BIZ PEOPLE Advertising Section: New Hires, Promotions, Accolades and Board Appointments

Banking

Financial Services

Bryan Lisowski

Joins Wisconsin Bank & Trust

Bryan Lisowski has joined Wisconsin Bank & Trust’s rapidly expanding Milwaukee team, as Senior Vice President, Commercial Banker. Bryan comes to the bank with over 16 years of experience in all facets of middle-market commercial banking. He has diverse industry experience, working with contractors, manufacturers, and distributors through high growth and ownership transitions. Bryan is a graduate of University of Wisconsin – Whitewater with a degree in Finance, as well as a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. WBT is a Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

Legal Services

Griselda Aldrete

Joins Hansen Reynolds LLC

Hansen Reynolds LLC is proud to announce that Griselda Aldrete has joined as a partner in our Milwaukee office. Her practice focuses on criminal, commercial, law enforcement, discrimination, and employment litigation matters. She also has a passion for mediations and advanced dispute resolution. She is fluent in Spanish, both orally and written. Prior to joining Hansen Reynolds, she held senior executive positions in corporate, government and nonprofit sectors. Griselda has been a lecturer and adjunct professor teaching criminal justice and criminology at local universities and continues to teach at UWMilwaukee.

Vrakas Promotes Sara M. Johnson to Shareholder

Previously a Principal, Sara has been promoted to Shareholder in the firm’s audit department. As an Audit Shareholder, Sara’s primary role at the firm includes performing and managing financial statement audit/review engagements, advising clients on new accounting standards, and assisting with client mergers/acquisitions. Sara will also oversee the firm’s employee benefit plan audit practice which currently audits over 150 benefit plans annually.

Financial Services

Vrakas Promotes Paul A. Rothering to Shareholder

Paul has been promoted to Shareholder in the firm’s audit department. As an Audit Shareholder, Paul’s primary role at the firm includes performing and managing financial statement audit/review engagements, advising clients on new accounting standards, and assisting with client mergers/acquisitions. Paul works with privately-held companies, including private equity and ESOP owned companies. Paul also oversees the firm’s college internship and full-time employee recruiting efforts.

Financial Services

Vrakas Promotes Paul D. Schoessow to Partner

Paul has been promoted to Partner of Vrakas Business Valuations, LLC, part of the Vrakas CPAs + Advisors family of companies. Paul will be responsible for working with clients to identify their valuation and other related requirements and performing detailed analyses to determine the most appropriate and supportable solutions for his clients’ needs. Paul specializes in valuing privately-held businesses for the purposes of succession planning, divorce, shareholder buyouts, and other purposes. Paul also has experience in testifying regarding income available for support for divorce cases.

Nonprofit

Architecture

Architecture

Penfield Children’s Center Appoints

Polina Makievsky as President and CEO

Polina Makievsky has been named President & CEO of Penfield Children’s Center, an organization that serves children with and without disabilities in Milwaukee by providing early education, health and wellness services, and family programs. For over 25 years, Makievsky has dedicated her career to advancing the missions of diverse child and family service organizations. She brings an extensive background in nonprofit leadership including program development, advocacy, and innovation design for both community-based and national organizations and a deep passion for helping people.

HGA Welcomes

Michele Stanton as Chief Information Officer

HGA has welcomed Michele Stanton as Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Based in the Milwaukee office, she will direct the firm’s information technology strategy, working closely with Executive leadership, IT teams, and the Digital Practice Group firmwide. Stanton has directed enterprisewide technology solutions for leading companies throughout Wisconsin and globally. Her background includes strategic planning, business and technology transformation, digital innovation, IT delivery and operations, mergers and acquisitions, and systems integration.

Kahler Slater Welcomes Riley Atlas as Creative Director of Brand Design

Kahler Slater is pleased to announce Riley Atlas has joined as Creative Director of Brand Design. He will lead the design firm’s continued growth, evolution, and positioning of their Environmental Branding team across all market sectors.

