Meet the Team
Meet Our Marketing & Creative Team
Tommy Paalksnis
Senior Multimedia Account Executive
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Tommy Paalksnis is a Senior Multimedia Account Executive with the River Valley Media Group. Tommy grew up in Onalaska and graduated from UW – La Crosse with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. He loves fishing, being outdoors, weight lifting, and the Packers – even though they regularly break his heart. Tommy has been with RVMG since 2016 and has an in-depth product knowledge on all of our print and digital products. Tommy loves helping clients achieve their goals and building relationships with current and future advertisers.
Travis Eckman
Multimedia Account Executive
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Travis Eckman has been with RVMG since October 2020. He brings 9 years of marketing experience along with 7 years of teaching and coaching experience. Residing in Eau Claire since 2012, he has grown to appreciate the community and great people with his wife and four children. In his free time he enjoys spending time with family and friends, enjoying all that the great outdoors has to offer and staying active. He has earned degrees from the University of Minnesota, St. Cloud State and Winona State University and hopes to start his Masters in education soon after his wife finishes hers.
Chris Lander
Multimedia Account Executive
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Chris Lander is a History major from Cornell College with a minor in Political Science. She was born-and-raised in the city of Chicago and ended up on a 200-acre farm in rural Viroqua. Sorry, she’s still a Chicago Bears fan. Chris fell into advertising as she enjoys working with people. She enjoys helping her customers find solutions to their advertising needs and has been in the Vernon County market for 24 years. Chris grew up riding horses in the Hunter/Jumper Circuit and to this day still has several horses to contend with. She loves the outdoors and is hoping to hike the Oregon Trail someday.
Freddy Butterfield
Multimedia Account Executive
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A seasoned professional with a passion for customer service and sales, boasting a rich 25-year journey in the dynamic field. Born and raised in the charming town of Holmen where we are raising our family.
Beyond the hustle of daily life, Freddy finds solace and joy in the great outdoors. Whether it’s navigating the river with loved ones, hunting in the wilderness, fishing with friends, or honing his skills on the golf course, he thrives in the beauty of nature.
In addition to his personal pursuits, he is actively involved in youth sports, channeling his passion for community and teamwork into actives that inspire the younger generation. Being part of their growth journey is immensely fulfilling, and he takes pride in contributing positively to their development.
Freddy’s trajectory took an exciting turn in 2023 when he joined RVMG, where he’ll have the privilege of assisting numerous businesses in their growth journey!
Martin Sherman
Advertising Account Manager
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After his astronaut application was rejected by NASA, Martin chose the next best thing: a career with River Valley Media Group! He has served RVMG in various capacities before finding his knack as a top-notch Advertising Account Manager, supporting our sales team and working directly with our amazing advertising customers.
When not at his post in the Advertising Department, Martin enjoys fly fishing, the fine work of Bruce Springsteen, pro wrestling gifs, and spending time with his wife, his son and his basset hound Peg.
Melissa Lara
Advertising Account Manager
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Melissa Lara is an Advertising Account Manager for the River Valley Media Group. She has taken on various roles since being with the company, but currently handles mostly La Crosse Retail, Digital and Real Estate. Coming from a previous background of strong customer service focused work, she prides herself on working hard and doing right by the clients she works with. She was born and raised in California but has lived in Wisconsin for about 6 years now and has come to call La Crosse her home. Melissa has a 4 year old daughter who keeps her motivated to work hard every day to provide for her. In her free time, Melissa enjoys reading, movies, video games, and spending time with her family.
Lisa Faulkner
Regional Sales Manager
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Lisa Faulkner is River Valley Media Group’s Regional Sales Manager, partnering with teams in our Winona, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie and Vernon County locations. She graduated from University of Wisconsin – La Crosse with a B.S. in Finance with a marketing emphasis. Lisa and her family enjoy being outdoors riding horses, fishing, and riding UTVs. Lisa specializes in pairing market research, consumer trends and community insight to create solutions for business partners.
Paul Pehler
President and Director of Local Sales
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A former amateur baseball player known for his ability to hit the fastball, Paul has learned that the key to advertising and marketing is adjusting to the curveball. Paul has been with the River Valley Media Group for 13 years, starting as a Marketing Research Analyst and now serving as the Regional Advertising Director. Paul has worked with thousands of businesses, on both the local and national level, to help them adjust to the curveball and still prosper. In addition to his passion for advertising and baseball, Paul enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family. He is also a huge Wisconsin Badgers fan.
Jennifer Hatz
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For more information please feel free to review our site, call us at 608-791-8300 or email us to learn more.