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Kurt Bauer

BizTimes Staff
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Kurt Bauer

President and CEO
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce | Madison

Kurt Bauer has led Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business association, since 2011. WMC represents 3,800 employers of all sizes and from all economic sectors. Prior to joining WMC, Bauer spent 18 years working for financial industry trade groups, including as CEO for the Wisconsin and Arizona Bankers Associations. He serves as vice chair of the National Association of State Chambers.

Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison

What would you like to change about Wisconsin: “Wisconsin needs a more competitive business climate, especially personal income tax rates. That one little reform could stimulate significantly more in-migration and spur more economic activity.”

If you could time travel: “I recently learned that my maternal grandfather won the Iron Cross while serving in the Imperial German Army during World War I. I would love to witness the act of valor he performed to earn that medal.”

First concert and recent concert: “Pink Floyd at Camp Randall Stadium, and this past spring, I took my youngest to his first concert: Taylor Swift in Paris, which was actually cheaper than seeing her in the U.S.”

Definition of success: “My children will be, by far, my most enduring legacy. Making sure they are equipped with a moral compass, common sense, work ethic and compassion is how I will be judged.”

2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile

Real Estate and Development | Economic Development
President and CEO
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce | Madison

Kurt Bauer leads Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business association, with more than 3,800 member companies. A combined association of the state Chamber of Commerce, Wisconsin Manufacturers’ Association and Wisconsin Safety Council, WMC advocates for pro-business policies – such as lower health care costs, school choice funding and tax reform – and particularly wielded its influence as COVID-19 mitigation policies were enacted throughout the early stages of the pandemic.

Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Career advice: “Write down your goals and make a plan to achieve each of them, and then outwork your competition in executing that plan.”

Hobby/passion: “I took my oldest on his first backpacking trip this past summer. The activity has always been one of my favorite escapes. I also enjoy hiking and mountain biking, and I just recently started golfing again after giving the sport up when my kids were born.”

Toughest business challenge You’ve ever faced: “I led the Wisconsin Bankers Association through the Great Recession, with all the challenges it presented to financial institutions. And I also led WMC through the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent business shutdowns and economic consequences. Neither crisis was easy, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.”

Nonprofit cause: “The WMC Foundation’s Business World program, which teaches young people about free enterprise and entrepreneurship.”

Omar Shaikh

BizTimes Staff
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Omar Shaikh

Partner
Carnevor; 3rd Street Market Hall | Milwaukee

Restaurateur and developer Omar Shaikh has played an influential role in promoting tourism and economic activity in southeastern Wisconsin. Shaikh leads Carnevor, an upscale steakhouse in Milwaukee’s central business district that has become a go-to spot for high-profile athletes dining downtown. He was also part of the team that redeveloped the former Grand Avenue property on West Wisconsin Avenue, creating the 3rd Street Market Hall and giving new life to the former mall. The new market hall features a variety of food vendors, Topgolf and indoor games. Shaikh is also a partner in O&B Consulting and Tuk Tuk Chicago, a short-distance electric cab service.

He previously was board chair for Visit Milwaukee for seven years, serving as a vocal advocate for increasing tourism in southeastern Wisconsin. He is currently a member of the Wisconsin Center District board of directors and worked with state and local officials to develop a financing mechanism to fund the $456 million expansion of the city’s convention center. He was also chairman of the Home Crew Coalition, a community group that worked in 2023 to broker a bipartisan solution to ensure the Milwaukee Brewers remained in Wisconsin. He also served on the host committee that worked to secure the 2024 Republican National Convention.

Shaikh and his wife, Connie, have served as co-chairs for several community fundraisers, including the Harry & Rose Sampson Jewish Community Center’s KidShare and Sharp Literacy’s A Novel Event.

Education: Bachelor’s, Cardinal Stritch University

2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile

Hospitality | Restaurants
Partner
Carnevor; 3rd Street Market Hall  |  Milwaukee

In 2006, restauranteur Omar Shaikh opened Carnevor, a high-end downtown Milwaukee steakhouse that has become known as the go-to haunt for many professional athletes and area executives.

