Our Story | News and Events from the Midwest
Production Staff
Jeff Rouse
Executive Producer—OUR STORY TV
Publisher—The Road to OUR STORY magazine
When Hollywood reached out to Jeff Rouse as a child through television and films he reached back and never let go! Not to date him, but Jeff will be the first person to tell you that he only got two black-and-white channels on TV on the farm in Iowa where he grew up—unless he climbed up onto the roof and changed the direction of the antenna. His fascination with movie history really began at age 10 when he switched channels from the boring Lawrence Welk Show to find the classic film, The Invisible Man, playing on the other. He was instantly hooked on old movies. From then on, Jeff has developed such an expansive knowledge about showbiz trivia that his wife calls him, "A constant source of useless information!" All the better for the rest of us! Jeff used this knowledge to develop several businesses. At 27 he opened his first retail store in Denver specializing in Hollywood memorabilia called Cinemagraphics. Building upon that venture, Jeff formed Star Struck Enterprises—a regional wholesale and retail distributorship—that included an additional store in the well-known resort community of Okoboji, Iowa.
Ask anyone and they'll tell you that Jeff can sell snow to an Eskimo. Now he's selling his dreams to the rest of us as Executive Producer of OUR STORY PRODUCTIONS via its uniquely varied programming. OUR STORY is just that—the story about us, the people of the Midwest. Jeff created a roster of programming that highlights the lifestyles we share in rural America to promote the idea that no matter who you are or where you live, it's not just the past but the present that becomes OUR STORY.
Denise Rouse
Costume and Set Designer—OUR STORY TV
Style & EntertainmentEditor—The Road to OUR STORY magazine
Denise Rouse brings razzle-dazzle to every facet of life! Raised on a farm in Southern Minnesota, Denise parlayed her farm-girl sensibilities into creative small-town business ventures that garner admiration far and wide. As a mother of five children and grandmother to six, Denise’s favorite mantra is, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead!” There can be little rest for someone with so many hobbies that include gardening, reading, sewing, thrift-store shopping, curbing, embellishing used vehicles, repurposing old furniture, belly dancing, entertaining, practicing Reiki, and, and, and. Into this mix, Denise combines the operation of her two very popular consignment shops in Fairmont, Minnesota called, “Hollywood Babe” and “The Giddy-up Boutique.” Before opening those stores, Denise owned an antique and gift store for 15 years, too.
Fans of OUR STORY’s soap opera, As The Corn Grows, recognize Denise as portraying the character of Prairie Ann, who also is a host of the hit talk show, The Women of Sweet Swine County. Off-stage, Denise designs and decorates the sets at OUR STORY Studios, and finds time to produce the much-publicized local annual summertime events—the Fairy Ball and Mad Hatter Tea Party. When she was younger, Denise thought maybe a career in politics was in the cards. But it didn’t take long for her to discover that being a mother and a wife is much the same as a being a politician, except you don’t travel as much! Denise will be the first one to tell you that life isn’t about the number of breaths you take, it’s about the moments that take your breath away! Her innate spiritual connectedness and joie de vivre radiate within her ability not to take herself too seriously. As Denise Rouse tells everyone within earshot, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been!” Giddy-up!
Shelly Abitz
Camerawoman, Film Editor, Program Writer—OUR STORY TV
As a principal at Gemini Studios—a video production and media education studio in Fairmont, Minnesota—Shelly Abitz is the behind-the-camera wizard for OUR STORY TV. Shelly’s technical background in graphic layout, commericials production, instructional DVDs, athletic event capture and broadcast, book illustration, and logo design, has creatively expanded into writing, filming and editing a gamut of OUR STORY’s programs. If you see it on OUR STORY, Shelly probably shot it! In her world, there is little rest!
Shelly has illustrated two wonderful children’s books—Bushy Tail Squirrel’s First Day Out and Jenny and Me. She also serves as executive producer of a local cable-access show called, “Close to Home.” While accomplishing all of this, Shelly also writes, directs, shoots and acts in the role of “wife and mother” in her own family.
Bryan Peterson
Managing Editor—The Road to OUR STORY magazine
Creative Writing Specialist—OUR STORY TV, website and marketing
Bryan Peterson has always believed in blazing a trail towards the farthest star in the expectation that he’ll at least get halfway to it! Having grown up on a Southern Minnesota farm, right after high school Bryan followed his dreams of seeing big cities, visiting faraway places and meeting culturally diverse people. His college studies in Communications and Liberal Arts took him from Minneapolis to Phoenix to Heidelberg, Germany, and even to Jerusalem, Israel. Bryan’s professional career pursuits have been equally wide-ranging and determinedly concentrated in the arts. Ultimately settling in Los Angeles for 25 years, for 20 of them Bryan worked as a high-level corporate writer while also following his passion of producing theatre and numerous music events. At OUR STORY PRODUCTIONS, Bryan serves as Managing Editor of the entertaining magazine, The Road to OUR STORY, and is Creative Writing Specialist for the company’s TV, website, marketing, and business development needs.
Bryan primarily home-bases from Princeville, Kauai, where he directs the Operations and Programs for Retreat Sedona—a 20-year-old company providing spiritual, self-rejuvenation, and holistic transformational programs at a private estate called Shambhavan (“House of Peace”) located on Kauai’s magnificent North Shore. Bryan edited the recently released book Anahola: Kauai’s Mystic Hawaiian Village and is currently co-authoring the second in a trilogy of metaphysical books called THE MIDDLE OF FOREVER with Jim White at Paramount Pictures. Bryan creates dreams and is ever grateful to live the reality of them on a daily basis!
