This Tuesday, members heard from Dale Schultz, former Republican majority leader of the state senate, and Rotarian John Franke explain how fusion voting works and how it can provide moderate voters with a constructive way to reduce the power presently held by the extremes within the two major political parties. The program was moderated by the Luba…

This week in Memorial Hall, members heard from fellow Rotarian and Chancellor Mark Mone who has led the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee for 11 years. Mark reflected on the unprecedented headwinds during his tenure and the relationships and established groundbreaking collaborations that have benefited UWM, its students, our city and beyond.…

This week in Memorial Hall, Mark Murphy spoke to the Rotary Club of Milwaukee about building a championship organization during his 17 years as the President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers. Mark also shared his background and influences and the Packer's impact on the community through the Green Bay Packers Foundation, Give BIG, and Titletown.…

On May 6th, Deep Thought, the 44 foot long boat stranded in Lake Michigan for the past several months, was pulled from the water by Jeff Piller and his towing company, All City. This week at Rotarians heard from Jeff about the planning and execution of the operation that removed the 100,000 pound boat and captivated the attention of Milwaukee.…

At this year's Armed Forces Week program, Rotarians heard from U.S. Navy Captain Lena Kaman, Commander of Navy Reserve Region Readiness and Mobilization Command Fort Worth. A native of Shawano, Wisconsin, and a career Naval Aviator with over 4,200 flight hours, Kaman has served in combat operations, led aviation squadrons, and held senior staff rol…

Yesterday in Memorial Hall, Rotarian Dr. Doug Davis provided an update from the frontlines of Ukraine as he shared stories from his recent international work to support the acute care needs and address the physical and mental trauma resulting from the war in Ukraine.

This week at Rotary, Rich Eng, Founder of Voters First Wisconsin, provided an update on the progress of Final Five Voting in Wisconsin. Rich highlighted its success in Alaska, and provided an honest appraisal of its potential for empowering voters and countering political divisiveness. The program also included a demonstration of the Final Five Vot…

From Tariffs to Tax Rates: Navigating the Markets Reaction to the New Administrations Economic Policies. This week at Rotary, Dominic Ceci provided an economic and market overview from his perspective as Chief Investment Officer for Johnson Financial Group.

Yesterday, Rotarians and alumni of the Kellogg School of Management heard from Kellogg Professor Harry Kraemer as he shared insight into his recently released fourth book: "Your Values-Based Legacy: Making a Difference at Every Age and Phase of Life." Harry also shared his journey as a values-based leader by sharing life experiences and the advice …

Enthralled Rotarians filled Memorial Hall on Tuesday to hear from Michelle Thaller, former Assistant Director at NASA, as she took us on a journey through the birth of stars and galaxies and explained how the materials that make up the cosmos are more connected to us than we might think.

This week in Memorial Hall, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman provided an update on crime trends, public safety developments, and efforts to strengthen community relationships. He also engaged Rotarians in an extensive Q&A session for an insightful discussion on policing and Milwaukee partnerships.…

Brittany Kinser, candidate for State Superintendent, spoke yesterday at a joint program hosted by the Milwaukee Press Club, WisPolitics.com and the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. After making her opening remarks, Kinser sat down for an interview with Jeff Mayers, WisPolitics.com president, and answered questions from the audience. Incumbent State Superi…

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel, who is seeking election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, spoke yesterday at a joint program hosted by the Milwaukee Press Club, WisPolitics.com and the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. Judge Schimel answered questions from the audience and from a panel of journalists that included Alison Dirr - Milwaukee Journal …

Journalism has undergone a revolution in the past decade or two. Reporters are younger, media outlets are more integrated, and newsrooms are gathering information in novel ways. This week, in Memorial Hall Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Dan Bice, a political reporter since 1987, addressed what these changes mean for consumers of today's news …

Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford, who is seeking election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, spoke yesterday at a joint program hosted by the Milwaukee Press Club, WisPolitics.com and the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. Judge Crawford answered questions from the audience and from a panel of journalists that included Alison Dirr - Milwaukee Journal S…

Over time, Fr. Michael Simone, S.J., PhD, Pastor at Gesu, has identified several "keys to understanding" that help people in a polarized society apprehend and respect differing worldviews. This week Fr. Michael shared with Rotarians attitudes towards values of hierarchy and consensus, tradition and progress, and unity and diversity that underlie ma…

On this chilly Tuesday, Rotarians welcomed back former Milwaukee Mayor and U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, Tom Barrett. Tom joined Joel Brennan, President of the Greater Milwaukee Committee in conversation about his journey from mayor to ambassador, the issues that shaped his time in the small European country, and some interesting stories from his …

