MMAC, M7 Welcome Recker to New Development Role

MILWAUKEE – The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) is pleased to welcome accomplished chamber of commerce executive Robert H. Recker as MMAC Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for the Milwaukee 7 Economic Development Partnership (M7.)

Recker, who most recently worked for the Greater Memphis Chamber in Tennessee, will lead development efforts for MMAC and M7. This combined focus will allow both organizations to fund long-term strategies for the Milwaukee Region in areas such as:

• Corporate attraction and expansion
• Talent and workforce development
• Diversity and inclusion initiatives
• Investment in assets that enhance the region’s livability.

Recker will play a leading role in the upcoming MMAC/M7 Prosperity 2025 fundraising campaign, which was announced at the M7 Annual Meeting in January with a lead investment of $2 million from WEC Energy Group Executive Chairman and M7 Co-Chair Gale Klappa.

“We’re excited to welcome Robert to our team, and it couldn’t have come at a better time,” MMAC President Tim Sheehy said. “While the Milwaukee Region is experiencing a moment of opportunity right now, we also must prepare for trends and circumstances that could disrupt our economy. To have the resources it takes to be ready, we must connect missional investors throughout our region to the work they make possible. Robert’s skill set is ideally suited to this role, and I know he’s eager to get started.”

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Prior to joining MMAC and M7, Recker served as the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Senior Vice President for Membership Growth and Engagement. He also was President and CEO of a subsidiary organization, Chamber Benefits Inc. In these roles, Recker managed daily operations in key areas of revenue generation, member engagement and product development.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to work in a region on the rise,” Recker said. “MMAC and M7 have done so much to help the Milwaukee Region become what it is today, and their leaders have bold plans to take advantage of opportunities and address challenges in the future. I’m excited to join the team and support these efforts. I especially look forward to meeting with Milwaukee Region business community leaders to better understand their perspectives and the issues they’re most passionate about.”

Prior to his role in Memphis, Recker was the Huntsville/Madison County (Ala.) Chamber’s Senior Vice President for Investor Relations. He also has experience at the Greater Cleveland Partnership, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, Kissimmee/Osceola County (Fla.) Chamber of Commerce and Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. He has degrees from Des Moines Area Community College and Orlando College, and attended graduate school at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

About the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
Founded in 1861, the MMAC serves as the chamber of commerce for the Milwaukee Region, representing approximately 2,000 member businesses with 300,000 employees. Its mission is to improve Metro Milwaukee as a place to invest capital, grow business and create jobs.

MMAC is a founding partner of the Milwaukee 7 Economic Development Partnership, the regional economic development organization for Southeast Wisconsin.