Shaikh is also part of the team responsible for the redevelopment of downtown Milwaukee’s Grand Avenue property. He spearheaded the multi-year effort to open 3rd St. Market Hall, a 40,000-square-foot food hall that houses local vendors, Top Golf, a selfie museum and gaming lounge.

Outside of hospitality and development, he is a partner in Wisconsin Ticket Concierge, O & B Consulting and Tuk Tuk Chicago, a short-distance electric cab service. As a member of the Wisconsin Center District board of directors, he advocated for the district to get the needed approvals to move forward with its long-planned convention center expansion. Shaikh also served on the host committee that worked to secure the 2024 Republican National Convention. He is a past board chair for VISIT Milwaukee.

Shaikh is also chairman of the Milwaukee Kitchen Cabinet, which organizes the “Three Days of Christmas” initiative to provide holiday meals and gifts for nonprofits. Its “Do Good with Food” program has also raised over $41,000 to benefit Children’s Wisconsin.

He and his wife, Connie, have served as co-chairs for several Milwaukee-area fundraisers, including the Harry & Rose Sampson Jewish Community Center’s KidShare and Sharp Literacy’s A Novel Event.

Education: Bachelor’s, Cardinal Stritch University

Craig Culver

BizTimes Staff
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Craig Culver

Co-founder
Culver’s  |  Prairie du Sac

Craig Culver and his family opened the first Culver’s in Sauk City in 1987. Three years later, the restaurant’s franchising arm was born. Culver went on to lead the company, from a single restaurant to more than 530 locations and $1 billion in revenue, until 2015. This year, Culver’s is on track to open its 1000th location, with operations in 26 states and more than 45,000 employees. Since retiring as CEO in 2015, Culver has remained involved in the business as board chairman and brand ambassador. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2016.

Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Favorite part of the workday: “I still like getting to the office early in the day and grabbing my cup of coffee and greeting the team as they come in. I also greatly enjoy meeting and presenting to the different management and franchise classes that come into the Support Center.”

Cocktail of choice: “Beefeater or Safire extra dry dirty martini with a lemon twist and stuffed blue cheese olive.”

Thing to learn this year: “I’d like to learn to be a better golfer, so one day I can beat my brother, Curt, and shoot my age. Isn’t going to happen.”

Your secret talent: “I like to cook at home and I’m pretty good at opening the refrigerator door to check out what I could throw together for dinner.”

2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile

Hospitality | Restaurants
Founder and board chairman
Culver’s | Prairie du Sac

Fresh out of college, Craig Culver got his start in the restaurant business managing a McDonalds. A few years later, he and his parents together purchased an A&W location in Sauk City, operating the restaurant for several years before selling it and buying a supper club. In 1984, the family purchased the A&W property again and renovated the restaurant, adding a blue roof and painting the walls white. That restaurant became the original Culver’s, home of butter burgers and frozen custard.

Culver went on to lead the company from a single restaurant to over 530 locations and $1 billion in revenue until 2015, when he stepped down as CEO. An inflection point for the company under Culver’s leadership came in 1990, when the first successful franchise opened in Baraboo. Franchising proved key to enabling the chain’s spread. The restaurant began multiplying throughout the Midwest in the 1990s and nationally throughout the early 2000s.

Under the leadership of Culver’s successors, the company has continued to grow its presence throughout the U.S., with the chain now boasting more than 850 restaurants in 25 states and employing more than 30,000. Culver remains chairman of the board and the face of the brand. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2016.

Today, the Culver family continues to hold majority ownership of the company.

Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Chad Vincent

BizTimes Staff
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Chad Vincent

CEO
Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin | Madison 

Chad Vincent is chief executive officer of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, the marketing arm for the state’s $50 billion dairy agriculture business. Previously, Vincent was chief marketing officer and senior vice president of strategic development at Plymouth-based Sartori Cheese. Prior to that, Vincent was a managing director at H.J. Heinz in Pittsburgh, president of the Asia-Pacific region at Miller Brewing Co. and division president and global chief marketing officer at Fiskars Brands. Vincent was recently named board chair for the Wisconsin Agriculture Export Committee. He also serves on the U.S. Dairy Export Council’s Operating Committee and was named to the USDA Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Education: Bachelor’s and MBA, Michigan State University

The future of your industry: “Wisconsin’s dairy industry continues to be a powerhouse in the U.S. and globally. Wisconsin cheese export sales continue to gain momentum, and sales continue to accelerate.”

