Our Staff
Ron James – Grocery Manager
Ron James is our grocery manager. He has come off working nights for us and is enjoying his daytime routine! Ron has been in the grocery store business for almost 45 years and has held almost every position within a grocery store! For the past twenty plus years, Ron has served in the store manager position at other outlets.
A native of Dodgeville, Ron has lived in Madison since 1984. When not in the store, he enjoys working in his yard and playing disc golf. He has two grown children, a grandson and two Leonberger dogs.
Ron’s main goals as the grocery manager are to build on the growth Fresh Madison Market has been fortunate enough to experience thus far as well as to help mentor the staff on store and life issues.
Paul Hasenberg – Produce Manager
After spending the past ten months as the Assistant Store Manager, Paul Hasenberg has moved his expertise to the produce department as the Produce Manager. A Madison native, Paul joined the Fresh Madison Market team with 25 years experience in the grocery store business. He is looking forward to his new role and is hoping to offer his customers and employees the freshest produce with the highest quality possible, helping to make your visit to our store a great experience.
An avid sports fanatic, Paul enjoys playing golf, softball, basketball and bowling. He enjoys spending time with his family, wife Robin and two sons, Alex and Ashton.
Kim Korte – Culinary Manager
Kim Korte knew from an early age that she wanted to be involved with food and hospitality, although from the business end, not necessarily in the kitchen. Kim has been with Fresh Madison Market since we opened our door. She served at our customer service manager for a year and a half before she was named our culinary manager. As our culinary manager, Kim oversees the bakery, deli, catering and event planning departments. Kim strives to make every customer of our store feel as if they have had a good shopping experience. She looks at customer service through the eyes of her customers and keeps in mind what she likes and dislikes from her shopping experiences. She carries these beliefs into her management style.
Kim holds a bachelor degree from UW – Stout. She has held various positions in customer service including a pool/golf course bar and restaurant manager at a private country club. Before joining the Fresh Madison Market team, she was a food service director in the corporate dining cafes at two of Madison’s largest corporations.
Kim is a self-confessed “home body.” She likes to entertain and cook at home. When not at work or home, she enjoys walking her dog, perusing Madison’s many farmers’ markets as well as Target and State Street! She also likes to travel and stay in touch with family and friends.
Sean Veselsky – Dairy/Frozen Food Manager
As the newest member of our management staff, Sean Veselsky is no stranger to the retail environment. A 2009 graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, Sean has been working in retail since 2007. He enters the dairy and frozen departments with high goals. Sean would like to continue building on the great work of his predecessor building these departments to their potential. He will rely on his educational expertise in human resources by listening to his customer’s requests and feedback and going above and beyond to fulfill those requests. He is hoping to grow the sections of his department that have the greatest demands.
When he is not working, Sean likes watching movies, hiking, backpacking and shooting sports. He and his wife, Emily, are expecting their first child in October.
Alex McGinn – Meat/Seafood Manager
Alex McGinn, Fresh Madison Market’s meat and seafood manager, is a Madison native. He grew up on the east side and attended Madison East High School. After high school, he attended MATC and obtained his degree in small business management. He worked full-time while he was in school. His hard work paid off when, at age 20, he purchased his first home.
Alex began his retail career at Jacobson’s Bros. Meat and Deli on Sherman Avenue in Madison. At age 15, he started in the meat department. Just four years later, he was the assistant store manager. After ten years at Jacobson’s Bros. Meat and Deli, Alex began working for Jeff Maurer at Pierce’s Northside Market in Madison as a meat cutter. When Fresh Madison Market came to fruition, Jeff knew his new team could benefit from Alex’s dedication and knowledge.
In his spare time, Alex enjoys playing sports – basketball, volleyball and softball. He collects and loves to play guitars. He likes to spend time with his parents and black Pomeranian dog, Sparx.
Kristie Maurer – Operations Manager
The grocery store business is no stranger to Kristie Maurer. The daughter of store owner, Jeff Maurer, she brings to her position a second-hand knowledge of the grocery store business as well as hands-on business experience. Maurer’s responsibilities include human resources, sales and overseeing the daily operation of the store.
Kristie received her bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, IN and recently completed her M.B.A. from Indiana Wesleyan University. She worked for the State of Indiana as a mediator until three years ago, when she became a Risk Manager for a skilled nursing home company in Indianapolis. One of Kristie’s goals in this newly created position is to use this background to put new systems in place in order to help improve team efficiencies and increase the customer experience.
After years away, the family business called Kristie home. She felt a strong desire to move back to Madison and start a new adventure, ensuring her family-run, locally-owned business will be just that many years from now. Kristie is focused on learning from the Fresh Madison Market team already in place as well as putting the customer first.
Karen DeSanto – Customer Service Manager
With a varied background in customer service and interacting with the public, Karen DeSanto joins our our management team as our Customer Service Manager. Karen’s belief that “happy employees creates happy customers” is her driving force in helping to enhance the customer’s experience in our store. Karen is also in charge of helping our store become more involved and visible in the local community.
In addition to her prior customer service experience, Karen has owned several businesses in the family entertainment industry, specializing in parties and corporate events. In 1993, she attended the Ringling Brother’s Clown College in 1993 and spent several years traveling across America as a circus clown for the “Greatest Show on Earth.” She eventually moved to Baraboo to work at the Circus World Museum. Don’t be surprised if you see her juggling some oranges in the produce department!
Karen lives in Baraboo with her husband and 13 year old daughter. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and is currently training for her third triathalon.
Andy Nighbor – Executive Chef
Andy began his culinary career at the American Club in Kohler, WI as a culinary apprentice. After five years there, he left the Midwest for desert sun and sand! He landed an externship at the Fairmont Princess in Scottsdale. It was there that he spent three years honing his skills at the Fairmont’s Four Diamond La Hacienda and Five Diamond Marquesa restaurants. Andy eventually moved back to Madison. He worked at Food Fight Restaurant Group’s El Dorado Grill and Johnny Delmonico’s Steakhouse as a sous chef and kitchen manager.
For a short time, Andy served as our sous chef before being promoted to executive chef. During this time, he was a key member of the team that produced the “Best Entrée” at the Circus of Chefs 2011 Gala. This dish won a coveted “Silver Plate Award.”
Andy’s goal as our executive chef is to continue creating the classic dishes everyone has come to love from Fresh Madison Market. He is also looking forward to experimenting and creating new dishes that offer the consumer a unique, flavorful experience. He credits his background in five star resorts to creating foods that guarantee that a customer is satisfied and happy with their experience and will want to return. He wants our customers to have this same experience!
In his spare time, Andy enjoys downhill skiing, spending time with his family and bicycle riding.
