Rotary Club of Milwaukee Tuesday Speaker Series

In its 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, the U.S. Department of State states that an estimated 27 million people around the globe are exploited for labor, services, and commercial sex. Yesterday at Rotary, Tim Baack, the President and CEO of Pathfinders and Alicia Kort, Assistant District Attorney with the Sensitive Crimes Unit for Milwaukee County engaged in a moderated conversation with Rotarian Jon Ward on how organizations in Southeast Wisconsin are collaborating resources and efforts to combat human trafficking.

This past Tuesday, Rotarians heard from Nancy Hernandez, President of the Hispanic Collaborative, originators of the Well-Being Index, and Angela Adams, Interim President of the African American Leadership Alliance of Milwaukee on the most recent data related to the health, wealth, education, employment and quality of life of our Latino and Black communities as compared to their counterparts in the top 50 metros in the U.S. After a highlight presentation that painted the picture of how our diverse communities are doing, Past President JoAnne Anton moderated a conversation about what this data means and what needs to happen in Milwaukee for our Brown and Black communities to thrive.

The E=Way Regional Commuter Rail System, developed by Transit Innovations, proposes 30 stations spanning across Milwaukee and Waukesha counties along 55 miles of existing Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail infrastructure. On Tuesday, Jaqulynn Honl, C.O.O. of Transit Innovations, will share details of the visionary economic development project that will deeply impact job centers and connect transit-oriented development station neighborhoods where people live, work, and play.

Rotarians returned to Memorial Hall on Tuesday to hear from fellow club member and new CEO of Ascension Wisconsin, Daniel Jackson. As the leader of one of Wisconsin's largest healthcare organizations, Daniel shared his vision and plans for Ascension, and the importance of addressing social determinants of health through community impact programs in today's challenging and evolving environment.

With our partners from the Wisconsin Alliance for Civic Trust, WisPolitics, Milwaukee Press Club, and the Wisconsin Eye, we held a program focused on election integrity and security that filled Memorial Hall to the brim on Tuesday. Patrick Marley, Reporter for the Washington Post moderated the discussion with a panel comprised of Meagan Wolfe from the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Paulina Gutierrez of the Milwaukee Election Commission, and former state legislator, former county clerk, and election expert Kathy Bernier.

There was much to celebrate yesterday in Memorial Hall as we recapped a wonderful year under President Leslie, and welcomed in our new club President Saj Thachenkary for 2024-25. We also introduced new members, shared selfies, learned about the future of our new big project, and so much more all to close another chapter of our vibrant club.

This week in Memorial Hall, Rotarians heard from Dick Knapinski, the Communications Director of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Dick shared the EAA's story from its humble Milwaukee beginnings, to now a 300,000-member organization that hosts the world's largest fly-in at Oshkosh every July.

This week at Rotary, Ari Brown of the Wisconsin Policy Forum shared their findings on the community listening sessions hosted by the Milwaukee Police Department to inform the creation of a citywide Community Oriented Policing Plan. Ari summarized key themes from these meetings, explored how peer cities have implemented Community Oriented Policing, and suggested ways that MPD can enhance its own community engagement strategies.

Michael Gosman has a passion for improving our community, which drew him to Acts Housing, an organization dedicated to breaking down the barriers for homeownership. Under Mike's leadership, the organization has grown from seven employees in 2012 to over forty employees in 2023, while also increasing their revenue 13 fold to $9,000,000. Mike's inventive ideas, products and services have resulted in stronger families, neighborhoods and communities in Milwaukee, and for these contributions, he is our 2024 Rotary Person of the Year.

Sarah Pancheri, who became Milwaukee World Festival's President & CEO in January 2024, will share how Summerfest and Henry Maier Festival Park contribute millions to the region's economy while remaining dedicated to its nonprofit mission to provide the cultural and entertainment impact that has earned Milwaukee the title, "The City of Festivals".