Cocktail of choice: “Chocolate milk cannot be beat.”

Favorite part of the workday: “3:30 to 6 a.m. I am an early riser and have time to read, get prepared for the day and work relatively interruption-free.”

Playlist for commute/run: “I am an Audible junkie. I love to listen to anything from Pat Lencioni, and Pia Nilsson’s mental golf work in ‘Be A Player.’”

2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile

Other Industry Leaders
CEO
Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin | Madison 

Chad Vincent leads Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, the marketing arm for the state’s dairy farmers. The organization works to promote an industry that contributes roughly $45 billion to the state’s economy annually. Previously, Vincent was chief marketing officer for Plymouth-based Sartori Co. and held executive positions with H.J. Heinz, Miller Brewing Co. and Fiskars Brands.  

Education: Bachelor’s, Michigan State University; MBA, Michigan State University 

Book recommendation: “‘5 Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni. Culture is the leading force behind success.” 

Business leaders you’d like to have dinner with: “I’d head out with Dick Strup, the former head of marketing at Miller Brewing Co. He was my boss for 7 years, and I can attribute so much to him and his leadership. He is an incredible leader, a ‘walk through walls for him’ kind of guy.  The other is Patrick Lencioni. … Our beliefs are so aligned on how to engage your team for optimum performance and amazing work cultures.”  

Fun fact: “I spend way too much time and effort growing tomatoes in our garden. And most of them are eaten by the rabbits.”  

Toughest business challenge You’ve ever faced: “Running Fiskars in Madison, figuring out how to compete with high quality USA-made products versus China imports at a fraction of the price.” 

🔒 Jefferson County attracts food and beverage manufacturing

Ashley Smart
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🔒 Jefferson County attracts food and beverage manufacturing

In the past year, Jefferson County has attracted approximately $1.5 billion in investments from some of the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturing companies.

Between Nestlé Purina announcing a $195 million expansion at its manufacturing facility in the city of Jefferson in April, Aztalan Bio investing another $500 million into its Johnson Creek biorefinery and Kikkoman Corp. unveiling plans to build a $560 million facility in the city of Jefferson, the county has experienced a surge in interest from companies serving the food and beverage industries.

The $1.5 billion figure doesn’t include the undisclosed investment that Milwaukee-based Palermo Villa Inc. made in early 2023 to acquire a former Tyson Foods plant in the city of Jefferson and convert it into a frozen pizza facility. Nor does it include the local investments being made to support the creation of a 165-acre Food and Beverage Innovation Campus, which will be anchored by Kikkoman’s newest manufacturing facility.

The success Jefferson County is experiencing in attracting food and beverage-related businesses is not a coincidence – local leaders have spent the past four years considering the best use cases for the area’s abundant land, natural resources and pool of manufacturing talent.

“Jefferson has a pretty strong workforce. They have very low unemployment, and they’ve always been a big food and beverage manufacturing city,” said Gina Balke, executive director of FaB Wisconsin.

More than a decade ago, when the Jefferson bypass was built along Highway 26, the neighboring parcels of land that were owned by the county became incorporated into the city.

At the same time, the city and county began discussing how to develop the land. Residential developments and a medical college were among some of the ideas floated, according to Benjamin Wehmeier, outgoing Jefferson County administrator.

The county officially commissioned a land use study for the parcels near Highway 26 more than four years ago.

“We thought there was a different use that could benefit the county in general,” said Wehmeier. “We went back to the roots of Jefferson County and what we do well. That’s agri-business, food and beverage clusters and advanced manufacturing.”

Wehmeier in October took over as the new president and CEO of the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation. He will continue to serve both Jefferson County and the foundation through mid-December in a planned transition process.

