, who is a junior at UW-Whitewater. – Tom Pattison