For many, Labor Day weekend is the last hurrah for summer. A final chance to get away for a long weekend before the weather turns cool, and eventually cold, the school year fully kicks in and busy fall schedules pick up.
So, where are Wisconsin’s top business leaders going to be spending this weekend? It’s a good chance many of them will be in Door County, Up North or Kohler.
As part of our annual survey of the Wisconsin 275, BizTimes Media’s list of the most influential business leaders in the state, we asked them “What is your favorite Wisconsin destination?”
“I log nearly 30,000 miles per year driving around Wisconsin, so I feel uniquely qualified to answer this question,” said Kurt Bauer, CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. “My favorite parts of Wisconsin are the Northwoods, Door County and the south shore of Lake Superior (Apostle Islands and beyond).”
Bauer is not alone. The most popular response from Wisconsin 275 individuals about their favorite destination in the state was Door County.
Here are some of their comments about the thumb of Wisconsin:
“This has been our family’s ‘happy place’ for many years and hopefully our retirement destination,” said Andy Wronski, managing partner, Milwaukee and manufacturing sector chair, Foley & Lardner.
“Door County in October. This is an annual tradition with my family,” said Marquette University president Kimo Ah Yun. “It is a great time of the year with the weather being perfect and is a slice of Wisconsin that is wholesome. The cherry pie is not that bad either.”
“It’s cute and quiet. I don’t visit during peak summer months. There are vineyards, there’s wine, and there’s my brother – he moved to Door County over 20 years ago. He loves it so much he hardly comes back home,” said Jackie Q. Carter, director of Port Milwaukee.
The second most popular response that individuals on the Wisconsin 275 list gave when asked about their favorite destination in the state, was somewhere Up North. Here are some of those comments:
“There is no better place on Earth than Minocqua, Wisconsin,” said Barrett Lo Visionary Development founder Rick Barrett. “You have the chance to be one with nature, and it’s just a very special place. I’ve been all over the world, and it’s still my favorite place to go. There’s a level of disconnect for me: when your day is filled with fishing, bonfires and eating together, it makes you slow down. People become raw and simple. Your kids open up to you. I’ve always thought that the man who spends the most hours in his captain’s chair riding around in his pontoon boat—that’s the guy who actually wins life.”
“My family and I have a house in Manitowish Waters and there’s nothing like being in a beautiful place surrounded by the most important people in your life,” said Jim Butman, president and CEO of TDS Telecommunications.
“That’s an easy one for me – just picture me sitting in a 1923 cedar and canvas Old Town Canoe floating down the beautiful Bous Brule River, fly rod in hand,” said Paul Stillmank, founder and CEO of 7Rivers Inc. “That river flows through Northwest Wisconsin in Douglas County near the town of Brule, Wisconsin.”
“As a life-long Wisconsinite, my favorite escape is Up North,” said Christine Dahlhauser, managing principal-Wisconsin, Baker Tilly. “I especially enjoy time spent with my family on the lakes in the Minocqua area, as well as the supper club vibes there.”
“We have a cabin in the Northwoods and, regardless of the season, it is always a joy to get up there and recharge,” said Nic Wahl, president and managing partner of Godfrey & Kahn.
Another popular choice was Kohler in Sheboygan County.
“My wife and I really enjoy Kohler,” said Blake Moret, chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation. “We like the American Club, and the nearby River Wildlife nature preserve.”
“Kohler, Wisconsin will always stand out to me,” said Kathryn Poehling Seymour, president and CEO of First Supply. “Kohler is not only a giant engine of our state’s economy, but it is also a beautiful representation of what Wisconsin’s natural beauty has to offer.”
“I’m a huge fan of the entire Kohler experience: amazing food, great spa, incredible golf and a beautiful city with numerous places to enjoy the great outdoors,” said Jud Snyder, U.S. chief human resources officer for BMO.
Wisconsin’s top sports venues, particularly Lambeau Field, was also a popular choice:
“Lambeau Field,” said Charter Manufacturing CEO John W. Mellowes. “As a lifelong Packers fan, there’s nothing quite like experiencing a game at this iconic venue on a warm Sunday afternoon in the fall. The energy, the tradition, and the community spirit make it my favorite Wisconsin destination.”
“Lambeau Field in December when the Packers are playing the Bears,” said Jay Mack, Wisconsin market head and CEO of Town Bank/Wintrust.
“Fiserv Forum and American Family Field – great games, great teams, great concerts, great times, great people,” said David Gruber, founder and CEO of Gruber Law Offices.
“It’s a three-way tie between: the Milwaukee lakefront, Fiserv Forum and Lambeau Field,” said Gale Klappa, chairman of WEC Energy Group.
Here are some other comments from Wisconsin 275 individuals on their favorite destination in the state:
“That’s an easy question, hiking and sightseeing along the Ice Age Trails,” said Old National Bank Milwaukee market president and business banking president Kevin Anderson. “What a gift for the people of Wisconsin.”
“My family went canoeing down the Kickapoo River in the Driftless region. It’s one of the most beautiful and peaceful parts of Wisconsin, and quickly became one of my favorite destinations,” said Christine Specht, CEO of Cousins Submarines Inc.
“Southwest Wisconsin,” said Tim Sullivan, dean of the Sullivan School of Business at Carroll University. “I find the rolling hills beautiful and the mining history fascinating.”
“We have a cottage on Wolf Lake in Fond du Lac County, which provides a lovely combination of being close enough to Milwaukee to work a full day on Friday and be there in time for dinner, proximity to the beautiful topography of the Ice Age Trail and northern Kettle Moraine, and a lot of Wisconsin country vistas,” said Kristin Dufek, president and CEO of EUA.
“I live on Green Lake in central Wisconsin and feel so fortunate to do so…so, that is one of my favorite destinations,” said Craig Culver, co-founder of Culver Franchising LLC. “Don’t get me wrong, though, I love Door, Northern Wisconsin, La Crosse area, The Apostle Islands…and any great Wisconsin supper club.”