Landing an international tenant

Work to attract an anchor tenant for the FaB Innovation Campus began at the start of 2023, when Jefferson County leaders first received an RFP from Kikkoman.

The Tokyo-based manufacturer, best known for its soy sauce, needed 1,000 acres of land along with the necessary infrastructure to support an initial 240,000-square-foot manufacturing plant. Additional construction phases at the site are expected.

The high quality of the water in Jefferson was just one reason Kikkoman selected the city, according to Deb Reinbold, president of Thrive Economic Development.

The city of Jefferson’s water supply is free from PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, and the municipality would be able to absorb the sodium output from Kikkoman’s plant, she explained.

“Our infrastructure is how we landed that project,” said Reinbold. “It was the capacity availability, for everything from water to sanitary sewer to power.”

It was a six-month turnaround between Kikkoman conducting its first site visit in June of 2023 and the Jefferson County Board accepting an offer from the company to purchase the land. Kikkoman leaders reinforced the fact that the area’s natural resources truly won the company over.

“Because the FaB Innovation Campus is dedicated to manufacturing and food research companies, we don’t need to worry about pollution or contamination from harmful chemicals,” said Osamu Mogi, representative director and senior executive corporate officer at Kikkoman Corp.

Other supports

Having an excess of land isn’t the only attribute needed to support a community focused on food and beverage manufacturing.

The local talent pool is highly attractive to big names like Kikkoman, Reinbold said. County leaders work closely with local school districts to expose students to potential careers in food and beverage manufacturing.

“Most of the schools within our county actually have some kind of curriculum that supports food and beverage manufacturing,” said Reinbold.

Economic development leaders have also invested heavily in making sure there is housing available to support technical workers. Jefferson County recently launched a $9.5 million revolving loan fund earmarked for gap financing, which will incentivize the creation of additional housing units. The funding will eventually lead to 400 new housing units across five different developments, Reinbold said.

In the coming months, as new tenants are expected to be announced for the FaB Innovation Campus, one area of concern the county will be monitoring closely is energy consumption.

As the city and county grow – both in the number of residents and businesses – predicting future energy needs has become even trickier. Microsoft moving into the southeastern Wisconsin region and building a massive data center must also be taken into consideration, Wehmeier said.

“We’ve shown we can compete with other parts of the country and go after these projects,” he said. “At some point, we need to look at how we can continue with these larger projects and if the utilities can keep pace with it.”

Brad Olson

BizTimes Staff
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Brad Olson

President
Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation | Madison

Third-generation farmer Brad Olson was elected president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation in late 2023. With more than 47,000 members, WFBF is the state’s largest general farm organization and is made up of 61 county farm bureaus. The organization advocates for Wisconsin farmers on the state and national levels. Members serve on boards and committees working on legislation, regulations and issues that affect agriculture and rural areas.

Olson was first elected to the WFBF board of directors in 2022 to represent District 9, which includes counties in the northwestern part of the state. Olson, his wife, Vicky, and two children farm more than 600 acres of crops near Frederic in Polk County. Olson purchased his family’s dairy farm in 1992 and transitioned from dairy cows to crops in 2022. Olson also serves as a Polk County supervisor, and he and his family are members of the Polk-Burnett Farm Bureau.

Paul Bartolotta

BizTimes Staff
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Paul Bartolotta

Chef, owner, co-founder
The Bartolotta Restaurants  |  Milwaukee

Chef and restaurateur Paul Bartolotta leads The Bartolotta Restaurants, a group of 18 restaurants and catering facilities in the Milwaukee area. The group is known for its Milwaukee fine-dining concepts Bacchus – A Bartolotta Restaurant, Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro and Harbor House and the recently opened The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant in Lake Country. Across all sites, the group employs more than 800 people. Bartolotta is a two-time winner and six-time James Beard Award nominee and has worked in kitchens all over the world, from Italy to Paris to New York to Las Vegas. He serves on the boards of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, Visit Milwaukee and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.

