Patrick Lubar, vice president and commercial lender for Ixonia Bank, devotes a great deal of his time to serving on committees and boards of local nonprofits, including The Opportunity Center, Radio Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s Properties Committee.
As an original board member for The Opportunity Center and a member of its finance committee, Lubar helps the nonprofit establish financial strategies to achieve its goal of creating an athletic complex for low-to-moderate income youth and elderly individuals.
Lubar is also a finance committee member for Radio Milwaukee, where he provides guidance on budgetary decisions that impact listener programming throughout the year. Lubar played a vital role in keeping Radio Milwaukee running during the pandemic, securing a federal PPP loan to keep the station operational.
“Patrick’s contributions to any board he participates in begins with listening, observing and asking questions to understand how they currently operate,” said Lauren Ruff, vice president and marketing director for Ixonia Bank. “He likes to develop relationships with the staff and other committee members, recognizing that everyone has valuable insights and experience to offer.”
“My parents and my grandparents instilled in me at a very early age the importance of community and philanthropy. It has been a guiding principle throughout my life.”
– Patrick Lubar, vice president and commercial lender, Ixonia Bank
Finalist: Brandon Ramey, Quad MKE
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Brandon Ramey is committed to community development and bringing investment to central Milwaukee neighborhoods.
As the site director for Quad’s training hub, Quad MKE, Ramey aims to make careers more accessible, spearheading initiatives that focus on workforce development, mentorship and community health.
“Brandon’s commitment to listening and understanding the needs of community partners has led to successful collaborations and activations, such as Quad MKE’s recent open house,” said Richard Frank, executive director of operations for special interest publications at Quad. “During this event, organized by Brandon and his team, Quad hosted a diverse array of community partners, including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and government officials, highlighting Brandon’s exceptional ability to cultivate and nurture relationships with various community stakeholders.”
Ramey serves as a board member for youth mentoring program Running Rebels and collaborated in launching the U.N.I.T.E. Business Resolution Group at Quad, which fosters professional growth and authentic representation in the Black community. Ramey is also part of Quad’s DEI task force, in which he works to promote an inclusive environment within the company.
Finalist: Stacy Scheffer, Charter Steel
Supporting professional women drives the volunteer efforts of Stacy Scheffer, finance manager for Charter Steel.
This year, Scheffer became president of Impact100 Greater Milwaukee, an organization of women that each make annual, tax-deductible donations of $1,100, which are used to award transformative grants to make a lasting impact on the community. In 2023, Impact100’s 388 members awarded $388,000 in grants.
Scheffer, a graduate of Marquette University, first joined the board of Impact100 in 2018 and served as its director of membership retention. Leading with passion and inclusivity, Scheffer aims to grow the organization’s membership through strategic planning processes and strong member engagement initiatives.