PD October Dinner Meeting: Building Milwaukee

This panel will explore how strategic investments in various areas can transform and revitalize a city. Our conversation will focus on marketing the city, supporting business growth, real estate development, and promoting active lifestyles to attract and retain new talent, while also nurturing the longstanding communities that make our city unique. We'll dive into the role of Business Improvement Districts and Visit Milwaukee, and how these efforts create thriving neighborhoods. Panelists will discuss the importance of cross-neighborhood collaboration and what it means to take responsibility as residents in building a more vibrant, inclusive city for all.

Panelists:

Ray Hill, Historic King Drive BID #8
Beth Weirick, Milwaukee Downtown BID #21
Peggy Williams-Smith, Visit Milwaukee

Resources:

Connec+ing Milwaukee: Downtown Plan 2040>>

QUESTIONS:

Intro / Background

1. How did you get into this work?
2. Why do your organizations exist?
3. What is challenging about your role?

Investments in Transformation

1. What are examples of strategic investments that have transformed our city?
2. What role do Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) play in supporting the growth of small and medium-sized businesses? Can you share success stories of businesses that have benefited from BID efforts?
3. What projects are occurring that PD women should know about?

Vision for Milwaukee

1. What is your vision for Milwaukee? What does a better Milwaukee look like from your lens? 
2. Can you talk a bit about the Connec+ing MKE: Downtown Plan 2040? What excites you most about this plan? What key investments or initiatives do you believe will have the most transformative impact in the next decade?
3. In an increasingly competitive landscape, what are the key differentiators that set our city apart from others trying to attract talent and investment?
4. What is the role of Professional Dimensions in advancing this vision?

Collaboration and Community

1. What makes collaboration across neighborhoods difficult?
2. How do you engage the community as you make decisions? 
3. Gentrification is often a byproduct of city revitalization. How do we strike a balance between attracting new investment and protecting existing communities from displacement?
4. How can the city maintain its cultural and historic identity while undergoing revitalization, ensuring that the character of long-standing neighborhoods is preserved?

Marketing the City

1. How do you ensure that marketing campaigns and city branding efforts resonate not only with newcomers but also with long-standing residents?
2. What strategies are in place to ensure that women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs from historically underserved communities have access to the same opportunities as larger corporations

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Our meetings unite women leaders from diverse identities and sectors to address the challenges and opportunities that impact our collective progress. Each meeting focuses on a key business topic or opportunity for growth, engaging experts to offer insights on strategies that drive both personal and professional success. We believe that cultivating trust, collaboration, and accountability is essential for advancing our region and improving our economy in an equitable way. By fostering relationships, sharing knowledge, and aligning on solutions, we will continue to grow businesses, expand networks, and create a lasting impact.