Education: Graduate of the Restaurant and Hotel Management program at Milwaukee Area Technical College

What would you do if you could choose another career: “I would be a cobbler or a bespoke tailor. I love working with my hands and seeing something beautiful be created from start to finish.”

What would you like to change about Wisconsin: “We need more direct flights to and from Milwaukee. Not only because I love to travel, but I want others to be able to see Milwaukee’s beauty.”

Your secret talent: “I have the ability to sense things about people when I first meet them. I can see the good in everyone and can feel the tenderness in people, even when they can’t.”

If you could time travel: “I would travel back to any Christmas morning with my family when we lived on 71st Street in Wauwatosa when I was a child. Family means everything to me. And the second day would be my wedding day 25 years ago. Both moments have defined who I am today. “

2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile

Hospitality | Restaurants
Chef, owner, co-founder
The Bartolotta Restaurants | Milwaukee

Paul Bartolotta is a two-time James Beard award-winning chef and co-founder of The Bartolotta Restaurants. The restaurant group – which Paul co-founded in 1993 with his brother, the late Joe Bartolotta – today includes 17 restaurants and catering facilities in the Milwaukee area that range from fine dining (Lake Park Bistro, Harbor House and Bacchus) to casual grab-and-go concepts, like Downtown Kitchen inside the U.S. Bank Center. For three consecutive years, Joe and Paul were selected as semi-finalists for the James Beard Foundation award for Outstanding Restaurateur, and Paul was also a finalist in 2020. This year, Bartolotta’s acquired the Harbor House property, opened Roundhouse at McKinley Marina, and is in the process of opening its newest fine dining restaurant at the former Seven Seas building in Delafield. Paul participated in the bidding process to bring the 2024 Republican National Convention to Milwaukee, traveling to Salt Lake City and hosting the site selection committee at Lake Park Bistro.

Education: Graduate of the Restaurant and Hotel Management program at Milwaukee Area Technical College

What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?
“I was a dishwasher at Balistreri’s Italian Restaurant in Wauwatosa. I learned hard work, discipline and to love working in a restaurant kitchen environment.”

What are some of your favorite destinations/places to visit?
“Italy, France, Spain, the U.K.”

What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)?
“I am actually an introvert and a homebody. Despite my public personality, I am quite shy.”

What was your first car? How long did you drive it for?
“My first car was an Alpha Romero 164L. I drove it for five years. It had a burgundy exterior and a mustard yellow leather interior.”

If you could take a one-year sabbatical, what would you do?
“I would live in Naples, Italy and learn how to tailor men’s suits and I would live in Florence, Italy and learn how to be a cobbler and make handmade shoes.”

What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome?
“Navigating COVID and the closures were by far the most difficult business challenge we have had to face. It wasn’t even that we had to close, but we had to tell people who worked for us that they couldn’t come to work. We made it a priority to take care of our people as best we could and make sure that no one struggled through quarantine. We set up food pantries and food delivery and if there was anything people needed, we tried to help out. Our team has grown to be family over the years and facing that was incredibly difficult.”

What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the last 12 months?
“The fact that we have not only reopened our venues and are operating successfully after COVID, but are really in growth mode as a company is a huge success that we are proud of. We fully acquired the Harbor House restaurant last summer. Bartolotta‘s Lake Park Bistro celebrated its 27th anniversary last year, and we celebrated by bringing back the popular a la carte menu that guests have been asking for. We also opened Roundhouse at McKinley Marina last summer as an amenity to the lake front, as well as signed on to open The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant in Delafield this year. I am incredibly proud of the forward momentum of this company.”

What is one thing you would change about Wisconsin to make it even better?
“I want Wisconsinites to be more boastful about how amazing Wisconsin is! We live in the most incredible state. We have four beautiful seasons, farms and industries that produce products you can’t find anywhere else, miles and miles of lakefront providing unbeatable views, exceptional county parks and incredible activities. Wisconsin has small town charm, but it can actually compete with any state in the nation as far as sophistication, industry, and innovation.”

Is there a nonprofit cause that has special meaning to you?
“Breast cancer awareness and prevention non-profit organizations are very close to my heart.”

