THE GMC

On June 8, members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee convened for an important discussion on the future of education funding in Milwaukee and the broader implications for our community and regional economy. Dr. Brenda Cassellius of Milwaukee Public Schools provided an overview of the current MPS budget, outlining both the opportunities and challenges facing public education in our region. Following her presentation, a panel of local education experts explored the broader considerations our community must address moving forward, including the financial challenges facing other school sectors in Milwaukee and the long-term impact education funding has on workforce development, public safety, economic competitiveness, and overall community well-being. Education remains one of the most important pillars in determining the success and stability of an individual’s life. Every child deserves access to a quality education that prepares them to achieve their fullest potential, pursue meaningful careers, and become successful contributors to our community. As business and civic leaders, it is critical that we understand the interconnected role education plays in shaping Milwaukee’s future and engage in thoughtful dialogue around sustainable solutions that support student success and regional prosperity.

Data Centers and Greater Milwaukee As data center investment accelerates across Wisconsin, the state is emerging as a hub in a new digital infrastructure economy. Driven by a growing demand for artificial intelligence and secure digital data storage, long-serving Wisconsin companies and organizations new to our region are bringing significant capital investment, construction activity, and long-term jobs to the region. This moment presents both opportunity and responsibility. How do we position our workforce, infrastructure, and supply chains to take advantage of this opportunity while also ensuring this unprecedented growth is executed responsibly? The May 11 meeting explored what data center are and what their growth in our region means for our local economy and community. We shared facts about data center operations, including aspects like energy and resource use, new infrastructure, and sustainability. We discussed how businesses can proactively prepare for workforce development and the talent pipeline as well as how our education partners are making programmatic changes to ensure our local students are prepared to excel right here in our community. We also considered how local business enterprises are part of the underlying demand for and use of AI, and the impact that is already having on our community. Speakers include: Kevin Chandler, Director of Government and Regularly Affairs North America, Vantage Data Centers Dr. Anthony Cruz, President, Milwaukee Area Technical College Mark Johnson, VP of Innovation and Technology, Modine Teresa Mogensen, President and CEO, American Transmission Company Gil Peri, President and CEO, Children's WI Moderator Jason Stein, President, Wisconsin Policy Forum As digital infrastructure reshapes the landscape in our region, Milwaukee has the opportunity to align innovation, environmental stewardship, and responsible economic growth. This meeting was designed for a conversation on how the business community can help shape a competitive and sustainable future in Wisconsin’s evolving tech economy.

Across Milwaukee, access to safe, stable, and affordable housing isn’t just a quality-of-life issue, it’s a critical social determinant of health that profoundly shapes outcomes for individuals, families, and neighborhoods. Decades of economic shifts, racial segregation, rising housing costs, and limited affordable inventory have left many Milwaukee residents housing insecure. When families spend an outsized share of income on rent or face unstable living conditions, the effects ripple outward. Our community faces increased stress, poorer physical and mental health outcomes, disrupted schooling, and greater reliance on emergency services. For Milwaukee’s business community, this isn’t an abstract social issue but a bottom-line concern. Affordable housing is a foundation for a healthy and stable workforce and local market vitality. Employees struggling with housing instability contribute to higher turnover, absenteeism, and reduced productivity. Neighborhoods with persistent displacement or disinvestment make it harder to attract new customers, employees, and private investment, weakening the economic ecosystem. To address this issue, business leaders, philanthropic institutions, and corporate partners across Milwaukee are stepping up in a variety of ways including collaboration, investment, innovative health system strategies, and development projects. Speakers included: - Tracy Johnson, CARW - Luke Knapp, Mayor Johnson's Office - Theo Lipscomb, LISC Milwaukee - Kevin Newell, Royal Capital At the April meeting, we explored Milwaukee’s housing landscape, and what the business and philanthropic community are doing to address the problem today and for a sustainable future. A special presentation was shared by Dr. John Raymond, CEO of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Healthy neighborhoods are foundational to Milwaukee’s economic growth, shaping the city’s ability to attract and retain talent, maintain a stable workforce, and foster business investment. Safe streets, quality affordable housing, strong schools, accessible transit, and vibrant commercial corridors create the kinds of communities where professionals and families choose to live, and businesses choose to invest. For Milwaukee to compete regionally and grow its population, neighborhood vitality must be viewed not simply as a social priority but as an economic strategy. Building healthy communities requires more than infrastructure development; It requires trust, engagement, and neighborhood voices. The March meeting explored how community reporting and inclusive journalism strengthen trust between residents, institutions, and investors while directly contributing to meaningful community development outcomes. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s newly launched Neighborhood Dispatch is committed to amplifying community perspectives by centering residents as experts of their own neighborhoods. Over the past decade, efforts such as those led by Near West Side Partners have demonstrated how lifting up community-driven solutions can advance neighborhood development, strengthen cross-sector partnerships, and build momentum for equitable investment. To represent how this all works together, at the March meeting, we heard from: Steve Radke, President, Northwestern Mutual Foundation Kynala Phillips, Neighborhood Dispatch Editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Lindsey St. Arnold Bell, Executive Director, Near West Side Partners When residents’ lived experiences inform public dialogue, they help to shape policy priorities, guide equitable investment, and spotlight community-driven solutions. This meeting will highlight how community-centered journalism, trust-building, and strategic investment work together to support equitable development and create stronger, more connected neighborhoods across Milwaukee.

