Jim Lindenberg, a serial entrepreneur who is the owner of Master Z’s, Lindy Enterprises and JML Holdings, and has contributed to numerous philanthropic causes in southeastern Wisconsin, will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BizTimes Media Nonprofit Excellence Awards program.
The annual program, which honors top area nonprofit organizations for their work in the community and also honors private individuals and businesses that support area nonprofits, will be held on Thursday, Nov. 2, from 7:30-9:45 a.m. at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. Click here to register for the event.
Lindenberg started World Class Wire & Cable Inc., in Waukesha in 1994. He sold the company in 2008 to Glenview, Illinois-based Anixter International Inc. for $60 million.
Since then Lindenberg has been involved in numerous business and charitable endeavors. In 2009 he acquired the Milwaukee Wave in order to keep the professional soccer team in business. In 2013, he sold the Wave to Sue Black.
He has made major philanthropic contributions to several projects and organizations, including: Arrowhead Scholarship Fund, Arrowhead Stadium of Dreams, Cardinal Stritch Showcase, Children’s Hospital, COA Youth & Family Center, Greenfield High School Lights, JDRF, Journey House, Lake Country Foundation, LaVarnway Boys & Girls Club, Luke Homan Memorial, MACC Fund, Milwaukee Urban Soccer Collaborative, Milwaukee Wave of Hope, MMLO Charities, New Berlin Eisenhower High School Lights, New Berlin Library, New Berlin West High School Football Stadium, New Berlin West Youth Football, Nixon Park Splashpad (Hartland), North Lake Concession Stand, North Lake Library, North Lake Smart Boards and Computer Lab, Positively Pewaukee, Rogers Memorial Hospital Foundation, United Way, Waukesha Women’s Center, WCTC Foundation, Whitewater Entrepreneurship, Wisconsin State Fair Youth Foundation, WPGA Junior Foundation.
The finalists for the other Nonprofit Excellence Awards are (winners will be announced at the Nov. 2 event):
Corporate Citizen of the Year:
- JPMorgan Chase
- Kohl’s
- West Bend Mutual Insurance
Corporate Volunteer of the Year:
- Nick Obrochta, Kohl’s Corp.
- Robert Kennedy, WE Energies
In-Kind Supporter:
- Anthologie Inc.
- Bartolotta Restaurants
- SafeNet Consulting
Next Generation Leadership:
- Molly Schweiger, PNC Financial Services
- Benjamin Juarez, Public Policy Forum
Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year:
- Next Door
- SaintA
- St. Augustine Prep Academy/Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center
Nonprofit Executive of the Year:
- Patti Gorsky, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin
- Keith Stanley, Near West Side Partners Inc.
- Ellen Blathers, Serenity Inns Inc.
Nonprofit (organization) of the Year – Large:
- Beyond Vision
- Milwaukee Rescue Mission
- The Threshold Inc.
Nonprofit (organization) of the Year – Small:
- Greater Milwaukee Committee
- Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee
- Summit Educational Association Inc.
In addition to the awards themselves, the Nonprofit Excellence Awards program will include a panel discussion about how businesses and nonprofit organizations can work together to solve the community’s problems, including the need to create more job opportunities for low income individuals and the labor shortage challenges faced by many areas businesses.
The discussion will be moderated by Kimberly Kane, founder and president of Kane Communications Group. Panelists will include: Bill Krugler, president of Milwaukee JobsWork; Cheryl Fritz, business development manager for STEP Industries; JoAnne Johnson-Sabir, owner of The Juice Kitchen and a partner in the Sherman Phoenix project; Austin Ramirez, CEO of HUSCO International; and Joaquin Altoro, vice president of Town Bank.
The presenting sponsor for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards program is Town Bank. The platinum sponsor is Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. The gold sponsor is Mueller QAAS LLC.