MEDIA & MARKETING

Nikki Wagner

Named President of Catch-22 Creative

Wagner has been named President of Catch-22 Creative, a Milwaukee-based marketing/advertising agency specializing in business-to-business communication. Wagner replaces agency founder Don Schauf, who will remain with the firm through 2023.

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Banking

Banking

Banking

Banking

Chris Zirbes Promoted at Cornerstone Community Bank

Cornerstone Community Bank promoted Chris Zirbes to SVP – Commercial Lender. With over 25 years of commercial lending experience, he joined Cornerstone in 2015. Zirbes will transition into this new role as Cornerstone merges with Horicon Bank.

Financial Services

RSM US LLP names new partner

Mike Graft has more than 15 years of public accounting experience and is the Consumer Products industry leader in Wisconsin. He is a provider of audit, accounting, and consulting services.

Chad Zimborski

Promoted at Cornerstone Community Bank

Cornerstone Community Bank promoted Chad Zimborski to VP – Commercial Lender. He has over 12 years of business banking experience and a finance background. Zimborski will transition into this new role as Cornerstone merges with Horicon Bank.

Legal Services

Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP

Attorney Russell J. Karnes Promoted to Partner

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin based trial and litigation law firm, Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown (GRGB) is pleased to announce that they have promoted Attorney Russell J. Karnes to the position of Partner.

Rick Novotny

Promoted at Cornerstone Community Bank

Cornerstone Community Bank promoted Rick Novotny to SVP - Chief Credit Officer. He has over 20 years commercial lending experience and has been at Cornerstone since 2008. He will transition into this new role as Cornerstone merges with Horicon Bank.

Legal Services

Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP

Attorney Nicole M. Masnica Promoted to Partner

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin based trial and litigation law firm, Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown (GRGB) is pleased to announce that they have promoted Attorney Nicole M. Masnica to the position of Partner.

Heather Nelson

Named Spring Bank

President Spring Bank named Heather Nelson as president. She joined the bank in 2010 and has served as a commercial lender for most of her 30+ year banking career. Currently, Nelson becomes only the third female bank president in southeastern Wisconsin.

Legal Services

Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP

Attorney Kristen N. Nelson Promoted to Partner

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin based trial and litigation law firm, Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown (GRGB) is pleased to announce that they have promoted Attorney Kristen N. Nelson to the position of Partner.

Presents:

APRIL 20, 2023

7:30 - 11:00am

Italian Community Center

Join us April 20 for a look at the issues shaping the future of Milwaukee County. A growing megaregion, demographic shifts, artificial intelligence, continued advancement in robotics, and climate change will all take center stage as topics that will either advance or limit the growth of Milwaukee County over the next 30 years. Take advantage of this opportunity to step back from day-to-day challenges and imagine what it will take to propel your business forward in the coming decades.

The program starts with a keynote focused on future-proofing Milwaukee County. Business futurist Geoffrey Kasselman will cover underlying drivers of change, challenges and opportunities for Milwaukee and potential strategies in areas like infrastructure, housing, employment, education, mobility and regional competition.

A panel with community and business leaders discussing a range of issues and breakout sessions will follow the keynote.

Make plans to attend now; you’ll leave the morning with new perspectives and ideas to incorporate into your long-range planning and strategic thinking.

HERZFELD FOUNDATION DONATES

$5 MILLION TO MILWAUKEE REP

The Richard and Ethel Herzfeld Foundation is donating $5 million to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in support of its Powering Milwaukee Campaign to build a new theater complex in downtown Milwaukee.

The single largest gift the foundation has ever made, the grant will help build The Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center in what will be called the Associated Bank Theater Center, creating a dedicated space for Milwaukee Rep’s growing student and community programming.

“When we have 700-800 students come, they take over the whole building. Every hallway, every private office, every conference room, everywhere,” said Chad Bauman, executive director of the Rep. “We have a great facility in terms of providing a theatrical experience for them, but when they break off for workshops, it’s really difficult. There is no space.”