Samantha Hillmer
Director—Graphic Art & Design
The Road to OUR STORY magazine
Born into an Air Force family in Washington, D. C. on Flag Day, Samantha Hillmer’s flag-wavingly creative spirit gets salutes from all who know her! Although she traveled the world with her family, Sam primarily grew up in South Dakota where she ultimately received a B.A. in Fine Arts/Graphic Design at South Dakota State University in Brookings. Since then, Sam has designed everything from pizzas (at Little Caesar’s Pizza) to the colorful pages of The Road to OUR STORY magazine—and much more in-between! Sam’s freelance graphic design company, Spotted Dog Design Studio, is the home-based “store front” from which she works her artistic magic while she raises her son, Wil, and pursues an endless array of hobbies that include belly dancing, making chocolate truffles, thrift-store shopping for “gotta-have” bargains, golf, and cookin’ up the best pasta around!
Sam portrays the co-hosting character “Paris Richie” on OUR STORY’s hit daytime TV talkshow, The Women of Sweet Swine County, and also manages to schedule time into her busy life for helping out at The Giddy-Up Boutique next door to OUR STORY Studios in Fairmont, Minnesota.
Dani Kainz
Regional Sales Manager
Danielle Kainz (Dani) is in love with old-Hollywood glamour, the romance of films that transport you to another time and place, the creative twists and turns of theatrics, and tongue-in-cheek humor that brings smiles to people’s faces! It’s no wonder that she and Our Story Productions found each other! Dani is well-acquainted with Midwestern rural life from having grown up in Fairmont, MN where, for the last six years, she also expertly promoted small-town life while working at KFMC and KSUM radio stations.
Dani is a mother of one beautiful daughter, Kyla, and is equally kept on her toes by their cute puppy, Keely. She greatly enjoys painting, jewelry-making, and playing the character “Destiny Disaster” on Our Story’s zany reality soap opera, “As the Corn Grows.” One would wonder how there are enough hours in the day for all her creative pursuits; but Dani handles them all marvelously, and we at Our Story Productions are the better for it!
Scott Evans
Business Development Manager
In just 40 years Scott Evans has “acquired” three wonderful kids, a well-loved dog, a Bachelors Degree in Business Management, followed by an MBA, and over ten years’ experience working in Financial Services with special interests in Startups and Business Coaching. Along the way, as he says, “I lost a little hair.” At Our Story Productions, we say that he “shines” brightly in everything he does—especially with all things technological.
When he isn’t busy developing much of Our Story’s greatly expanding Internet presence as well as managing our client/sponsor relationships (among a billion other duties), Scott focuses on life with his children, reading, writing, being a nice guy, a good neighbor, keeping up on the latest tech advances, and honing his great “cigar aficionado” hobby.
Our Volunteers
OUR STORY wishes to acknowledge all of the incredible volunteer actors who give of their time to portray the loveable, zany, and unforgettable characters on our various TV programs. Their belief in this Midwestern way of life we call “small-town living at its best” is evident in the excitement they eagerly exhibit in front of the camera! True “hams,” everyone of them—right here in Sweet Swine County!
The Cocklebur Morning Show
- Alice Nowicki (Sally Sue)
- Keith Kenney (Bobby Ray)
Split Hoof Tonight
- Mark Anderson (Cousin John)
- Steve Fisher (Earl Silo)
Cooking It Up With Betty
- Joan Suhr (Betty Thompson)
That’s News to Us
- Kim Hansen (Barbara Waters)
- Michael Ennis (Stone Fox)
The Women of Sweet Swine County
- Denise Rouse (Prairie Ann)
- Sam Hillmer (Paris Richie)
- Leo May (Nicole Hilton)
As The Corn Grows
- Mark Anderson (Cousin John) (Danial) (Boris)
- Kati Powell (Urbin Katie) (Natasha) (Lady Dot)
- Denise Rouse (Prairie Ann) (Princess Fatima) (Willow Brook)
- Bonnie Fjelstad (Mrs. Swanson)
- Dan Mensing (Elmer Plow)
- Tom Dodge (Ronnie P. Silage—Poet Lariat) (Stanley Crockett)
- Dianna Anderson (Aunt Minnie) (State Fire Marshall) (Aunt Ella)
- Chuck Hounshell (Lawyer Ed)
- Joan Suhr (Betty Thompson)
- Sarah Morphew (Daisy May)
- Al Morphew (Garret Dawson)
- Ed Powers (Sergio)
- Jerry Schimmel (Cop)
- Jenne Schimmel (Bonnie Silage)
- Jerry Van Feldt (Valdimer)
- Logan Van Feldt (Little John)
- Dave Alm (Willy Odum)
- Dale Hansen (Dr. Cornnelous)
- Leonard Anderson (Clem Johnson)
- Keith Kenney (Bobby Ray) (Colonel Van Bragger) (Ricky Ray)
- Alice Nowicki (Sally Sue)
- Sam Hillmer (Paris Richie)
- Leo May (Nicole Hilton)
- Kim Hansen (Ingrid)
- Michael Ennis (Stone Fox)
- Steve Fisher (Earl Silo)
- Michelle Ehlers (Cassadde Davis)
- Wanda Nelson (Clarice Plow)
- Michele Bisbee (Caroline)
- Mike Foster (Barber Roy)
- John Sorenson (Johnny Happening) (Billie Gates)
- Kathy Franzen (Inga)
- Jeff Hagen (Lars)
- Jeff Rouse (Cousin Jeff)
- Lonesome Ron (himself)
- Bill Busse (Prosecutor Kent Kingsley/Reverend Bill)
- Doug Wollam (Doug Dougan)
- Norma Conn (Waitress Norma)
- Randy Martinson (Chief Randy)