Wayland Alum Donates $1.25M—Gift Will Support Field House Enhancements

A 1974 graduate of Wayland Academy is giving back to the school and community that he says was pivotal to his success in life.

Wayland trustee Jim Janik and his wife Susan have donated $1.25 million to enhance and name the Field House — the iconic circular structure built in the 1960s on the corner of Park Avenue and South University Avenue.

“I think, in a nutshell, it’s just to give back to the Beaver Dam community and the Wayland community,” he said. “When I get back up there, I’m just overcome with wonderful, fond memories. I owe both of those communities a great debt of gratitude.”

Janik spent most of his career in Milwaukee as president and CEO of Douglas Dynamics, which he describes as “North America’s premier manufacturer and upfitter of work truck attachments and equipment.” The Janiks retired to Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2019, but they still return to his hometown a few times a year.

Janik is the son of the late Jim and Cay Yanikowski of Beaver Dam. His father worked as an attorney, helping local farmers with estate and transition planning. Jim and his older brother, Michael Yanikowski, both attended Washington Elementary and Beaver Dam Junior High School. Both later graduated from Wayland Academy.

“As kids, I remember riding our bikes everywhere in town,” he said. “When the Field House was built, it became like a shiny star for us; we both really wanted to go to Wayland so we could be part of it all.”

The Field House was built in 1967 on the former Dodge County fairgrounds, located across the street (Park Avenue) from Wayland Academy. One of the Field House’s original purposes was to host the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks’ summer training camp.

Once completed, the athletic complex featured three full-size basketball courts, a full state-of-the-art fitness center, a sports medicine suite, and a capacity of 600. The wood-raftered building would become known as the home of Big Red sports.

“The Field House brought in a lot of activities and events to Beaver Dam that frankly you’d only find in a larger city,” Janik said. “I remember, growing up, seeing the Bucks play their first exhibition match against the Cincinnati Royals there. It brought a lot of pros into town.”

Janik also recalled the Bucks’ statewide youth basketball programs — which he participated in as a child — being held at Wayland as well.

“We always looked at Wayland as this great place to be exposed to a lot of things that could pique your curiosity — experiences that you might not get somewhere else,” he said. “As kids, we were fortunate enough to have parents who saw the value in that.

As a student at Wayland, Janik played football, basketball, and baseball all four years. He was named the football team’s most valuable player, selected for the All-Conference basketball team, and was the No. 3 baseball hitter in the conference.

Upon graduating from Wayland, Janik earned the Wisehart Cup, given each year to the Academy’s top athlete. He also won the National “W Club” Award, administered by the University of Wisconsin — where he eventually went on to study business and row on the Badgers’ crew team.

Out of college Janik went to work for John Deere in Horicon, and returned to UW-Madison shortly after to complete his master’s degree in marketing. From there John Deere took him to postings in Memphis, Dallas, and Baton Rouge.

He began working at Douglas Dynamics in Milwaukee in 1992 and worked in marketing and sales until being promoted to president and CEO in 2000. He served at Douglas for a total of 28 years.

“I’ve had a terrific career, and have learned a lot,” he said. “Wayland prepared me to approach challenges and look at them as opportunities, versus something to be afraid of. Life isn’t easy, but Wayland instilled confidence, creativity and teamwork in us. We knew that we were citizens of the world, but that it was important to be citizens who left their community better than they found it.”

In 2005, a terrace situated in the middle of campus was dedicated to Janik during Wayland’s Sesquicentennial Community picnic. Janik Terrace remains a popular place for the Wayland community to gather in front of Lindsay Complex.

Janik initially joined Wayland’s Board of Trustees in 2003, and took a two-year hiatus in 2011-2012 to take Douglas Dynamics public on the New York Stock Exchange. During that time he earned Wayland’s Alumni Achievement Award, which honors past graduates who have excelled in their field or endeavor, and represent the true ideals of the Academy: knowledge and character.

Head of School Jason Warnick, who joined the Wayland community in 2020, says the donation just goes to show how committed Janik is to Wayland’s current students, staff, faculty, families, facilities, and future.

“This gift reflects Jim’s deep passion for Wayland, for the building, for athletics, and for his hometown,” Warnick said. “We are looking closely at multiple projects and possibilities, all of which are really exciting. We will likely address the exterior of the building, including some branding elements. Inside, there are more significant upgrades being considered. We’re enjoying a resurgence of enthusiasm and success within our athletic programs, so these enhancements will reflect, support, and fuel that momentum.”