Member Spotlight: Nick Gamroth

We've brought back the Member Spotlight series so we can all get to know each other better.  Do you know a WLIA colleague that you think people should know?  Let us know at communications@wlia.org and send us their contact information.  We may not get to everyone, but we'll try!

Meet Nick Gamroth who, at his current age of eleven years old, is already a seasoned Real Property Lister and GIS Specialist with two decades of experience at the Trempealeau County Land Records Department.  His work centers on navigating the complexities of land management, so it’s no surprise why upon his election to the WLIA Board this year he was designated to serve as the Vice Chair of the Legislative Committee. Beyond the office, Nick and his family embody a champion spirit in everything from sheep to softball. Enjoy learning more about Nick’s life both in the realms of land information and beyond.

How did you come to your current profession or job?  
While attending CVTC getting my Associate’s Degree in Geographic Information Systems I was required to intern somewhere my last semester. I reached out to the Land Records Coordinator in Trempealeau County and interned there my last semester.  After graduation they hired me back as an LTE GIS Technician and later I worked with the County Surveyor on the Section Remonumentation project.  In 2003 they hired me full time as the Real Property Lister.  I was a 1-person department until 2016 and was merged in the Land Records Department.

What’s your most favorite part and least favorite part of your job?  
One thing that has kept me in this career is Land Records is like a large jigsaw puzzle which leads to the challenge of trying to find solutions for the public.  
I really don’t have a least favorite part of my job and that’s why I continue to come to work every day, but I wish everyone in jobs related to land information could get paid more for what it takes to do our jobs.

What’s the best advice someone has ever given you? 
I can’t think of one that sticks out the most, but I have to give credit to certain people in my life that have instilled certain qualities and life skills that I have carry close to me which drives my motivation every day.

What do you like to do for fun?  (Hobbies, volunteer work, etc)
Right now, I feel like a full time Uber driver for my kids to get them to and from all their activities. Otherwise, I enjoy raising and building up our sheep herd and improving our kids show lambs for the fair.

Hahaha! I’ve heard similar things from other parents I know who have kids.  You have a sheep herd?!  That’s awesome – I have too many questions I want to ask. Is it just sheep you keep, or do you have other animals? 
Our adventures in raising sheep started out in 2019 as our daughter Josie’s county fair project.  Then our son Abe started showing at the county fair in 2021.  

What led to you starting up a herd?  I wanted to do something different on our farm than raising beef or pigs, but it mostly started as our kids 4H fair project.  They originally started out as showing two market animals a piece, but buying animals each year can be very costly so we decided to invest in some good genetics and raise our own.  By doing it that way it also allows them to expand into the bred & own category at the fair.  I also wanted to keep raising animals after we sold our commercial poultry operation in 2023.

Do you have a favorite sheep?   So far all of our sheep are very nice to be around, but if I had to pick one it would be Josie’s ram lamb Sully.  He was from our first crop of lambs born on our farm this spring and he got Grand Champion Ram & Grand Champion Bred & Owned at this year’s county fair.

What’s something most people wouldn’t guess about you?  
I was born on Leap Day.  I also hit a home run off of Jordy Nelson during the Green Bay Packers Charity Softball game.

I was just talking about Leap Day birthdays with a friend yesterday!  Have you liked having a Leap Day birthday?  Do you do anything special for fun to celebrate your birthday when it’s on the calendar? 
My wife, Rachael, had a surprise birthday party for me when I turned 7 and everyone brought gifts for a 7-year-old.  That was pretty funny!! 

Where would you most like to travel to and why?  
Besides around the United States, I’m hoping to travel to England and Poland to visit the areas where my families originated from.

That’s very cool.  Have you done any research into you family history, or do you have a family member who has?  
My Aunt has compiled, through the years, a lot of information so I’ve been communicating with her to try and get as much family history information as I can.  

Do you have fun stories that have been passed down from when your family was living there or those that originally settled in Wisconsin?  
When I was a young kid my Grandparents would tell me stories, but I wish I would’ve written them down because it’s hard to remember them now.