Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Rotary Club of Milwaukee Tuesday Speaker Series

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 – CBS 58 News, and Matt Smith  – WISN 12 News. An invitation for a future program is pending with Senator Baldwin.

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 neighborhoods along the Beerline Trail, open economic opportunities, improve the quality of life for residents, and serve as a regional destination for visitors across southeast Wisconsin.

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 Hall, how their book came together, and how Peter continues to look past the profit-driven aspect of the music industry and celebrate his love for music.

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 supporting the local art scene.

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 (WILL) discussed their recent work raising awareness of the implications of declining social capital, possible solutions, and future initiatives WILL is undertaking to continue this work.

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 developments with Jason Stein, President of the Wisconsin Policy Forum and give Rotarians a look at what lies ahead for MPS.

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 County engaged in a moderated conversation with Rotarian Jon Ward on how organizations in Southeast Wisconsin are collaborating resources and efforts to combat human trafficking.

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 communities as compared to their counterparts in the top 50 metros in the U.S. After a highlight presentation that painted the picture of how our diverse communities are doing, Past President JoAnne Anton moderated a conversation about what this data means and what needs to happen in Milwaukee for our Brown and Black communities to thrive.

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 development project that will deeply impact job centers and connect transit-oriented development station neighborhoods where people live, work, and play.

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 today’s challenging and evolving environment.

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 the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Paulina Gutierrez of the Milwaukee Election Commission, and former state legislator, former county clerk, and election expert Kathy Bernier.

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, and suggested ways that MPD can enhance its own community engagement strategies.

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 inventive ideas, products and services have resulted in stronger families, neighborhoods and communities in Milwaukee, and for these contributions, he is our 2024 Rotary Person of the Year.

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 coming to the Air National Guard's role in the Indo-Pacific region.

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 of eliminating all traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2037.

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 are continually developing state-of-the-art solutions to push new boundaries and pave the way in their industry.

Elysabeth Alfano is the CEO of VegTech(TM) Invest and an expert on food systems transformation. She runs an ETF on the New York Stock Exchange that invests in innovative companies that are focused on a sustainable food system shift. Learn how companies like Anheuser-Busch are using their fermentation processes to grow protein for human consumption and the associated health and ecological benefits derived from these new sources of protein.

Located 60 miles north of Milwaukee, Road America, also known as The National Park of Speed, opened in 1955 and welcomes over 800,000 motor sport fans each year to enjoy over 600 acres in the Kettle Moraine. This week at Rotary Mike Kertscher, President of Road America, discussed the history of the track and its economic impact on Sheboygan County and the state of Wisconsin.

VISIT Milwaukee's CEO, Peggy Williams-Smith, gave an energized presentation to Rotarians on Tuesday and introduced VISIT's new and improved fresh brand while addressing the driving forces behind tourism in 2024 and beyond. Check out the presentation for an insightful glimpse into Milwaukee's vibrant tourism scene and its promising future.

Every summer crowds flock to our city, but this time, in addition to a large number of high-profile visitors, Milwaukee is poised to get about as much attention as it can handle on July 15-18, when the eyes of almost every nation on the planet, and every state of the union will be upon us.   At a packed Memorial Hall yesterday, Rotarian Andy Bochman, senior grid strategist for Idaho National Laboratory’s National and Homeland Security directorate provided a brief snapshot of what Rotary members may expect to see as the RNC approaches.

On Tuesday, Rotarians heard from Dr. Megan Schultz from Children's Hospital on gun violence in children. Guns are now the number one cause of death for American children - more than cancer, more than car accidents. Pediatric emergency physician Dr. Megan Schultz shared her perspective from working on the frontlines of America's gun violence epidemic, and what we can do to make our community safer for children.

Connecting in-person will always be at the heart of Rotary, yet we can also make personal and meaningful connections through social media—while expanding professional networks and enhancing brand visibility.  Rotarians enjoyed a two part presentation on Tuesday. First, Rotarian Hanna Paul of Ideawake presented our club's Social Media Kit, sharing how Rotarians can get involved online and help maximize RCM's reach. Then, Wayne Breitbarth of Power Formula provided handy tips on how to get the most out of LinkedIn and enhancing your connections and profile even further.

