Milwaukee-based entrepreneurship assistance organization BizStarts has chosen the location for its Entrepreneur Hall of Fame—the Lubar Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
BizStarts announced in December it would form the Hall of Fame to honor Milwaukee’s most successful entrepreneurs. George Dalton, the late co-founder of Brookfield-based financial technology firm Fiserv Inc., was the inspiration for the installation, said Dan Steininger, president of BizStarts.
The Lubar Center for Entrepreneurship is expected to begin construction in the fourth quarter of 2017, with plans to open in late 2017 or early 2018.
The project was initiated by a $10 million donation from Lubar & Co. founder Sheldon Lubar and his wife, Marianne, announced in July 2015. Since that initial gift, the UW System has contributed $10 million from its fund balances to cover construction costs and another $3 million has been raised form private donors. In turn, the Lubars’ gift will be used to fund the endowment for the facility’s operations.
Milwaukee-based Continuum Architects + Planners S.C. was chosen in mid-2015 to design the center, which will be located at the corner of Kenwood Boulevard and Maryland Avenue on the UWM campus.
“Since its establishment in 2008, BizStarts has honored entrepreneurs with the courage, fortitude and persistence to start businesses that have created hundreds of jobs for Wisconsin citizens,” Steininger said. “The Hall of Fame will honor entrepreneurs who have achieved greatness in launching their companies and creating jobs for their fellow citizens; educate, encourage and inspire generations of citizens to follow in these entrepreneurs’ footsteps; and create a destination point for community members who want to learn about the entrepreneurs who built Milwaukee and helped it grow.”
“We are pleased that UWM Lubar Center of Entrepreneurship and BizStarts have come together to host this Hall of Fame, which honors many of our community’s successful entrepreneurs and business owners,” said David Lubar. “We envision the center becoming a gathering place for students to learn about idea generation, how to develop business strategies, work with others to start companies and receive guidance, advice and mentoring from members of the business community.”
