Fellow volunteers are reward enough for Kolb

Dan Kolb doesn't like the attention he's getting.

Receiving awards and having his name in print is not his cup of tea.

"It's actually kind of embarrassing because I think other people are more deserving," Kolb said.

Despite his modesty and trepidations, some people do feel the longtime Brookfield resident is quite deserving of everything he receives.

This showed when Kolb, 48, was honored for his volunteer efforts at St. Anne's Salvatorian Campus when he was presented with the 2011 St. Anne Award last month.

The St. Anne Award recognizes distinguished service and extraordinary commitment to the ministry of St. Anne's.

St. Anne's Administrator Lynn Vogt said Kolb fits these characteristics.

"Dan's generous spirit embodies the intent of this award, and he is genuinely deserving of the honor," Vogt said.

St. Anne's, which has served the Milwaukee community for 135 years and has been sponsored by the Sisters of the Divine Savior since 1992, offers options for assisted living, skilled nursing care, rehabilitation services and respite care.

Kolb began serving at St. Anne's in 2003, first sitting on the board of directors and now as the co-chairman of the St. Anne's Development Committee.

He applies his skills from his full-time job, where he is an investment advisor and senior vice president with RBC Wealth Management in Brookfield, to St. Anne's as he works on long-range strategic planning, invested monies for a fund and does other behind-the-scenes work.

"It was a natural fit," Kolb said.

Offering a helping hand in a religious setting isn't anything new for Kolb. He served on the parish council and co-chaired the Catholic Stewardship Appeal at his parish church, St. John Vianney in Brookfield.

But why does St. Anne's appeal to Kolb?

"The people doing the work at St. Anne's," he said. "The people who provide the service everyday are so dedicated and the volunteers are such an inspiration to me."

Still, Kolb said with commitments to his job and family - he has four children ranging from high school-aged to college - he isn't at the St. Anne's campus as often as he would like.

Kolb added, though, he wants to get even more hands on in the future.

"Right now it's a little tough, but in 10 years I'd sure love to."

But he reaffirmed that his love of the work has nothing to do with awards.

"I volunteer because it's important to me," Kolb said. "I don't do it to get recognized. That's not what it's about."

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