2023 All Member Meeting

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

4-8 PM | Bradley Symphony Center

Nearly 1,200 regional business leaders gathered October 17, 2023, for the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s (MMAC) 162nd All Member Meeting. Attendees heard local business and community leaders celebrate groundbreaking progress, address persistent challenges and set a path toward securing our region’s future. VIEW PHOTOS >

WELCOME

Kick off of MMAC's 162nd All Member Meeting

The Power of Association

The replay for Tim Sheehy's comments will be posted soon!

“I’m delivery system agnostic. I don’t care where mom and dad decide to send their kids,
as long as it’s a good (school).”

CORY NETTLES
Generation Wealth Growth Capital

TALENT PANEL DISCUSSION

The impact of K-12 education on our competitiveness

MMAC President Tim Sheehy moderated a panel discussion including Austin Ramirez, Husco; John Schlifske, Northwestern Mutual; and Cory Nettles, Generation Wealth Growth Capital; to discuss recent changes to state funding for K-12 education. Those reforms helped close the gap in funding between students attending choice and charter schools and those attending public schools.

“Today, parents are using public funds to send more than 50,000 students in Milwaukee to private schools and independent charter schools that best meet the needs of their children,” said Sheehy. “The Association’s advocacy presents an enduring commitment to improve the prospects of Milwaukee and its citizens.”

Many in the business community, including MMAC, were strong advocates for this legislative action. Nettles said where children attend school doesn’t matter if they’re being positioned for success.

“When we compare the results of (Region of Choice) companies, they have outpaced all metro employers reporting EEOC data in the growth of Black and Brown talent.”
Corry Joe Biddle
MMAC's VP of Community Affairs

EQUITY UPDATE

Region of Choice (ROC) progress

The initiative, established as a five-year campaign in 2018, was started in response to alarming disparities in unemployment, educational attainment, home ownership and poverty in Milwaukee.

Since its launch, the employment of Black and Brown individuals has risen to 18.1 percent of overall employment at companies who signed our Region of Choice pledge – meeting its goal one year early.

When it comes to management, Black and Brown individuals have risen to 9.2 percent of the overall total, exceeding our goal.

LIVABILITY UPDATE

Champions of Commerce Award

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley were awarded MMAC’s Champion of Commerce Awards for their work in securing new revenue streams to preserve vital local services and fund long-standing pension obligations.

"Southeast Wisconsin has prepared itself for great things."
BO WALLACE
Microsoft

GROWTH UPDATE

Latest developments for the Milwaukee 7 Partnership (M7)

M7 Co-Chair Gale Klappa, Executive Chairman for the WEC Energy Group will highlight the M7's recent achievements
Microsoft's Bowen Wallace - Corporate VP, Microsoft CO+I Americas Region leader will discuss their $1 billion data center in Mount Pleasant.

Bo Wallace from Microsoft bio

Bowen Wallace, Corporate Vice President, is the Microsoft CO+I Americas Region leader. Prior to that, he held responsibilities that included Global Datacenter Operations, Data Center Supply Planning, Data Center Community Engagement, Sustainability, and other functions. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2018, he led global data center infrastructure operations at Amazon Web Services. He is a proud veteran of the Unites States Marine Corps, having served for 7 years as an active-duty Infantry Officer. Bo has a B.S. in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

“Dale brings a proven ability to collaborate and lead.”
MMAC CHAIR AUSTIN RAMIREZ
Husco

CLOSING

Hear from the Incoming MMAC Chair

Austin Ramirez, CEO of Husco – a privately held, family-owned engineering and manufacturing company in Waukesha - was named Board Chair of MMAC on October 17, 2023. Ramirez will serve a two-year term.

Additionally, as part of a planned transition, it was announced that Dale Kooyenga will become president of the MMAC in January of 2024, replacing long-time MMAC president Tim Sheehy. Kooyenga has served as Senior Vice President of the organization since January of 2023.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

RECEPTION SPONSOR

CHAIRMAN'S CIRCLE SPONSORS