Calendar

To address these issues, The Herzfeld Foundation Education & Engagement Center will include:

• A fully equipped performance venue with seating for up to 125 patrons

• Multiple classrooms for rehearsals and workshops

• Accessible restrooms

• A prep kitchen for use during events

• An entrance directly off the RiverWalk

• A state-of-the-art event space made available to community partners

The Rep has raised more than $43 million towards its $75 million Powering Milwaukee Campaign to build a new theater complex in place of its existing Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex at 108 E. Wells St. in downtown Milwaukee. In addition to the Education & Engagement Center, there are plans for two new theaters.

Elmbrook Education Foundation

3555 N. Calhoun Road, Brookfield, WI 53005 | (262) 844-3742 elmbrookschools.org/elmbrook-education-foundation

Twitter: @EMBK_Ed_Fndtion

Facebook: facebook.com/EEFWI/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/beth-dobrzynski-01791088

Year founded: 1958

Never Say Never Inc., will hold its Enchanted Evening Gala to raise funds for an inclusive playground in Walworth County on Saturday, March 11, from 5:30 to 11 p.m. at The Treasury, 303 E. Walworth Ave., Delavan.

The Kacmarcik Center for Human Performance will host the EmpowHER Women’s Conference cost-free for every attendee on Tuesday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its headquarters, 885 Badger Circle, Grafton.

The Susan B. Anthony Board and Committee will host its 32nd Annual Awards Dinner celebrating women in the Kenosha community on Friday, March 24, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Alfred and Bernice De Simone Arena, 4130 Petrifying Springs Road #4034, Kenosha.

The Delta Memorial Endowment Fund Inc., will hold its 45th Annual Literary Luncheon on Saturday, April 22, at noon at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, 333 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee.

Donation Roundup

The Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council, through its Heat for the Holidays campaign, donated $14,000 to Meta House to cover heating costs for the months of January, February and March 2023. | Kohl’s donated more than $500,000 to more than 20 nonprofits serving families in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties through the Kohl’s Hometown Giving Program. | The Milwaukee Bucks and Pick ‘n Save teamed up to donate $50,000 worth of food to Milwaukee organizations in support of Kroger’s Zero Hunger / Zero Waste initiative. | The “Fox Bros. Piggly Wiggly Charity of the Month” program raised more than $369,000 in 2022 for 52 southeastern Wisconsin nonprofits. | Cousins Subs donated a combined $10,000 in grants to Baby Blessings, Life Navigators, Milwaukee Youth Theatre and Paralyzed Veterans of America – Wisconsin Chapter through its Make it Better Foundation. | Good Harvest Market donated more than $2,400 in organic groceries to the Food Pantry of Waukesha County. | The annual Mukwonago Community Kids for Wish Kids Program presented a check for $175,000 in donations to Make-AWish Wisconsin. | Kohl’s donated $750,000 to Hunger Task Force to reduce food insecurity in Milwaukee.

Mission statement: The Elmbrook Education Foundation is an independent nonprofit that enriches the Elmbrook school district and community by investing in its students and educators through grants, scholarships and other major initiatives.

Primary focus of your nonprofit organization: Supporting the staff, educators and students at the School District of Elmbrook.

Other focuses of your nonprofit organization: Community engagement through four major events and staff appreciation initiatives annually. Past initiatives funded include the Elmbrook Nature Center, new musical instruments, the career readiness LAUNCH program, coding curriculum for the elementary schools, fine arts production equipment, elementary school libraries and sensory tool kits.

Key donors: Bank Five Nine, CG Schmidt, The Corners of Brookfield, Craig Husar Designs, Milwaukee Tool, Schlifske Family Foundation, Soerens Ford, TDS Telecom, and Waterstone Bank

Executive leadership: Beth Dobrzynski, executive director; Dr.

