Philanthropists Joe and Ellen Checota will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th annual BizTimes Media Nonprofit Excellence Awards program.
The Nonprofit Excellence Awards program will be held on Thursday, Nov. 2, from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee. Click here to register.
The Checotas have made four significant philanthropic gifts in recent years.
Earlier this year the Milwaukee Repertory Theater announced a confidential gift from the Checotas towards The Milwaukee Rep’s $75 million fundraising effort to rebuild its downtown Milwaukee theater complex. The Checotas’ gift is the second-largest charitable contribution in the 69-year history of the Milwaukee Rep. In recognition of that gift, the new main stage of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater will be named the Ellen and Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater.
Last year, Milwaukee Area Technical College established a new scholarship program funded by a $5 million two-for-one challenge gift from Joe and Ellen Checota. The Checotas agreed to contribute $1 million of their $5 million gift to MATC each time matching gift donors contribute $500,000 to support the Checota Scholarship Program. So far, the Checotas have contributed $4 million and 257 donors have contributed $2 million to the scholarship fund. When fully funded, the $7.5 million gift from the Checotas and the $2.5 million of 50% matching gifts from other donors will become the largest charitable gift in the 110-year history of MATC.
In 2021, the Checotas made a $5 million contribution to the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s $139 million fundraising campaign to create the Bradley Symphony Center, which opened that year, build the MSO’s endowment, pay off pension liability and bolster its operating fund. In recognition of their gift, the Bradley Symphony Center includes the Ellen & Joe Checota Gallery and Ellen & Joe Checota Atrium.
In 2016 the Checotas made a $400,000 contribution to the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Joe Checota is the chairman, chief executive officer and principal owner of Milwaukee-based Landmark Healthcare Facilities LLC, a developer of outpatient health care buildings. During his 50-year career, Checota has managed the development of more than 250 outpatient buildings in 40 states.
Before he became a health care building developer, Checota was the director of the U.S. Department of Commerce loan and grant program to economically depressed areas in the eastern United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
He served as chairman or vice chairman of the Milwaukee Harbor Commission from 1978 to 1981, chairman of the Committee for the Future of Milwaukee in 1988 and 1989 and a member of the board of trustees of the Milwaukee Art Museum from 1983 to 1993.
Ellen Checota is an artist who has designed jewelry that has been featured by retailers, hotels and art museums throughout the country.
The finalists for the other Nonprofit Excellence Awards categories are (winners will be announced at the Nov. 2 event):
Corporate Citizenship Awards:
Corporate Citizen of the Year
- Ellenbecker Investment Group
- Kesslers Diamonds
- MLG Capital
Corporate Volunteer of the Year
- Heather Deaton, Ellenbecker Investment Group
- Lauren Hess, Associated Bank
- Jim Mueller, Brown & Brown
Next Generation Leadership
- Patrick Lubar, Ixonia Bank
- Brandon Ramey, Quad MKE
- Stacy Scheffer, Charter Steel
In-Kind Supporter
- Associated Bank
- BVK
- Wisconsin Center District
Nonprofit Awards:
Nonprofit Executive of the Year
- Kenneth Ginlack, Serenity Inns
- Charlotte John-Gomez, Siebert Lutheran Foundation
- Dawn Nuoffer, Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin
- Miryam Rosenzweig, Milwaukee Jewish Foundation
Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year
- ArtWorks for Milwaukee
- Curative Care Network
- Milwaukee County Historical Society
Social Enterprise of the Year
- Sherman Phoenix Foundation
Small Nonprofit Organization of the Year
- Literacy Services of Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Community Sailing Center
- Project RETURN
- Waukesha Civic Theatre
Large Nonprofit Organization of the Year
- Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast
- Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center
- United Community Center
The platinum sponsor for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards program is Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank. Click here to register for the event.
