Nicole M. Barnett Gruber

After high school, I got an entry level job at Pettibone in Baraga. However, after about a year or so, I was laid off due to lack of work. That is when I moved to Milwaukee. I worked in administrative positions at an accounting firm and then the Medical College of Wisconsin. I started going back to school part-time to earn my Bachelor's degree. I started working at Harley-Davidson in January 1998 and have been there ever since. After I got my degree, I moved into Human Resources and have supported many different functions/departments within H-D. While working at H-D I've been fortunate to travel to many places within the U.S. and even one memorable trip to Japan.

I met my husband, Brian, shortly after he was honorably discharged from the Marines. We got married in 1995. He is a firefighter and Heavy Equipment Operator for the City of Milwaukee and one hell of a cook! We have one daughter, Sophie, one dog, Magnus and one cat, Sammy.

We travel to the U.P. a couple times during the year to visit with family and friends.

There are so many memories...I spent most of my time at Joanne Dault's house during my junior high years. Joanne used to scare the hell out of me by taking me three wheeling in the field across from their house. I think we were on two wheels more than we were on three! She's still as crazy today!

High school makes me think of those crazy gravel pit parties. I spent almost all of my weekends with Theresa Lehto and her sisters. God, we had so much fun! I remember crusing town in their van and a few crazy parties at their house. I remember trips to Big Bay in the fall and partying at the beach in Big Bay once we got there.

I remember riding to school with Audrey Davis and freaking out slightly at how she would drive her car on slippery roads (fortunately, she's a much safer driver these days). Ha ha!