About 500 people gathered at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee Friday to celebrate the philanthropic endeavors of local nonprofits, businesses and individuals during BizTimes Media’s 2022 Nonprofit Excellence Awards.
The event started off with a Q&A session including Jim Kacmarcik, chairman & CEO of Kacmarcik Enterprises, and Gretchen Jameson, group president, human performance and social impact, at Kacmarcik Enterprises. The duo shared how they brought the Kacmarcik Center for Human Performance to life, a learning and development center.
BizTimes Media also named the Marcus family as the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Accepting on behalf of the Marcus family was Stephen Marcus, chairman of Marcus Corp. Over the past decade, the Marcus Corporation Foundation has donated more than $10 million to nonprofit organizations. The entire Marcus family has made numerous contributions to the community over several years.
Several other nonprofits and organizations were recognized during Friday’s event. The winners include:
- Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year: United for Waukesha Community Fund: United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County and the Waukesha County Community Foundation
- Nonprofit Executive of the Year: Marci Boucher, Independence First
- Large Nonprofit Organization of the Year: Seeds of Health, Inc.
- Small Nonprofit Organization of the Year: Kathy’s House
- Corporate Citizen of the Year: Catalyst Construction
- Corporate Volunteer of the Year: Mary Burgoon, Rockwell Automation
- In-Kind Supporter: Tarantino & Company
- Next Generation Leadership: Danielle White, Rockwell Automation
The other finalists in each category were:
Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year
- FOR-M: MKE Tech Hub Coalition, We Pivot, The Commons, Bader Philanthropies, WEDC
- Journey House Construction & Design Academy: Journey House Inc., All Hands Boatworks, Teens Grow Greens, Habitat for Humanity, Adams Garden Park
- Milwaukee Youth Arts Center: The Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, First Stage, Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
- Stephanie Riesner, GPS Education Partners
- Mara Duckens, St. Francis Children’s Center
- Lynnea Katz-Petted, Revitalize Milwaukee
Small Nonprofit Organization of the Year
- The Ability Center
- ALIVE Inc. Milwaukee
- Center for Urban Teaching
Large Nonprofit Organization of the Year
- Centers for Independence
- Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin Inc.
- Junior Achievement of Wisconsin
Corporate Citizen of the Year
- Ellenbecker Investment Group
- Husco
- Northwestern Mutual
Corporate Volunteer of the Year
- Brian O’Neill, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
In-Kind Supporter
- Oldenburg Group
- SMART- Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, Transportation, Local 18
Next Generation Leadership
- Maggie Pinnt, Pepper Construction of Wisconsin
- Matthew Wuest, Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
