M7 reorganizes leadership roles to position region for future growth

To continue its work to advance economic development efforts in the seven counties of Southeastern Wisconsin, the Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership is reorganizing its leadership roles. These changes become effective July 1.

As a result of this reorganization:

• Pat O’Brien will move to a full-time position as President of the Milwaukee Development Corporation (MDC).
• Jim Paetsch is being promoted to Senior Vice President of Corporate Attraction and Expansion, and Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership Executive Director.
• Lynn Olberding will join the team as Vice President of Economic Development.

O’Brien was named the inaugural Executive Director of M7 after it was created in 2005 to bring together the seven counties of Southeastern Wisconsin to collaborate and advance economic development efforts in the region. O’Brien also previously served on a part-time basis as leader of MDC, an MMAC affiliate focused on catalytic real estate development with $37 million in assets. O’Brien will now focus on this role on a full-time basis.

“During Pat’s tenure, M7 has matured from a fledgling concept to a fully grown regional economic development partnership,” MMAC President Tim Sheehy said. “M7 has worked on talent development programs, international trade, entrepreneurship, and region building with its local, state, and federal partners. On behalf of everyone in the Milwaukee Region’s economic development and business communities, we thank Pat for his important work in making this vision a reality.”

Paetsch also has been with M7 since it launched in 2005, previously serving as Vice President of Corporate Expansion and Attraction. During that time, M7 has recorded 113 attraction and expansion project wins, adding a total of 24,000 pledged jobs, $1.3 billion in annual payroll and $3.2 billion in capital investment.  

“Jim is a dynamic leader who has become the driving force for our region’s corporate attraction and expansion efforts,” Sheehy said. “His promotion to Senior VP and Executive Director is in recognition of these terrific efforts. Jim has a proven track record of collaborating to deliver results, including major projects such as Haribo, Milwaukee Tool, Komatsu Mining, Nexus, and Ingeteam, to name just a few of more than 100. Jim will also oversee the role M7 plays in economic development. This promotion and new role will allow for continued coordination with our local and state partners, while delivering best-in-class attention to our development prospects. We congratulate Jim on this well-deserved acknowledgement of his efforts.” 

In her newly created role, Olberding will integrate economic development programing across M7 and MMAC to support members, investors, and regional and state partners. She brings a breadth of experience to the organization, most recently as President of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce in Iowa. She has an MBA from the University of Iowa.

“We’re proud to welcome Lynn to the team, and excited for her to get started,” Sheehy said. “As we emerge from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and refocus on the M7 Prosperity 2025 campaign, Lynn will lead the strategy development of this critical effort to ensure the future prosperity of the Milwaukee Region.”

About the Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership
The Milwaukee 7 is the regional economic development partnership of the seven Southeastern Wisconsin counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha.
Launched in 2005 by founding partners MMAC, the City of Milwaukee and the Greater Milwaukee Committee, M7 is dedicated to bringing the Milwaukee Region’s business and economic development community together to grow, expand and attract businesses and develop talented employees. mke7.com

About the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
For more than 150 years, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) has been serving area businesses as a private, not-for-profit organization. Today we represent approximately 1,800 member businesses with 300,000 employees in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties and beyond. Our mission is to improve metro Milwaukee as a place to invest capital, grow business and create jobs. mmac.org
 

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