Mark Hansen, superintendent of Elmbrook Schools; Deborah Nustad, board president; Kelly Ebbole, vice president; Katie Rasoul, secretary; Patrick Proctor Brown, governance; Charles Braley, treasurer; Jessica Gonzalez, member at large

Board of directors: Danielle Leitner Baxter, Rebecca Becker, Eva Barbara Bongard, Carrie Bown, Jessie Grimm, Maria Kotsonis, Preetha Kurudiyara, Michelle Miner, Sara Monty, Maria Patterson, Helen Ramon, Elizabeth Simpson, Stephanie Soerens Borkowski, Bushra Zaibak.

Is your organization actively seeking board members for the upcoming term? Yes

What roles are you looking to fill?

Event chairs for Boos & Ghouls Night Out and EEF Golf Open; general board member

Ways the business community can help your nonprofit: Sponsor, donate and attend our events. Contribute to our funding initiatives. Provide a match for our future initiatives.

Key fundraising events:

• Explore STEAM, March 7

• EEF Golf Open, June 13

• Boos & Ghouls Night Out, Oct. 26

• Ladies Night, Nov. 29

Making way for new West Division school

This February 1954 photo shows the demolition of a house to clear space for the new West Division High School building between the 2200 and 2400 blocks of West Highland Avenue in Milwaukee. The older school building, which was demolished in 1960, is in the background behind trees. Today, the school is the site of Milwaukee High School of the Arts.

— Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Library / Historic Photo Collection dium projects. The team’s current lease for the stadium ends in 2030.

Evers’ pitch on stadium is just the beginning

GOV. TONY EVERS recently unveiled a plan to use $290 million of the state’s $7 billion surplus for upgrades to American Family Field, the 22-year-old home of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Studies commissioned by the Brewers and the state indicate the stadium will need more than $400 million in upgrades over the next 18 years. The Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District is the primary owner of the stadium and is responsible for major capital repairs and improvements and still has $70 million in reserve.

So, under the Evers plan there would be $360 million in taxpayer money available for upgrades to the stadium, plus interest accrued as those funds are saved and invested until they need to be spent. The Brewers would commit to remaining in Milwaukee until 2043 and to spending its own money on future discretionary sta -

But what if public money isn’t provided for future repairs and upgrades needed at the stadium? We’ve seen this game played countless times by professional sports teams in America. There’s always the threat, said or unsaid, that the team could move to another city that builds them a new stadium.

Why don’t the Brewers just pay for these repairs themselves? After all, Forbes estimates the value of the Brewers at $1.28 billion, or about $1 billion more than what a group led by Mark Attanasio paid to buy the team in 2005. But the stadium district’s obligations to maintain the facility combined with the competitive landscape for cities to have major professional sports teams means officials must come up with a funding solution to maintain the stadium and keep the Brewers here long term.

Evers’ proposal will probably be revised. Included in his budget plan, the Republicancontrolled state Legislature will likely throw the proposal out as they put together and ultimately pass their own budget.

The Legislature will probably want to commit a smaller amount of state money for improvements to the stadium than $290 million, and they

VOLUME 28, NUMBER 17 | FEB 27, 2023

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DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Mary Ernst mary.ernst@biztimes.com

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EDITORIAL

EDITOR

Andrew Weiland andrew.weiland@biztimes.com

MANAGING EDITOR Arthur Thomas arthur.thomas@biztimes.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com

REPORTER

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SALES & MARKETING

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

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PRODUCTION & DESIGN

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Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com

Independent & Locally Owned Founded 1995 — will probably want some local funding skin in the game.

By comparison, look at how funding for Fiserv Forum worked out. Public funds covered $250 million of the $524 million total cost, with the state providing $55 million ($80 million including interest) and local government, including the city, county and Wisconsin Center District, splitting the rest.

The city and county are in a terrible financial condition and have no money available for stadium upgrades. But if the Brewers developed some of the real estate around their stadium, as several other pro sports teams have done, property tax revenue would be generated that could help pay for stadium repairs.

It will be up to the Brewers, Evers, state legislators and local officials to make a deal. Nobody wants to lose the team and the tax revenue it generates while being stuck with an empty stadium. n

ANDREW WEILAND

EDITOR

/ 414-336-7120

/ andrew.weiland@biztimes.com

/ @AndrewWeiland