UWEC Athletics Hall of Fame
Don Gudmanson was a two-time All-Conference offensive guard and middle linebacker for Blugold football teams of 1956 and 1957. At the time of his induction, Gudmanson was the Superintendent of the new Oshkosh Correctional Institution. Gudmanson has had a prominent career as an administrator and guidance counselor in the Division of Corrections for the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services. He served as Guidance Counselor and Assistant Principal at the Fox Lake Correctional Institution from 1964 through 1969; as Principal at the Kettle Moraine Boys School from 1969 through 1974; and as Educational Director, Assistant Superintendent and Acting Superintendent at the Kettle Moraine Correctional Institution from 1974 through 1984. He was named Superintendent for the Oshkosh Correctional Institution, a medium security facility for adult males, in late 1984 and has been supervising construction and selecting a staff of 185 to run the facility which is expected to open in September (1986).
During his stay at Kettle Moraine, Gudmanson spent time in Madison serving as the Acting Director and helped develop the Bureau of Juvenile Services for which he received a citation from the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. In 1972, he received a General Electric Fellowship in Guidance and attended the University of Louisville. In 1981, he was one of about 40 chosen for the National Institute of Corrections Management Program offered through the University of Southern California. During his career, he has received several Exceptional Performance Awards.
After receiving his undergraduate degree from UWEC, Gudmanson's first job was at Spring Valley High School. In addition to his teaching duties, he coached football and baseball. His 1958, 1959 and 1960 football teams won or shared the Middle Border Conference championship and his 1959 baseball team played in the WIAA state tournament. During his five-year stint at Spring Valley, he earned his master's degree from UW-Stout. He left Spring Valley for a position at Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, now known as Sauk Prairie High School, but remained there just one year before accepting a position at the Fox Lake Correctional Institution. Gudmanson lettered three years in football as a Blugold, playing for Ade Olson's 1956 conference championship squad. He served as co-captain of the team in 1957. Gudmanson interrupted his college career after the first semester of 1952-53 to spend two full years in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman.
