Brandon and Emily Riechers will receive the 2025 Blugold Spirit Award, a recognition reserved for alumni who live out excellence, generosity and a deep love for UW–Eau Claire.
The Riechers' story began on campus, where they met and laid the foundation for a life built on shared values, mutual support and a commitment to service. Their careers — rooted in the Chippewa Valley — have flourished in parallel, each marked by leadership, innovation and a passion for making a difference.
Brandon has spent nearly three decades at Royal Credit Union, where he now serves as president and CEO, guiding the institution with vision and integrity. Emily, a trailblazing nurse practitioner at Mayo Clinic Health System – Eau Claire, has spent 27 years in patient care and mentoring future healthcare professionals.
Brandon and Emily have long prioritized strong connections to their campus, and Foundation vice-president Julia Diggins believes they are an excellent choice for this year’s Blugold Spirit Award.
“Brandon and Emily are the true definition of Blugold spirit. They met at UW-Eau Claire and have been campus advocates throughout their lives in the Chippewa Valley,” Diggins says.
“They are active supporters of students, staff, athletics and the entire UWEC community, generous with both their time and resources. And even better, they met at Homecoming and here they are celebrating all these years later — it’s a perfect time to honor their love of all things Blugold.”
Learn more about the Reichers' UW-Eau Claire experiences and their ongoing connections and contributions to campus.
Brandon Riechers, bachelor of business administration in finance (’98), bachelor of business administration in management information systems (’03) and MBA (’17)
Brandon Riechers has spent his career in leadership at Royal Credit Union in Eau Claire, a cornerstone local financial institution that now serves over 330,000 members, with more than $5.5 billion in assets.
First as executive vice president and chief lending officer starting in 1996, and now as president and CEO since 2017, Riechers has been credited with leadership using “a quiet voice, a steady hand and drive” at the helm of RCU.
He was the 2021 recipient of the Alumni Association President’s Award for his outstanding professional and personal achievements and his service to UW-Eau Claire. His dedication to campus and the greater community has been made clear by roles like:
- Eight years serving on the UW-Eau Claire Foundation board of directors, including as treasurer.
- Service on the Alumni Association board of directors.
- RCU engagement in UW-Eau Claire internship program, hiring 20-plus student interns each academic year.
- Service with Eau Claire Confluence Arts Inc. and Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, and time as board chair of the Wisconsin Credit Union League.
Brandon says it’s easy to proudly wear his loyalty to UW-Eau Claire on his sleeve, a deep pride in the institution that shaped his life and now helps shape the future of the community he calls home.
“I deeply admire the university’s steady role in driving regional growth through public-private partnerships,” Riechers says. “From fueling entrepreneurship to improving healthcare access and outcomes, this university is a catalyst for innovation and community wellbeing.”
About the Blugold Spirit Award, Brandon says he is humbled and is looking forward to the 100th anniversary of Homecoming even more.
“Staying connected through great events like Homecoming is special; it’s always a meaningful time for us. It’s especially rewarding to give back to the place that gave me so much — and to help shape the experiences of future Blugolds.”
Emily Riechers, bachelor of science in nursing (’99) and master of science in advanced clinical practice (’03)
Like Brandon, Emily has enjoyed a long and fulfilling career in one location — 27 years of nursing practice with Mayo Clinic Health System – Eau Claire.
Currently a certified urologic nurse practitioner, Emily says she is proud to have become the first nurse practitioner and first-ever female provider in the urology department at Mayo Clinic in Eau Claire. Since 2022, she has also been an instructor in urology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, Minnesota.
“As the first nurse practitioner in my department — and one of only 75 nationally certified in urology at the time — I had the unique opportunity to help define the role from the ground up. It was both a challenge and a chance to pave the way for future advanced practice providers in the urology field.” she says.
Emily has much else to be proud of in her healthcare career, including multiple Press Ganey Silver awards for patient satisfaction and a Clinical Excellence Award for nurse practitioners and physician assistants throughout Mayo Clinic Health System – Eau Claire.
Since 2009, Emily has contributed to the campus community by teaching in the nursing program as an adjunct faculty member, mentoring students and serving as a preceptor for nurse practitioner students at Mayo Clinic Health System – Eau Claire. While she hasn’t taught recently, her past involvement was impactful and well regarded. Along with celebrating Homecoming as a family, a rewarding new tradition for Emily on campus involves the family pet.
“Several times throughout the year, I bring one of our family dogs — a certified therapy animal — to campus to support student mental health, including study breaks during finals week, which is always especially meaningful,” she says. “The whole family and our golden retrievers also walk the parade each year at Homecoming, and we are looking forward to it once again this year. It’s a joy to reflect on the legacy of Blugold pride that grows with each new generation.”
A special Homecoming indeed
The Riechers' will officially be presented with the Blugold Spirit Award at a Foundation dinner and reception to take place on Friday, Oct. 3. The next day, they will serve as grand marshalls for the 100-year anniversary Homecoming parade, which returns to Water Street this year.
See the official Homecoming website for details on all the festivities.
