The Moraine Park Foundation’s very first donation was inspired by a deep shared belief that education, especially technical education, should be accessible to everyone. That belief was championed by two visionary leaders with strong ties to the Moraine Park district: George M. St. Peter and John Gibbons “Gib” Zeratsky.
St. Peter (1910–2003) was a Harvard Law School graduate who served as a respected attorney, District Attorney and Circuit Court Judge in Fond du Lac before resigning his judgeship to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. Following the war, his legal work representing dairy farmer cooperatives and local municipalities fostered a strong appreciation for technical education and its essential role in strengthening communities.
Alongside St. Peter, Zeratsky (1939–2014) served as the CEO of National Rivet & Manufacturing in Waupun. Though both men were highly accomplished professionals, they shared a conviction that educational opportunities should not be limited by background or circumstance and a deep love for the communities now served by Moraine Park Technical College.
In 1976, as Wisconsin transitioned to a statewide technical college system, St. Peter, then serving as legal counsel to the Moraine Park Board, and Zeratsky, a District Board member, recognized the need for a Foundation dedicated to fostering scholarships and expanding access. Their leadership led to the Moraine Park Foundation’s incorporation that year and shortly after, its nonprofit status.
That first gift on February 10, 1976, of $50 set the tone for nearly five decades of impact grounded in service, education and the belief that technical education opens the doors of opportunity within our communities.
Today, the St. Peter and Zeratsky families continue to fuel the mission of Moraine Park forward. John St. Peter, son of George M. St. Peter, serves as Moraine Park’s legal counsel and a longtime member of the Moraine Park Foundation Board and Bur Zeratsky, son of John Gibbons “Gib” Zeratsky, is a longtime member of the Moraine Park District Board, carrying forward a shared legacy of service, leadership and commitment to accessible technical education.