Hodges chosen to lead MBA
Following a nationwide search Richard Hodges, has been selected as executive director of the Metropolitan Builders Association.
“Rick Hodges is the ideal person to lead the MBA into the future,” said 2010 MBA president, Tim O’Brien. “In this exciting era of new ideas and new directions at the MBA, Rick’s leadership, management expertise, and passion for our industry will enable the MBA to change the face of the association and blaze a trail into a newly recovering economy.”
Hodges has more than 14 years experience in managing professional associations in the real estate, construction and health care industries. He also has 11 years of experience as an elected official, including service in the Ohio House of Representatives, and a masters degree in public and non-profit administration.
"The MBA required a combination of vision, compassion and management expertise in its leader," said Ann Rodrigues, chairman of the executive officer search committee. "Rick has just this combination. His wealth of private and community experience, track record of management success and commitment to the industry will be valued assets in our ongoing efforts."
Hodges was formerly the chief executive officer of the Tucson Association of Realtors and MLS.
"I am very gratified at having been selected as the MBA’s next executive director from a group of highly qualified candidates," said Hodges. "I look forward to working with the board of directors, talented staff, members and communities in the area to represent the association."
Milwaukee Water Council names Amhaus as executive director
The Milwaukee Water Council has selected Dean Amhaus, a veteran nonprofit leader and Milwaukee proponent, as its first executive director.
Amhaus has been promoting the city as president of Spirit of Milwaukee, a nonprofit organization charged with raising Milwaukee’s image locally, nationally and internationally.
“Through the generosity of Spirit of Milwaukee, Dean has already played a critical role in gaining attention for the Milwaukee Water Council with water leaders around the world,” said Rich Meeusen, co-chair of the Milwaukee Water Council and chairman, president and chief executive officer of Badger Meter Inc. “When we looked at who could help move the Water Council to the next level in its development, we quickly realized that we did not need to look far or spend time getting a new executive director up to speed.”
Amhaus has national, state and local experience including government relations, organizational management and marketing.
“Dean played an instrumental role in establishing Milwaukee and the Water Council as a member of the UN Global Compact Cities Programme,” said Paul Jones, co-chair of the Milwaukee Water Council and chairman and CEO of Milwaukee-based A.O. Smith Corp. “We have seen firsthand Dean’s ability to carefully build strategic partnerships and collaborations that cut across many sectors, all extremely critical in promoting the Water Council as an international leader.”
“It is truly an honor for me to have been selected. The Water Council is one of the most significant initiatives that the Milwaukee region has seen in several decades,” stated Dean Amhaus. “The remarkable support by this region in encouraging the growth of the water industry has been a key factor in the council’s quick development. The Water Council cannot build the water industry alone. We need all our partners in academia, government, civic and non-profit organizations and of course, the business community.”
Amhaus will serve in a consulting role with the Spirit of Milwaukee to maintain its operations and funding programs.
The Milwaukee Water Council was formally created as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in February 2009 with the purpose of growing the Milwaukee region into a world hub for water research, education and economic development.
The Milwaukee Water Council’s office is located within the offices of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.
Kissinger will be next CEO of GRAEF
John Kissinger has been named chief operating officer of GRAEF-USA Inc. and is now in line to become the next chief executive officer of the Milwaukee-based consulting engineering, design and planning firm.
“One of a CEO’s most difficult jobs is to prepare the firm for a new, future leader,” said Richard Bub, president and CEO of GRAEF, who began a leadership succession plan at the company five years ago. “These actions were in concert with GRAEF’s strategic planning. The announcement we are making today is the result of this careful process. John and I will be working closely together throughout the next 21 months, culminating in January 2012, when John will become the next CEO of GRAEF.”
Kissinger joined GRAEF in 1984 as a structural engineer in the firm’s Milwaukee office. Since that time, he has held positions of increasing responsibility including project engineer, project manager, principal, vice-president, and most recently, regional vice president.
Kissinger has also served on the GRAEF board of directors since 2002.
Among many notable projects on Kissinger’s resume is the Milwaukee Art Museum addition, on which he served as engineering project manager. The spectacular building, designed by famed European architect Santiago Calatrava, has received several awards.
For his work on that facility, Kissinger was named one of the “Top 25 Newsmakers for 2001” by Engineering News-Record Magazine. The MAM Addition was also named the No. 1 Design of 2001 by Time Magazine. Other notable facilities involving a key design role for Kissinger include The Midwest Airlines Center in downtown Milwaukee, The McCormick Place West Expansion in Chicago and the Lambeau Field renovation in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Kissinger is a member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee and also is the current chairman of the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board, appointed to that position by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. He is also a past member of the City of Wauwatosa Design Review Board.
Graef is an employee-owned firm with offices in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Madison, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; and Fort Myers and Orlando, Fla.
