Chancellor’s Award: Ron & Joyce Wanek

Ronald (Ron) and Joyce Wanek are the recipients of the 2026 UW-Stout Polytechnic Chancellor’s Award for their generous philanthropy through the Ronald & Joyce Wanek Foundation and the ongoing partnership between UW-Stout Polytechnic, the Wanek family and their business, Ashley Furniture Industries, based in Arcadia.

The foundation’s $3.1 million donation of high-tech equipment – which includes production-level 3D printers, a fully integrated automated manufacturing system and more – dramatically increases the university’s ability to offer a state-of-the-art polytechnic experience for thousands of students in design, engineering and education programs.

The new equipment has created automation, robotics and 3D printing labs in multiple campus locations, including three labs in Fryklund Hall and one in the Jarvis Hall Technology Wing. It also will enhance experiences for K-12 students and professional learners, amplifying the impact of the university’s polytechnic focus.

The gift was part of the completion of a two-year, $7.4 million renovation project to ensure that labs in the Jarvis Hall Technology Wing provide the technology, accessibility and visibility necessary for students to succeed in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and management. 

The Ronald & Joyce Wanek Foundation is a philanthropic organization committed to supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and other community initiatives, helping to secure the country’s position as a world leader in technology and advanced manufacturing.

“We’re very grateful for the recognition. This honor reflects the Ashley team and the partnership we’ve built with UW-Stout Polytechnic: people who invest the time, stay curious and work to create something meaningful for students and industry partners. The team at UW-Stout Polytechnic is doing important work, providing students with real-world skills with real equipment, and that’s what builds a strong workforce. We are proud to be part of that,” said Wanek, founder and chairman of Ashley Furniture Industries.

“We believe our support gives students a stronger starting point. When you’ve already been exposed to real systems and challenges, you come in with a different mindset, ‘a growth mindset.’ You’re there to contribute. That shift makes a difference early in a career and is the difference with gaining a polytechnic education from UW-Stout Polytechnic,” he added.

Wanek’s family worked on a sharecropper’s farm in Utica, Minnesota, where he was instilled with a strong work ethic and ambition to succeed.

“In farming, you don’t wait for perfect conditions. You work with what you have. Business is the same. We started with very little and learned as we went, sometimes the hard way,” said Wanek, who began his career in 1961 as a cabinetmaker with the newly formed furniture company, Winona Industries. 

In 1970, Wanek took his knowledge of the furniture industry and set out on his own to establish and manage Arcadia Furniture, a small manufacturing company, which began with 35 employees in Arcadia. Now Ashley Furniture, the company is the world’s largest furniture manufacturer and the largest retail furniture store brand in North America, with more than 1,100 retail locations.

“The mentorship that I received at Winona Furniture taught me where opportunity lies. What I mean by that is: In life, you either make it, mine it or grow it. I chose to be a maker, which led to Ashley Furniture. And once you start, you keep at it, one day at a time. Progress is like planting a field. It doesn’t happen overnight, but if you do the work consistently, great things can happen,” Wanek said.

Outside of the business, Wanek is highly regarded for his philanthropic initiatives. In 1998, the Waneks started the Ronald & Joyce Wanek Foundation, making personal gifts of tens of millions of dollars to a multitude of their favorite causes, including the furniture industry, helping children in need, medical research, education and the arts, and honoring our armed forces. 

“We’ve always felt a responsibility to keep moving things forward, building on what’s been done so others have a better path ahead,” Wanek said. “That means advancing opportunities so future generations can benefit and grow. Our goal is to create real momentum in our communities: stronger jobs, stronger skills and more ways for people to succeed. If you build it right, it carries on long after you’re gone.”

The equipment donated by the Ronald & Joyce Wanek Foundation includes:

• An Amatrol Smart Factory Enterprise system is being used to create a new Automation Training Center. Through the Smart Factory Enterprise system and UW-Stout Polytechnic’s groundbreaking Automation Leadership and Engineering programs, the university will be able to offer a wide variety of industry-recognized certifications through the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA).
• Three new Universal Cobots (collaborative robots) and six AI-powered Cognex Vision Cameras have been added to the already impressive Industrial Robotics and Machine Vision Lab.
• The Additive Manufacturing Lab has been upgraded with state-of-the-art industrial printers, enabling the printing of a wide variety of materials, from stainless steel to nylon to high-performance plastics.
• The Fryklund 101 Machining Lab has been upgraded with 6 Haas VF-2SS CNC mills; a Haas ST-20Y CNC lathe with Y-axis capabilities; a bar feeder and live tooling; and a Fanuc Robodrill with a machine tending robot system.

“When we think about philanthropy, we look at it as an investment of time, resources and partnerships into things that will create lasting impact. We operate at a global scale, so we see where industries are going and what’s needed to stay competitive,” Wanek said. “That gives us an opportunity to work alongside strong partners, like UW-Stout Polytechnic, to help build toward that future. Real progress comes from collaboration. When industry and education align, you can create the right environment for growth, giving society opportunity and building something that lasts.”

The Waneks believe that education gives people a tool, and the right tools give people and the U.S. a chance to compete globally, not just on a small scale. “We’re competing globally for talent, innovation and ultimately for market share. If we want the U.S. to stay strong, we have to make sure our workforce is prepared to meet that challenge,” Wanek said. “That starts with education that connects to doing. When students are working with real equipment and real problems, they’re better prepared to step in and contribute right away. That’s what keeps us competitive, and that’s why we support it.”

Partnerships between industry and higher education help shape the future workforce because when industry is involved, “students see how things actually get done, not just how they’re supposed to work in theory. That exposure helps them think differently, solve problems faster and understand what’s expected of them. If you close that gap early, you don’t have to catch up later.

“Innovation doesn’t stand still, so training can’t either,” he added. “If you invest in the right environment, students begin to understand how everything connects: people, processes, production and economies. That kind of understanding builds a stronger workforce, and over time, that’s what keeps industries and communities moving forward. It’s like preparing the ground before you plant. The effort you put in up front will show up later. Or another way to think of it is – the harder you work, the luckier you will be.”

For students who are preparing to enter manufacturing, engineering and business fields, Wanek offered this bit of advice, “Stay curious, be willing to work hard and don’t be afraid to start at the ground level. That’s where you build the foundation for long-term success. When you stay curious, you learn by doing – by trying things, making adjustments and figuring it out along the way. Listen to the people around you, ask questions and take pride in your work.”