What is the biggest risk you have ever taken?
“The biggest risk I ever took was to reconceptualize my restaurant Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas on the second day of operations. You have to be willing to change and adapt in this industry, sometimes quickly.”

Top of your bucket list:
“To eat Japanese food in Japan and visit the fish markets there.”

What has you most excited about the future?
“The Bartolotta Restaurants is all about forward momentum and growth. We are looking forward to expanding to Lake Country with the opening of The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant this year. We are welcoming back business groups and large events at our catering partners. Our community took a big hit during COVID and we do not take for granted the position that we are in. We are thankful for our community for sticking by us, trusting us, and helping us succeed at what we do best.”

Mike Zimmerman

BizTimes Staff
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Mike Zimmerman

Owner and CEO
ROC Ventures  |  Franklin

Serial entrepreneur Mike Zimmerman might be best known for his sports ventures, including the Rock Sports Complex, Ballpark Commons and professional minor-league baseball team the Milwaukee Milkmen, all based in Franklin.

Zimmerman in 2014 founded ROC Ventures, a private equity fund and holding company for sports, entertainment, hospitality and real estate-oriented projects. His Rock Sports Complex, a sports and entertainment facility that includes a ski hill and several baseball fields, attracts over 2 million visits a year and close to 600,000 unique visitors annually. The adjacent Ballpark Commons includes apartments, commercial space, Luxe Golf Bays and 4,000-seat stadium Franklin Field, home of the Milwaukee Milkmen. Zimmerman founded and owns the baseball team. He also owns professional indoor soccer team the Milwaukee Wave.

Zimmerman was also a co-founder and investor in Nineteen88 Productions, the company behind the Milwaukee Marathon, Run MKE and The Hill Has Eyes.

Since 2004, Zimmerman has owned and operated 30 businesses across the health care, sports and entertainment industries. His former health care companies are now working collectively with over 80% of U.S. hospitals.

2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile

Hospitality | Entertainment
Owner and CEO
ROC Ventures | Franklin

Over the past 20 years, Mike Zimmerman has owned and operated 30 businesses spanning the health care, sports and entertainment industries. Since 2014, he has led ROC Ventures Inc., the owner and operator of a collection of entertainment and sports brands, including The Rock Sports Complex in Franklin and the adjacent mixed-use $200 million Ballpark Commons development, which includes apartments, commercial space, Luxe Golf Bays (a driving range entertainment center similar to Topgolf) and Franklin Field baseball stadium.

The Rock Sports Complex, which includes a ski hill and several baseball fields, draws roughly 125,000 visitors annually.

Zimmerman personally owns the Milwaukee Wave, and in 2019 he founded the Milwaukee Milkmen, an independent professional baseball team that plays at Franklin Field in the American Association of Professional Baseball. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s baseball team also plays at Franklin Field.

Zimmerman was also a co-founder and investor in Nineteen88 Productions, the company behind the Milwaukee Marathon, Run MKE and The Hill Has Eyes.

Partnering with Mandel Group, ROC Ventures recently announced plans to redevelop the Orchard View shopping center in Franklin into a mixed-use town center that would include a hotel, ice-skating rink and more than 500 apartments. Mandel Group and ROC Ventures also have plans for a mixed-use development that would include 432 apartments and some retail on nearby vacant land southeast of Loomis Road and south of Rawson Avenue, and a 78-unit apartment building along South Ballpark Drive and adjacent to New Perspective Senior Living.

Shelly Mayer

BizTimes Staff
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Shelly Mayer

Executive director
Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin | Juneau

Shelly Mayer is executive director of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, the largest dairy producer-led, educational-based organization in the U.S. The organization has led the national effort to promote dairy animal wellbeing and food safety. Mayer’s work has focused on helping dairy farm families with issues such as improving business profitability, community relations, environmental management, leadership development, food safety and animal health, along with labor issues, industry relations and family business transition.

Previously, Mayer served on the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection board of directors and on the UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Science board of visitors. She has also served on the Center for Food Integrity Executive Committee since 2008.