Civic Engagement, Trust, & Regional Alliance On February 9, the Greater Milwaukee Committee hosted its Annual Membership Meeting. In addition to approving the 2026 Board slate, the meeting featured a focused discussion on why civic engagement is a strategic imperative for business leadership and successful community development. A national perspective was delivered by Joseph Arroyo, Executive Director of Cities Forward, a leading organization based in New York City working at the intersection of civic infrastructure, local government, and community leadership in cities across the country. Drawing on his experience working nationwide, Mr. Arroyo shared concrete insights and examples of how business, civic, and public-sector leaders are partnering to strengthen trust, expand participation, and drive measurable community outcomes. Under his leadership, Cities Forward has emerged as a thought leader in investing in community leadership, building responsive public institutions, and creating alignment to dismantle silos and make local government more visible, coordinated, and responsive. His remarks highlighted how embedding civic organizing and engagement within local government and community institutions creates durable civic infrastructure, enabling communities to rebuild trust, deepen civic participation, and position cities for long-term growth, resilience, and innovation. Strong civic engagement is essential to advancing the GMC’s pillars of education, fiscal strength, public safety, and infrastructure. When communities trust and participate in public systems, regions see stronger educational outcomes, more effective use of resources, safer neighborhoods, and the infrastructure needed for long-term growth. This discussion explored how civic engagement drives workforce readiness, economic competitiveness, and shared prosperity—and the role business leaders can play in strengthening Milwaukee’s civic fabric. Speakers included: Joseph Arroyo, Cities Forward JoAnne Anton, Herb Kohl Philanthropies Angela Damiani, NEWaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, City of Milwaukee

Advancing Sustainability for Milwaukee’s Arts & Culture Institutions Milwaukee’s arts and culture ecosystem is at a critical inflection point. With philanthropic resources tightening and state funding remaining stagnant, organizations must explore new strategies to ensure long-term financial resilience. This meeting brought together leaders from across the sector to discuss innovative, practical approaches to operating more sustainably in today’s challenging climate. With local organizations as key examples, we examined how major institutions are adapting—balancing capital needs, evolving business models, and diversifying revenue streams. Speakers included: Kevin Giglinto, Marcus Performing Arts Center Jodi Gibson, Zoological Society of Milwaukee Ellen Censky, Milwaukee Public Museum Christine Hojnacki, Imagine MKE Rob Henken, Herzfeld Foundation Topics included opportunities for shared services, new partnership models, long-term audience development strategies, revenue innovation, and approaches to stabilizing operations during periods of transition.

The GMC’s November membership meeting centered on public safety and violence prevention efforts across our community. The discussion featured updates from local leaders who are advancing safety through prevention-focused, neighborhood-level strategies that are showing meaningful progress across Milwaukee, including: -Dan Bader, president and CEO, Bader Philanthropies -Heather Hough, Chief of Staff, Milwaukee Police Department -Kent Lovern, District Attorney, Milwaukee County - David Muhammad, Deputy Director, Milwaukee County Health Department -Langston Verdin, Director of Partnerships and Strategy, GMC We reviewed key outcomes and lessons learned — exploring what’s working, where challenges remain, and how citywide collaboration can build on this momentum. Together, we examined how Milwaukee’s coordinated approach continues to evolve, addressing complex issues with innovation, compassion, and accountability. This conversation provided valuable insights into how civic, business, and community leaders can sustain and strengthen these efforts to create safer neighborhoods, deeper partnerships, and a shared commitment to the well-being of our city.

Advancing Reading in Milwaukee: In early May, Mayor Cavalier Johnson convened a group of Milwaukee’s educational, civic and philanthropic leaders for a unique discussion focused on advancing educational outcomes while leaving historic challenges or grievances at the door. The meeting launched an effort to transform reading outcomes in our city and to advance new ways to train educators in the science of reading. Whether you attended the May meeting or pledged your support for the Milwaukee Reading Coalition, work is underway to dramatically improve outcomes for kids in our community. As Milwaukee’s youth begin a new school year, we celebrated the formal launch of the Milwaukee Reading Coalition and highlighted the status of our collective efforts, with a panel conversation with Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius, JoAnne Anton, Dr. Howard Fuller of the Howard Fuller Academy and Laura Gutierrez from United Community Center. Many have already joined the call, but the work has just begun. Watch now to learn how you can participate in advancing reading outcomes for Milwaukee’s youth and your future workforce.

Higher education is facing mounting headwinds, both in Wisconsin and across the nation. Declining enrollment, ideological concerns, shifts in workforce demands, disinvestment of public resources, and tightening financial models are challenging institutions to rethink their missions, strategies, and long-term viability. In Wisconsin, these pressures are intensified by demographic trends, regional economic shifts, and policy constraints. Nationally, institutions are grappling with similar disruptions, many of which call for urgent and coordinated responses. On June 9, we were joined by academic and industry leaders at UW-Milwaukee for a conversation about the immediate and long-term challenges and what higher education is doing collaboratively to navigate these uncharted waters. Speakers included: - Mark Mone, Chancellor, UW-Milwaukee - Cindy Gnadinger, President, Carroll University - John Swallow, President, Carthage College This discussion is not just timely – it is a necessary step in rising to the occasion to solve challenges in our community and our world.