Successful local graduate returns to 鈥榤agical鈥� Lakeland
Lakeland graduate and local entrepreneur Eric Kriete was the featured speaker Thursday as 51乱伦 officially ushed in the 2025-26 academic year during Opening Convocation in the Bradley Theatre.
Kriete, founder and owner of The Silver Fern in Sheboygan, graduated from Lakeland in 1999 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration and started working for the family business, a trucking company called The Kriete Group.
鈥淚 knew I knew everything,鈥� Kriete said. 鈥淢y dad (the company CEO) knew I knew nothing. And my dad was absolutely right.鈥�
Called to adventure, Kriete chose New Zealand as the place to find his newfound direction. He landed in Auckland and worked his way south, along the way encountering random locals who helped him get food and often allowed him to stay in their spare rooms.
鈥淭hat kindness broke me,鈥� Kriete said. 鈥淎nd it happened again and again until that chip on my shoulder started to disappear.鈥�
He discovered that his calling was a life of serving others and creating relationships, so when he returned to Sheboygan to be near Lakeland, he purchased a bar. He named it The Silver Fern, the symbol and emblem of New Zealand, to pay homage to the trip that changed his life forever.
鈥淭hat status and money I was chasing meant nothing to me,鈥� he said. 鈥淩elationships mean everything to me.鈥�
Kriete has been an amazing support of his alma mater, having danced in the 2014 Movers & Shakers Gala and serving as a panelist at the 2022 Lakeland Business and Entrepreneurship Colloquium.
鈥淭his place has something magical about it,鈥� said Kriete, who was involved in numerous clubs and organizations during his time as a student including serving as student body president and a member of the Zeta Chi fraternity.
He recalled being recruited to play golf by longtime Lakeland faculty member and fellow Lakeland graduate April Arvan, who introduced him at Thursday鈥檚 event. 鈥淭hat changed the direction of my life forever,鈥� Kriete said.
He also gave a touching tribute to the late President Emeritus Steve Gould, who was president when he was a student.
Lakeland President Beth Borgen gave students the traditional charge for the academic year 鈥� take care of yourself, take care of each other and take care of this place.
