MILWAUKEE PRESS CLUB 2019 Content 2 President’s Letter: Gene Mueller Editor Claire Hanan, VISIT Milwaukee 4 Sacred Cat: Chuck Todd Designer 6 Headliner: Martin J. Schreiber Kathryn Lavey, VISIT Milwaukee 8 Headliner: Mary Lou Young Special thanks to Press Club Meeting Place Sponsorship Committee: Newsroom Pub 9 MPC Endowment Seeds Lori Richards, 137 E. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI 53202 Newsroom Internship Pilot Mueller Communications, Inc. milwaukeepressclub.org 10 MPC Awards for Excellence in Executive Director Mailing Address Wisconsin Journalism Joette Richards, 262-894-2224 PO Box 176 North Prairie, WI 53153-0176 22 Milwaukee’s 173rd Birthday Once A Year has been produced Party: A Party to Remember annually by the Milwaukee Press Club since 1886. All of the issues 24 Roster of Members are archived at the Golda Meir Library of the University of BACK COVER Wisconsin-Milwaukee and are used Thanks to our Sponsors frequently for historical research. MPC and MPC Endowment Ltd. thanks this year’s independent panel of contest judges, active journalists from press clubs throughout the U.S., including statewide clubs in Alaska, Florida, Idaho and Michigan and metro area clubs in Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Orange County, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco and Syracuse. A special thanks to Maryann Lazarski, Joette Richards and the MPC contest committee for their oversight of our contest. Each year, the Milwaukee Press Club is asked to judge similar contests of press clubs in other cities throughout the country. If you’d like to serve as an occasional judge for such contests, please contact the MPC at 262-894-2224. Photo courtesy VISIT Milwaukee Milwaukee Press Club 1 PRESIDENT’S LETTER Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone and others for a frank discussion Preparing for the of what the future holds for institutions our state relies on to foster tomorrow’s Year Ahead leaders and thinkers. A call to action as Milwaukee welcomes We thank our event sponsors for their generosity, and offer a special tip of the the eyes of the world in 2020. hat to Jeff Mayers and our partners at BY GENE MUELLER WisPolitics.com for their enhanced role in keeping the ball rolling, a relationship from hosting the Democratic National we strengthened during this past year. Convention, a huge first for us and an WisPolitics.com helps to organize at least opportunity like no other. It will be our six events annually, including recent chance to impress and inspire on the Newsmaker Luncheons featuring Lt. Gov. national stage, an occasion that hopefully Mandela Barnes, Attorney General Josh leads to bigger and better conventions, Kaul, Supreme Court candidate Judge sporting events and beyond. The DNC is a Brian Hagedorn and former Governor tide that truly​​ can lift all boats. Tommy Thompson. And rest assured, your Milwaukee More is on the way. Press Club intends to be in the thick of it. Our membership is growing and needs In this first year as president, my head are changing in these challenging times is slowing getting around the many for journalism, as platforms morph and things we do, grasping the possibilities consumer expectations ramp up. The club we can seize as this incredible moment also recognizes the need to be a resource approaches. Our board is committed to to those who join it, a place to meet, stepping up as a resource for delegates, discuss and plan the way to a better future attendees, the visiting press and a city full for all who want to tell the truth. And, we of guests. need to be a destination for those wishing Our aim is to do them and our to network and grow their professional community proud. contacts. Thanks to the fine work of those before To that end, we like to have fun, too. me and board members past and present, The annual City of Milwaukee Birthday ll of us came to Milwaukee we’re as financially strong as we’ve ever Party each January remains a highlight on at different times. For some, been, committed to our endowment fund the local civic calendar. Hundreds turned it’s been a lifetime home. and its mission of helping area students out to beat cabin fever and see local OthersA may have landed here early in become journalists in the many platforms makers and shakers celebrate all that their professional lives. Then there are our industry demands. The Press Club made Milwaukee en vogue the past year. the recent arrivals, discovering a city continues to offer a vigorous array of The yearly Meet The Media event at the on the move and in the throes of change