Rotarians heard from Dr. Jeremy Kedziora, Endowed Chair of Artificial Intelligence at MSOE, for a data-driven exploration of three key AI trends shaping 2025. This insightful talk will covered the plateauing of large language model performance, the rise of agentic systems, and AI’s evolving impact on the labor market. He also highlighted how MSOE i…

Our region has several award winning public and community radio stations broadcasting from Milwaukee. At a time when listeners have unlimited information and entertainment choices on air and online, the stations are working hard to retain current listeners and attract new audiences. Rotarians heard from leaders of local radio with Sarah Ashworth, W…

Rotarians ventured into the cold this week to hear Michael Antonelli, Market Strategist and Managing Director at Baird Private Wealth Management, for an economic outlook in 2025. Michael, a frequent speaker and the author of the Bull and Baird blog, discussed the strong year that the stock market had in 2024 and the potential impact that the new ad…

This week at Rotary, Kevin Shafer, the Executive Director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District addressed MMSD’s 2035 Vision for a cleaner water environment through short term projects and collaborations.

Rotarians returned to Memorial Hall for the first meeting of the new year to hear from Micaela Bomhack, President and CEO of Rite-Hite. Micaela shared the story of how Rite-Hite came to be, and how their move to downtown Milwaukee fits into the company’s long term plans to better serve customers, increase innovation, attract and develop key talent,…

Port Milwaukee is known for being multimodal, but the current team and business partners are working to make it multifaceted. This week, we heard from Port Milwaukee Director, Jackie Q. Carter, as she shared the vision to grow the reach and reputation of this regional asset.

This week in Memorial Hall, Rotarians heard from Tom Boldt, Chairman of The Boldt Company as he provided insights about his employees, customers, and community from the 135-year history of The Boldt Company. Tom also shared his thoughts on how an organization can innovate for a sustainable future and be purpose-driven.…

In conjunction with the Milwaukee Press Club and WisPolitics, attendees in Memorial Hall heard from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley on Tuesday. Executive Crowley shared details on the 2025 budget, other current issues in Milwaukee County and answered questions from a panel of journalists including Aaron Maybin of Fox 6 News, Edgar Menendez…

On November 5th, Kent Lovern won the Milwaukee County District Attorney election. Kent, a prosecutor for 26 years, has served as the Chief Deputy District Attorney since 2008, where he managed the attorneys and staff in the District Attorney’s office and worked closely with law enforcement and community leaders. This week at Rotary, Kent shared his…

On Tuesday, Chip discussed his latest book, A Different War, which uses poetry to help articulate the horrors of the war in Ukraine and to help demonstrate the impact the war is having on the lives of ordinary people.

This week, Rotarians heard from James Mathy, the Administrator for Milwaukee County Housing Services, and manager of a number of homeless and real estate programs. James discussed Milwaukee’s current homeless crisis, his commitment toa long-term vision for affordable housing, and how his team's initiatives have garnered attention on a national scal…

Rotarians celebrated the United Nations 79th anniversary on Tuesday with Dr. Emma Belcher, President of the Ploughshares Fund. As the world faces a polycrisis, a simultaneous convergence of multiple global challenges at once, Dr. Belcher emphasized the need of working together and negotiating good faith to build peace across states.…

This week at Rotary, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson shared an update on public safety, city fiscal issues, and the importance of upcoming elections. He also addressed Milwaukee's future and his optimism surrounding what's ahead.

In partnership with the Milwaukee Press Club, WisPolitics.com and WisconsinEye, Rotarians and guests heard from Republican Eric Hovde in Memorial Hall Tuesday. Hovde, who is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin in the November 5 election, took questions from a panel of journalists that included Charles Benson – TMJ4 News, Emilee Fannon – C…

On Tuesday, we launched a campaign to raise $250,000 to invest in the B-Line Park, a world-class, one-mile linear park, that runs from Richards St. to Keefe Ave. on the Beerline Trail. Rotarians from our B-Line Park Cabinet shared how this community space will unite the economically divergent Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods, connect eight neig…

This week at Rotary, Peter Jest, longtime Milwaukee concert promoter and operator of Shank Hall, and author Amy Waldman discussed their new book, We Had Fun and Nobody Died: Adventures of a Milwaukee Music Promoter with Jim Nelson of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. They shared stories of Peter's friendships with artists that have come through Shank…

Milwaukee Film Executive Director Anne Reed shared with Rotarians on Tuesday the impact the organization has had both on Milwaukee’s film lovers and on Milwaukee itself. In addition to highlighting the importance of preserving the magic of the shared cinematic experience, Anne explored the vital role theaters play in fostering community and support…