At a packed Memorial Hall on Tuesday, Rotarian John Franke shared his perspective on the the FBI undercover investigation that brought agent “Donnie Brasco” to our city in the late 1970’s, the related extensive wiretaps conducted by the FBI, and his work in leading the successful prosecution of Milwaukee’s Balistrieri organized crime family in the mid-1980’s.

This week at Rotary, members were introduced to the world of esports, the growing competitive video game industry that is projected to earn $3.5B in revenue by 2025. Brandon Tschacher, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Esports Alliance, provided an overview of the rising esports scene and shared how competitive gaming is taking off right here in Wisconsin.

Rotarians filled Memorial Hall this week to hear from Executive Director of Protect Democracy, Ian Bassin.  Ian discussed global trends endangering democracy, what some of the factors are driving these dynamics, and what risks they pose for American civil society, including our business community.

Program Committee Chair Jamie Reeve, III noted Rob Henken has spoken to Rotary more frequently than any other person—and consistently get strong reviews.

On Tuesday, Rob looked back on Milwaukee’s fiscal challenges, reviewed how the city is making ends meet in 2024 and what that says about its longer-term financial prognosis and its ability to sustain key services like police, fire, and libraries.

"Arts and culture are a central part of what makes Milwaukee a great place to live, work and play." This week, new Rotarian and Executive Director of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Chad Bauman, introduced the Rep's upcoming plans for the new Associated Bank Theater Center and shared an outlook on Milwaukee's arts and culture sector in the coming years.

Rotarians were given a glimpse into the future as they heard Jason Turner of Wintrust Wealth Management return to Memorial Hall for his 2024 Economic forecast this week.  Using the philosophies of Warren and Jimmy Buffet, Jason shared state of the economy and the prospects for continued economic growth or recession in 2024 and beyond.

Since the war broke out on October 6th, the Israeli-Palestinian crisis has been in the fore front of the news and also in the hearts of many. As a neutral platform, our club decided to invite two speakers to represent both views at Rotary.    Last week, we heard from Miryam Rosenzweig, President and CEO of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. And yesterday, we heard from Othman Atta, Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, who approached the conversation from the Palestinian perspective.

Since the war broke out on October 6th, the Israeli-Palestinian crisis has been in the fore front of the news and also in the hearts of many. As a neutral platform, our club decided to invite two speakers to represent both views at Rotary.    Yesterday, we heard an Israeli perspective from Miryam Rosenzwieg, President and CEO of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.  Next week, we will hear a Palestinian perspective from Othman Atta, Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

On December 19th, the fabulous Florentine Opera performers regaled us with tunes of the season. Happy Holidays from Rotary!

As we approach the end of 2023, County Executive David Crowley looked back a historic year that saw many accomplishments for Milwaukee County. On Tuesday, we heard from the County Executive share his thoughts on these achievements, including the passage of new revenue generating tools, the first budget surplus in over two decades, many critical investments that are making our community healthier, and more.

This week at breakfast, Rotarians heard from Pulitzer Prize finalist and former reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Meg Kissinger. Meg shared the story behind her latest book, WHILE YOU WERE OUT: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence, which details how her own family’s story is part of a broader movement to destigmatize mental illness.

After three decades, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce has a new leader, Dale Kooyenga. Dale joined MMAC in January in the newly created role of senior vice president as the regional economic development and their board began planning for the retirement of his predecessor, Tim Sheehy, who had led MMAC since 1992.

Rotarians heard Dale's story and the results of his conversations with over a hundred CEOs this past year. Dale also shared what he has heard from these conversations and shared how his experiences in business, politics and the military have shaped his perspective and leadership style.

At breakfast this week, Rotarians heard from Christa Beall Diefenbach, Executive Director of Friends of the Domes. Christa shared the history of Friends of the Domes as well as their plan to identify a solution for the Domes that addresses the building’s physical limitations, revitalizes Mitchell Park, and supports a business model that is sustainable.

