Profiles

As a senior vice president with the economic development organization, Jim Paetsch has been deeply involved in the major business deals happening in Milwaukee over the past 17 years. In 2021, he also assumed the role of M7 executive director. 

Khalif El-Amin co-founded the STEAM-focused Young Enterprising Society with his brother in 2012.

Former high school teacher Amanda DoAmaral co-founded student tutoring platform Fiveable in Philadelphia in 2018.

Under Jason Liu’s leadership, Wauwatosa-based insurtech company Zywave has made seven acquisitions and doubled its size since 2020.

Kristin Seaquist is co-owner of Seaquist Orchards, a multi-generation family business that is both the oldest and largest cherry producer in Door County.

Fifth-generation hog farmer Howard “AV” Roth owns Roth Feeder Pig Inc., a 3,000-sow farm in Crawford County.

When he retires at the end of 2023, Don Smiley will have served as head of Summerfest operator Milwaukee World Festival Inc. for two decades.

A longtime resident of South Madison, Robert Pierce has been growing and selling organic produce from his Half the 40-Acres Farm since the mid-1980s.

Having grown up on his family farm, Jeremie Pavelski and his wife, Alicia, now help lead the fifth-generation enterprise, Heartland Farms.

Larry Schechtman was among the founding partners of SmithAmundsen, now called Amundsen Davis LLC following its merger with Davis|Kuelthau s.c.