District Governor Pete Bosch discussed Rotary's structure and appeal while sharing his vision for growth, emphasizing how it can be driven by engaged and satisfied Rotarians. Pete will also reviewed ongoing initiatives and introduce new projects planned for this year, encouraging members to participate in these efforts.…

Social capital— the networks of relationships people have— is the foundation to create and maintain functioning communities and societies. Research shows that it has been declining for decades and contributes to many worsening societal outcomes. This week at Rotary, Miranda Spindt and Will Flanders from the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (…

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) matter to all of us; we live, work and play alongside the district’s students, families, staff and alumni. On Tuesday, we were joined for a deep-dive into “The Business of Education,” by MPS Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galvan and Board of Directors VP Jilly Gokalgandhi. The two will discuss recent district developm…

In its 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, the U.S. Department of State states that an estimated 27 million people around the globe are exploited for labor, services, and commercial sex. Yesterday at Rotary, Tim Baack, the President and CEO of Pathfinders and Alicia Kort, Assistant District Attorney with the Sensitive Crimes Unit for Milwaukee Coun…

This past Tuesday, Rotarians heard from Nancy Hernandez, President of the Hispanic Collaborative, originators of the Well-Being Index, and Angela Adams, Interim President of the African American Leadership Alliance of Milwaukee on the most recent data related to the health, wealth, education, employment and quality of life of our Latino and Black c…

The E=Way Regional Commuter Rail System, developed by Transit Innovations, proposes 30 stations spanning across Milwaukee and Waukesha counties along 55 miles of existing Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail infrastructure. On Tuesday, Jaqulynn Honl, C.O.O. of Transit Innovations, will share details of the visionary economic developm…

Rotarians returned to Memorial Hall on Tuesday to hear from fellow club member and new CEO of Ascension Wisconsin, Daniel Jackson. As the leader of one of Wisconsin’s largest healthcare organizations, Daniel shared his vision and plans for Ascension, and the importance of addressing social determinants of health through community impact programs in…

With our partners from the Wisconsin Alliance for Civic Trust, WisPolitics, Milwaukee Press Club, and the Wisconsin Eye, we held a program focused on election integrity and security that filled Memorial Hall to the brim on Tuesday. Patrick Marley, Reporter for the Washington Post moderated the discussion with a panel comprised of Meagan Wolfe from …

There was much to celebrate yesterday in Memorial Hall as we recapped a wonderful year under President Leslie, and welcomed in our new club President Saj Thachenkary for 2024-25. We also introduced new members, shared selfies, learned about the future of our new big project, and so much more all to close another chapter of our vibrant club.…

This week in Memorial Hall, Rotarians heard from Dick Knapinski, the Communications Director of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Dick shared the EAA's story from its humble Milwaukee beginnings, to now a 300,000-member organization that hosts the world’s largest fly-in at Oshkosh every July.

This week at Rotary, Ari Brown of the Wisconsin Policy Forum shared their findings on the community listening sessions hosted by the Milwaukee Police Department to inform the creation of a citywide Community Oriented Policing Plan. Ari summarized key themes from these meetings, explored how peer cities have implemented Community Oriented Policing, …

Michael Gosman has a passion for improving our community, which drew him to Acts Housing, an organization dedicated to breaking down the barriers for homeownership. Under Mike's leadership, the organization has grown from seven employees in 2012 to over forty employees in 2023, while also increasing their revenue 13 fold to $9,000,000. Mike’s inven…

Sarah Pancheri, who became Milwaukee World Festival’s President & CEO in January 2024, will share how Summerfest and Henry Maier Festival Park contribute millions to the region's economy while remaining dedicated to its nonprofit mission to provide the cultural and entertainment impact that has earned Milwaukee the title, "The City of Festivals”.…

At this year's Armed Forces Week program, Rotarians heard from Col. Charles Merkel, commander of the 128th Air Refueling Wing at the General Mitchell Air National Guard Base. The Colonel addressed the current state of the Refueling Wing, their mission, plans for modernization, and efforts to compete for the KC-46 tanker. He also discussed changes c…

Vision Zero is an international movement to end traffic deaths with a public health and safe system approach that the City of Milwaukee has adopted. This past Tuesday, Rotarians heard from Milwaukee's Vision Zero Policy Director, Jessica Wineberg, as she shared an overview of key crash trends that are informing a data driven response with the goal …

Milwaukeans quickly recognize the name A. O. Smith but not all know that this historic Milwaukee brand is one of the world’s leading providers of water heating and water treatment solutions for 150 years. This week in Memorial Hall,, Chairman and CEO of A.O. Smith, Kevin Wheeler, provided a snapshot of their 150 year history, and shared how they ar…