Ingeteam, a team made up of more than 4,500 people in 21 countries, is convinced that there is a different way of generating, transporting, storing and consuming energy in a more efficient and sustainable way. The energy transition is no longer the future, it is the present, and to face this challenge, they plan to help build a world in which energy production is clean.

On U.N. Day, we celebrated the 78th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations with Danielle Brian, President of the Project on Government Oversight. Danielle discussed how we can bring to life the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goal of peace, justice, and strong institutions. Central to successfully meeting that goal is the need to substantially reduce corruption in all its forms, and to develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels of government.

It is hard to talk about historic preservation in Milwaukee without recognizing the work of Matt Jarosz, professor at UWM’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Matt approaches historic preservation from both the philosophical and technical perspective. Matt shared stories of local preservation efforts that worked and not worked—all which play a role in creating the architectural landscape of Milwaukee today.

Reince Priebus is the Chairman of the MKE 2024 Host Committee, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with the mission to work on behalf of the City of Milwaukee, its businesses, and residents, ensuring that the 2024 Republican National Convention has all the necessary tools for a successful event. Priebus shared to Rotarians an update on the 2024 convention, the Host Committee’s role, and what attendees can expect in Milwaukee next summer

Rotarians heard from Taylor Korslin of Rethink 794, a volunteer group advocating to replace a stretch of elevated Interstate-794 with at-grade streets to better connect Downtown with the Third Ward and Lakefront.  Taylor discussed the timely debate, WisDOT's potential options, and elaborated on the merits of rethinking Interstate-794.

Did you know that the Rotary Club of Milwaukee has facilitated over $1 million of projects in the highlands of Guatemala since 2010? In partnership with Engineer without Borders, our club’s efforts have resulted in the construction of ten water systems, five pedestrian bridges and three schools. Also, working with the Alliance for Smiles, surgery was performed on Guatemalan 33 children with cleft anomalies. Rotarian Kathy Ehley conducted a conversation with fellow Rotarians Jerry Stepaniak, Eric Isbister and Paige Radke, all veteran Guatemalan travelers.

On Tuesday, September 19th Mike Nichols, President of the Badger Institute spoke on “Why Wisconsin Needs a Flat Tax.” Wisconsin is the home of the first progressive income tax. Do we really want to abandon our roots? Aren’t flat taxes just schemes to help the rich? Are we shifting the burden to those who need help the most?

Dana Guthrie is the Managing Partner of Gateway Capital, a Milwaukee based venture capital firm which seeks overlooked emerging entrepreneurial opportunities that traditionally lack venture capital investment. The firm’s objective is to exceed national average returns for their investors and create a stronger and self-sustaining entrepreneurial ecosystem. At this luncheon, Dana talks about her background along with the "WHY” and “HOW” of the work that drives her passion.

Joe Gallamore, Project Supervisor of WisDOT, Mike Hammond, Public Involvement Lead at HNTB, and Mike Ernst, Deputy Project Manager at HNTB discussed a recent study of the I-794 at the Lake Interchange. The study identified a transportation solution that addresses deteriorating infrastructure in a manner that will improve safety and operations while striving to enhance community connectivity and compatibility with local plans.

New York Times best selling author David Maranniss will spoke on his new biography, Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe. This riveting biography details the life of America’s greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe, who rose to world fame as a mythic talent who excelled at every sport. He won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, was an All-American football player at the Carlisle Indian School, the star of the first class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and played major league baseball for John McGraw’s New York Giants. Even in a golden age of sports celebrities, he was one of a kind.

Sara Shaw, Senior Education Researcher for the Wisconsin Policy Forum, discussed a new Forum report released today on teacher turnover trends in Wisconsin. Her presentation sized up how much turnover is occurring and what that means for districts' ability to staff their classrooms. Sara also reviewed whether turnover is caused by teachers moving to different districts versus leaving the profession altogether and how turnover rates compare among various districts, including the Milwaukee Public Schools.