WTMJ Conversations

You know them for their commercials and quality furniture, but how does a legacy business like Biltrite begin? Today on WTMJ Conversations, Marty and Randi from Biltrite Furniture sit down with WTMJ's Libby Collins to discuss how the business began, growing up in a furniture store, predicting style trends, the furniture and funeral home connection, and much more. It's all ahead on this edition of WTMJ Conversations!

Many of us love to play along with Jeopardy at home, but what does it take to make it on the show for real? Today, Jeopardy Champion and St. Norbert professor Ben Chan talks with WTMJ's Libby Collins about how many times he tried out for the show, what it was like behind the scenes, going on a championship run, and who HE thinks is the best Jeopardy player of all time. It's all ahead on this genius edition of WTMJ Conversations!

You watched her for years as a FOX6 TV anchor. Now, Stephanie Grady has a new career teaching young female athletes how to succeed in all facets of their life. She tells WTMJ's Libby Collins her story of growing up devoted to training for the Olympics as a figure skater, her method for success, and her techniques for training young women to be camera-ready and business-savvy. It's all ahead on this edition of WTMJ Conversations!

You may not know his name, but chances are you've seen photos taken by Samer Ghani, who has worked for multiple organizations and businesses in the city. Samer grew up in Milwaukee as the son of an immigrant single mom from Palestine. Today, he talks with WTMJ's Libby Collins about his experiences working with rock stars, athletes, and fashion models in New York City as a professional photographer. It's all ahead on this picture-perfect edition of WTMJ Conversations!

Since beginning as an Italian bakery on the east side in 1964, Palermo's Pizza has become one of the best-known pizza makers in the U.S. Today, Libby Collins talks with Giacomo and Jasper Fallucca about how it all began, the trials and tribulations of bringing their pizza to the national and international market, and what's next for Palermo's on this delicious edition of WTMJ Conversations!

The Milwaukee Fire Department has developed the MORI program to address the problem of multiple overdose calls. Chief Aaron Lipski and Lt. Jonathan Belott talk with Libby Collins on this edition of WTMJ Conversations about the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative.

Gary Nocasek may be the most interesting man in the world. He's held many different titles in wildly different fields, each of which sounds more outlandish than the last. Today on Conversations, he sits down with WTMJ's Libby Collins to discuss his path from radio, to wrestling, to blessing lions, tigers, and circus clowns as the Deacon of Circus and Rodeo Ministry. If you think working for a church is boring, you'll change your mind after hearing this unbelievable edition of WTMJ Conversations!

Kristine Hoiland is a nurse practitioner in the Medical College of Wisconsin Division of Hematology and Oncology. But that's not the only thing Kristine does. She also works with international aid organizations, bringing her nursing skills to vulnerable patients in places like Haiti, Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Nigeria, Uganda, Pakistan and Ukraine. Today on WTMJ Conversations, she talks with WTMJ's Libby Collins about her beginnings in travel nursing, working in an active war zone, being in New York City in the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic, and much more. It's all ahead on this edition of WTMJ Conversations.

Jeff Morin, President of Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, grew up in a small town in Maine. Today on WTMJ Conversations, he talks with WTMJ's Libby Collins about the culture shock he experienced attending art school, his path from Maine all the way to Milwaukee, and what he believes the future holds for artists with the advent of A.I. art. It's all ahead on this creative edition of WTMJ Conversations!

As the new Editor-in-Chief of the Milwaukee Business Journal, Tim Gibbons has a large role to fill, and he knows it. Today on WTMJ Conversations, he sits down with Libby Collins to discuss his beginnings as a reporter, the importance of local news, how to make business interesting, and much more. It's all ahead on this edition of WTMJ Conversations!