CONNECTIONS: The Podcast

Check out the latest episode of CONNECTIONS, as our host Tom Luljak sits down with our longtime Executive Director Mary McCormick as she reflects on her 25 years of leadership with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.   Mary discusses the member-driven initiatives that have transformed Milwaukee, the growth of the Club's scholarship and international service efforts, and the leadership philosophy that gu...

Introducing CONNECTIONS - Media Edition, a podcast from the downtown Rotary Club of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Press Club that explores how local journalists and media organizations are adapting to today's rapidly changing media landscape. Through conversations with reporters, editors, and community leaders, the show examines how newsrooms are covering Milwaukee's neighborhoods, building trust wi...

In this episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak talks with JoAnne Anton , President and CEO of Herb Kohl Philanthropies , about her remarkable career in public service and community impact. JoAnne reflects on her longtime partnership with  Herb Kohl , sharing stories about his commitment to service, education, and the people of Wisconsin. She also discusses her path from Milwaukee's family dry-cle...

On this episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak sits down with fellow Rotarian Jerry Stepaniak and Marquette University student Laura Johnson about Rotary Club of Milwaukee's partnership bringing clean water to communities in Guatemala. They share how hands-on collaboration is transforming lives abroad while shaping the next generation of civic-minded engineers. You'll hear inspiring stories from...

  In this episode, Rotarian and Milwaukee Repertory Theater Executive Director Chad Bauman sits down with our host Tom Luljak to discuss the theater's $80 million renovation and its transformative impact on Milwaukee's arts community.   He also highlights the Rep's strong audience engagement, educational outreach, and the vital role of philanthropy in sustaining Wisconsin's underfunded arts sector...

In this special episode of CONNECTIONS, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis, RCM Executive Director, Mary McCormick, and polio survivor Kristine Hinrichs discuss Rotary's decades-long fight to eradicate polio. They share personal stories, global progress, and the ongoing efforts to protect millions of children worldwide ahead of World Polio Day on October 24th.  Listen to the conversatio...

On this edition of CONNECTIONS , host Tom Luljak sits down with three young and ambitious Rotarians who are shaping the future of Milwaukee: Paige Radke of UMB Wealth Management, Antoine Carter of the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation, and Carol Alexander Barnes of KCB Buildings LLC. They share their perspectives as up-and-coming leaders, offering insight into how the next generation of Rotarian...

On this edition of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak shines a light on the good work of fellow Rotarian Ian Abston and Michael Hostad…two of the people who are the driving force behind lighting the Daniel Hoan Bridge in Milwaukee.    We'll hear about the impact Lighting the Hoan has had on Milwaukee's image around the world…and how it has affected the way Milwaukeans themselves feel about their home to...

Later this week, Beth Weirick, CEO of Milwaukee Downtown Business Improvement District #21, will step down after decades of service that have transformed Milwaukee into a more vibrant, inclusive, and thriving community. Beth's passion for Milwaukee runs deep, and her energy is unmatched. Often spotted dashing through the city streets in her signature high heels, she led countless ambitious project...

In this episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak sits down with new Rotarian Kevin Shafer, the Executive Director of MMSD - the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.   Kevin has been working on water issues   for much of his career and is recognized as a national leader in water management. He's been called a visionary   because of his work to stop sewer overflows into Lake Michigan and using G...

One of the keys to being a successful business leader is creating a great environment for employees.   Our guest on this edition of CONNECTIONS the podcast is someone who has spent her entire career trying to do just that.   Beth Ridley has worked as a corporate executive for a Fortune 500 Company, served as a management consultant at one of the world's largest consulting firms, and  today...is he...

In this episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak has a Frank discussion…as in Frank Cumberbatch, Vice President of Engagement at Bader Philanthropies.   Frank's responsibilities include leading the Foundation's exploration of a neighborhood, place-based strategy to complement the Foundation's existing grantmaking, with an emphasis on the Harambee neighborhood. We'll hear how Frank's own determinati...

In our fourth episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak sits down with Rotarian Erin Richards , Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 's first director of strategic partnerships and development. Erin has spent much of her career as an education reporter for the Journal, and later covered the national education beat for USA TODAY . Newspapers that once commanded top dollar for advertising space have seen their...

In this episode of CONNECTIONS, incoming Rotary President and Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern joins host Tom Luljak. As a seasoned prosecutor, Kent recognizes that action in the criminal justice system should be coupled with community efforts that diminish poverty and expand economic opportunity. He celebrates the many ways that Rotary has expanded his knowledge of Milwaukee and fri...

In our second episode of CONNECTIONS, Corey Zetts, Executive Director of Menomonee Valley Partners, joins Tom to discuss how Milwaukee inspires her. She also shares her interest in philosophy and its influence on her day-to-day work and projects like the B-Line Park.

Launched in November 2024, CONNECTIONS is a program that profiles the members of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. Tom Luljak, a fellow Rotarian, interviews some of our city's most interesting people who help to make southeastern Wisconsin a great place to work and live.   On this episode, Tom sits down with the current 2024 Club President and Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement at MS...