Wisconsin 275

Jerry Jendusa founded New Berlin-based Emteq Inc., a manufacturer of aircraft interior and exterior lighting systems and aircraft cabin management and power systems, in 1995 and grew it into a $100 million company. He went on to sell Emteq in 2014, and the same year co-founded Stuck LLC, now known as Breakthrough Strategies, a business advisory company focused on helping small- to mid-sized businesses grow.

Health care executive Cristy Garcia-Thomas joined Aurora Health Care as its chief experience officer in 2011. She oversees diversity, equity and inclusion, community relations, and charitable giving.

Bill Holst was billed in a 2018 Forbes article as the “world’s most successful caviar entrepreneur.” The third-generation Wisconsin corn farmer and owner of a scrapyard business is also a part owner of Hangzhou Qiandaohu Xunlong Sci-Tech Co. Ltd., a caviar-processing company based in China – the largest in the world.

Milwaukee native Herb Kohl worked in his family-owned Kohl’s Corp. grocery and department store business before being elected to four terms in the U.S. Senate, where he served from 1989 to 2013.

As an entrepreneur and real estate investor, former Milwaukee County executive and philanthropist, Chris Abele has left a mark on Milwaukee.

Mike Hamerlik has led Monona-based WPS Health Solutions for the past decade.

Rick Schmidt Jr. represents the fourth generation of family leadership for CG Schmidt, a 102-year-old construction company in Milwaukee. Rick Schmidt is responsible for the long-term planning of the organization, while his brother, Eric, oversees business operations and corporate development as company president.

Dean Haen is director of the Port of Green Bay, the western-most port of Lake Michigan. The port includes 14 active terminal operators.

Civil rights activist and education reform advocate Howard Fuller has been a national leader for school choice, voucher and charter schools.

Deb DeLuca is executive director of the Port of Duluth-Superior and the first woman to lead the organization in its history.