Mayer grew up on a dairy farm in southwestern Wisconsin. She and her husband continue to manage a herd of Holsteins and Brown Swiss on their dairy farm near Slinger. They also own and manage Folk Song Farm, an agritourism business that includes a restored 1850s events barn that has been in their family for seven generations.

Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Gary Witt

BizTimes Staff
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Gary Witt

President and CEO
Pabst Theater Group  |  Milwaukee

Gary Witt has led the Pabst Theater, a 1,339-capacity concert venue in downtown Milwaukee, since 2002. The Pabst Theater Group’s portfolio has since grown to include the 2,450-capacity Riverside Theater, 1,000-capacity Turner Hall Ballroom and the 450-capacity Vivarium, along with The Fitzgerald wedding venue. The group books, markets and hosts more than 800 live performances annually at its own venues as well as Fiserv Forum, the Miller High Life Theatre, the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Bradley Symphony Center. Beginning with just Witt and chief operating officer Matt Beringer as its sole team members 22 years ago, the company has grown to about 350 employees. PTG contributes more than $250 million to Milwaukee’s economy annually, according to the company. An advocate for music venues and downtown Milwaukee businesses – and not one to shy away from politics – Witt was vocal about what he said was an underwhelming level of ancillary events and economic activity generated during the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile

Hospitality | Entertainment
President and CEO
Pabst Theater Group | Milwaukee

Gary Witt was handpicked by entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Cudahy in 2002 to lead the Pabst Theater in downtown Milwaukee. Today, Witt oversees the group of music venues that includes the Pabst, Riverside Theater, Turner Hall Ballroom, The Backroom at Colectivo and Miller High Life Theater. Pabst Theater Group, which has about 350 employees, hosts nearly 700 shows and events annually at its own venues as well as Fiserv Forum, the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and Bradley Symphony Center. Witt was a vocal advocate for music venues throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, sounding the alarm on the lack of financial support available to the hard-hit live entertainment industry.

Education: High school

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
“Peeling potatoes to make amazing French fries at a great hot dog place. Persistence. Every job is worth doing.”

What piece of advice has had the most significant impact on your career?
“Just do it.”

If you could have dinner with any two business leaders, who would you choose and why?
“Steve Jobs and John Doerr. Because I want to continue to grow to become even more intentionally restless, with ferocious curiosity and have an even better ability to execute.”

What’s your hobby/passion?
“Bicycling.”

What is your favorite Wisconsin restaurant and what do you order there?
“Goodkind. Brunch.”

What was your first car?
“A Ford Econoline van to haul my drums around to shows.”

If you could take a one-year sabbatical, what would you do?
“I will not. When I am done, I will be done.”

What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve ever had to overcome?
“The 100% shuttering of our business due to the pandemic. A few of us started a trade group called NIVA. I hired a major lobbying firm (Akin Gump) and we were able to obtain $16 billion dollars from the federal government to help to save the independent concert venues in America.”

What advice would you give to a young professional?
“It almost doesn’t matter what you know…it’s execution that matters most.”

What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the last 12 months?
“Surviving the pandemic and coming out stronger, better organized and financially stable.”

What is one thing you would change about Wisconsin to make it even better?
“Two things: 1. Change the cost calculus of inequality. 2. Revise funding for schools to not be based upon property taxes within zip codes and instead be population based, distributing the money more equally.”

As you enter your office, what would you choose to be your walk-up song or theme song? “Van Morrison, ‘Spanish Steps.’”

🔒 Entrepreneurs to Watch: Matt and Katie Wessel

BizTimes Staff
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🔒 Entrepreneurs to Watch: Matt and Katie Wessel

Milwaukee Pretzel Co. | Milwaukee
Founded: 2013 | Employees: 100
milwaukeepretzel.com

Milwaukee Pretzel Co. has been in business for more than a decade and experienced consistent growth. Founded by Matt and Katie Wessel, the company doubled production capacity this year at its facility on Milwaukee’s northwest side.

When did you know you would launch Milwaukee Pretzel Co. and what was the biggest concern you needed to overcome to do it?