programs that encourage debate on Newsroom Pub each fall remains unique – a revitalization of the downtown and the issues that affect us all. We give the in that it allows “the working press” to surrounding neighborhoods unseen for a community a chance to meet and question show its mad skills behind the bar and generation or more. elected officials at our Newsmaker rub elbows with those who read, watch, None of us have seen anything yet. Luncheons. In fact, a recent Behind and listen to our content. Imagine what our community will The Headlines event took a deep dive Being just halfway through the first be like a year from now when next we into our financially strapped University year on the job, one thing is apparent to gather for the Gridiron Awards Dinner. of Wisconsin System schools, with its me: nothing happens if not for a loyal, Milwaukee will be but two months away president, Ray Cross, joining University of dedicated, hard-working board that 2 Once A Year 2019 makes the club and its mission top-of- are always welcome to let us know what mind, not just at monthly meetings but we can do to make the Milwaukee Press seemingly every moment of each day. Club experience all you want it to be. Folks like Marilyn Krause, Jim Nelson, No matter when you arrived here, and Charles Benson along with Treasurer “WE LOOK AT Milwaukee now is home. It’s not a Carl Mueller and Past President LaToya [MILWAUKEE] perfect place, but no community is. We Dennis are among the many who make look at it with a critical eye because sure we remain a smoothly running body WITH A we love it, and want it to be the best it that’s financially sound and focused on can be. To that end, we are poised as a the community first. Special thanks as CRITICAL EYE community to build on recent success well to Lori Richards, who continues to BECAUSE WE and seize the historic opportunity that astound and impress with her incredible comes our way next summer. The buzz effort in recruiting sponsors and other LOVE IT, AND in the room tonight will be a full-blown financial supporters – without them, none WANT IT TO BE roar a year from this evening as we of this happens. prepare to showcase our community to And then, there’s Executive Director THE BEST IT a waiting nation and world. How can Joette Richards, who is always three steps CAN BE.” the Milwaukee Press Club enhance that ahead, her head around every corner, effort? Trust me, we’re already talking. making sure we look, sound and run the We’re also listening to all who have ideas, very best we can. Thanks to all who serve, thoughts and expectations. With your as well as to members new and old who help, we can do this, and more. ◆ Milwaukee Press Club 3 SACRED CAT Green Bay Packers helmet tucked away in the background. Meet Chuck Todd While the Packers were ingrained at a This year’s Sacred Cat reflects on the public’s perception young age, Todd’s “political junkie” days of the press and the current state of politics. didn’t start until high school. “Politics and history were big in my house. I was forced BY CHARLES BENSON to watch the prime-time news conferences with Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan, or ou could say Chuck Todd Milwaukee landed the Democratic the debates or conventions,” Todd told has two passions: politics and National Convention. “It’s pretty clear Parade in 2016. the Packers. As moderator of to me that Wisconsin, if it’s not the most Before joining NBC News, Todd spent “MeetY the Press,” he’s had a front row important swing state, it certainly is six years as editor-in-chief of the National seat to reporting on the biggest stories one of the final three,” Todd says. Journal’s The Hotline, Washington’s in politics. But the lifelong Green Bay Todd grew up in Miami but came to premier daily briefing on American Packers fan has yet to make it to Lambeau love the green and gold thanks to his dad. politics. In his 15 years of working at Field for a Packers game. (He’s kind of Todd’s father grew up in Iowa and passed The Hotline or one of its affiliates, Todd busy on Sundays). along his love for the small-town team in became one of Washington’s foremost There’s no doubt all eyes will be on Green Bay. If you look closely on the set of experts on political campaigns at all levels. Wisconsin in 2020, especially after “Meet the Press,” you’ll find a small Todd took over as NBC’s chief White 4 Once A Year 2019 House correspondent in December 2008 University in recognition for his other side. Your sole job is to defeat the and has broadcast live reports from more distinguished work in journalism.