YPR announces its finalists for Young Professional of the Year

A real estate agent, accountant, journalist and shelter coordinator are finalists for the annual Young Professional of the Year Award given out by Young Professionals of Racine.

Finalists for the 2010 award include:

• Janine Anderson, reporter, Journal Times
• Gordon Bittner, Realtor, RE/MAX Preferred
• Catherine Conaghan, internal auditor, JohnsonDiversey
• Russell Warren, youth shelter program coordinator, SAFE Haven of Racine

The four finalists were chosen from 11 nominations. Here's bio information on the finalists:

Janine Anderson 

Janine Anderson is a courts reporter and a parenting columnist for The Journal Times. She lives in Racine with her husband, Scott, a photographer at the JT, and their 2-year-old son Henry. Janine is a national-award winning reporter who provides excellent coverage of the Racine County court system. Outside of work, she is a teacher-in-training at the Original Root Zen Center, an active member with the Over Our Head Players, appearing in two Snowdance festivals, and an avid knitter.

Gordon Bittner

Gordon Bittner is an award-winning Realtor with RE/MAX Preferred in Racine. A life-long Racine resident, he's sold homes in the city for the past 15 years. He's also started a leadership program for teens and played 17 years as quarterback for the Racine Raiders, winning two national championships. He lives in Racine with his wife and three sons, coaches RYS football, volunteers with several local organizations and rides his Harley.

Catherine Conaghan

Catherine Conaghan is an internal auditor for JohnsonDiversey. She recently accepted a two-year transfer from the company's R&D organization to its internal audit department. The move allowed her to learn more about JohnsonDiversey's international operations. While she travels 40 percent of the time, she dedicates her home time as a volunteer at Girls Inc. in Racine, serving on the nonprofit's Board of Directors. She also serves on the YPR board of directors.

Russell Warren 

Russell Warren is youth shelter program coordinator for SAFE Haven of Racine. He moved to Racine from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia two years ago. As shelter coordinator, he's actively involved in the city's homeless coalition and represents SAFE Haven to many groups in the community. Warren is member of the LBGT Center of Wisconsin's Board of Directors, is a regular at Uncorkt's Thursday night wine tastings, and his College Avenue home was featured on the 2009 Preservation Racine Tour of Historic Places.

Nominees

Other nominees for the 2010 Young Professional of the Year award include: Sara Luther Hagerman, interim director of QTI of Southeastern Wisconsin; Jim Moes, teacher at Jefferson Lighthouse Elementary; JJ McAuliffe, owner of McAuliffe's Pub; Bret Glembocki, staff scientist at JohnsonDiversey; Michael Fischer, staff scientist at JohnsonDiversey; Tracy Nielsen, vice president-marketing and resource development; Jane Kurylo, business services team lead, Workforce Development Center.

This will be the seventh year in a row YPR has given out its Young Professional of the Year Award. Previous winners include: 2009 - Chris Antonneau (David Insurance); 2008 - Jeff McKeown ( Express Personnel Services); 2007 - Doug Nicholson (Ivanhoe Pub & Eatery); 2006 - Anne Stillman (CNH); 2005 - Jay Christie (Racine Zoological Society); 2004 - John Busey (Robert W. Baird)

For more information about Young Professionals of Racine, visit: www.ypracineorg