Matt Wessel and Katie Wessel, owners: “We came up with the idea to start making and selling Bavarian pretzels after spending a year in Munich, Germany. We fell in love with their pretzels and how engrained they were in their culture. We wanted to bring that experience to our friends and family in Milwaukee. There was very little hesitancy or concern on our part, to be honest. We were eager entrepreneurs that saw an opportunity and just went after it. Starting a company prior to having children helped ease any concerns!”

What are the next key steps in the development of your company?

“We just opened an additional 28,000 square feet at our production facility here in Milwaukee, which gives us a footprint to scale up production quite a bit beyond where we’re at today. That means some of the pressure in 2025 will fall to sales and the desire to start to fill that added capacity. Beyond that, we continue to look at ways to improve processes and manage costs by leveraging improvements that come with scale.”

What are your goals for the next three to five years?

“Honestly, the main goal is to keep enjoying what we’re doing, to make good, strategic decisions that benefit the team we have here, and to continue to maintain a ‘rapid but managed’ pace to what we do. Milwaukee pretzels are no longer just a Milwaukee food item (we’re in over 20 states currently), so continuing to enter new parts of the country is an annual goal.”

What do you consider your biggest breakthrough so far?

“I’m not sure if I would call it a breakthrough, but it certainly was an ‘Aha!’ moment. As we started to grow in the early years, it was a tremendous experience for us to see how the employees we hired to do a basic task or two would ultimately help us innovate, help us watch costs, informally lead teams, find solutions to problems, etc. Our growth is so deeply tied to the amazing people who work here. We have a high-performing team that we are very proud of. Learning how to leverage our team’s strengths and helping them grow – and just hiring them in general – has been one of the most rewarding parts of owning this business.”

Ray Habelman Jr. 

BizTimes Staff
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Ray Habelman Jr. 

CEO
Habelman Brothers Co. | Tomah 

Fourth-generation cranberry farmer Ray Habelman Jr. is carrying on his family’s legacy as the leader of Habelman Brothers Co., the world’s largest fresh cranberry grower and packer. Habelman oversees operations of Habelman Brothers’ central Wisconsin locations in Millston, Tomah and Tunnel City. Combined, those farms comprise more than 700 acres of actively producing cranberries. The company also has two certified packing facilities and 43,000 square feet of cooler storage capacity.  It has 40 full-time and 250 seasonal employees.

The business sets itself apart as a producer of fresh cranberries, which make up just 5% of the overall cranberry market. Most of Habelman’s cranberries are processed for juice concentrate and dried cranberries, which are sold in grocery stores across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Wisconsin produces about 60% of all the cranberries grown in the U.S., making it the nation’s leading grower of cranberries. The industry generates about $1 billion in state economic impact.

Under Habelman’s leadership, the farm has adopted new technology and practices to become more sustainable, including progressive nutrient management and integrated pest management programs on the marsh.

Education: Bachelor’s, Marquette University

2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile

Other Leading Industries 
CEO
Habelman Bros. Co. | Tomah 

Ray Habelman is the fourth-generation leader of Habelman Bros. Co., a family-run and -owned cranberry farm in Tomah and the world’s largest fresh cranberry grower and packer. Habelman oversees operations at the company’s three central Wisconsin locations in Millston, Tomah and Tunnel City, which together total 670 acres of actively producing cranberries. In addition, the company has two certified packing facilities. It employs 40 full-time and 250 seasonal employees.  

The business sets itself apart as a producer of fresh cranberries, which make up just 5% of the overall cranberry market; most cranberries are processed for juice concentrate and dried cranberries. Though it is more costly to do, Habelman has said fresh cranberries is the family’s legacy. Habelman Bros. fruit is sold in grocery stores across the U.S., Canada and Europe. The No. 1 export from Wisconsin, cranberries make up a nearly $1 billion industry in the state.  

Under Habelman’s leadership, the farm has adopted various sustainable practices, including a progressive nutrient management and integrated pest management programs on the marsh.  

Education: Bachelor’s, Marquette University 

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