Hospitality | Entertainment
President and CEO
Wisconsin Center District | Milwaukee
Marty Brooks is leading the Wisconsin Center District through its $456 million expansion project that, when completed, will nearly double the size of the downtown Milwaukee convention center. After being named CEO in 2018, Brooks secured key approvals for the project, paving the way for construction to begin on the long-planned expansion. Work remains on track for an early 2024 completion, in time for the Republican National Convention that summer. Previously, Brooks managed facilities for the NBA, NHL and NFL.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Maryland
Career advice: “You meet the same people going up as you do going down. Be honest and respectful to everyone. You never know who may be the next person you are interviewing with for a job or be your next boss.”
Favorite destination: “I love to vacation at the beach. I love the sights, sounds and smells of the ocean. The calmness then rage of the surf is incredible and parallels the volatility of our life.”
Fun fact: “I was president and executive producer of Miss Universe Inc. for four years, then sold the business to Donald Trump.”
As you enter your office, what would you choose to be your walk-up or theme song: “‘Jump’ by Madonna. The song is about how there is only so much you can learn in one place; the more that you wait, the more time that you waste; don’t ever look back; and the only thing you can depend on is your family. That sums up how I have lived my life.”