Howard Sosoff

Don Smiley Paid $3.3 Million in 2022

Summerfest boss has collected $9.9 million in 6 years for running tax-exempt charity.

Don Smiley’s Latest Paycheck Was $991,154

Summerfest boss has collected $6.56 million in five years for running tax exempt charity.

Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. Announces Mary Ellen Stanek as Board Chairwoman and adds Dr. Joan Prince and Charles Harvey to Board of Directors

Summerfest Leader Will Step Down At End of 2023

Don Smiley will return at the end of 2023. Sarah Smith Pancheri named president.

IRS Complaint Filed Against Summerfest

Complaint challenges festival’s nonprofit status, claiming it now operates ‘as a commercial entity.’

Summerfest CEO Collects $2.49 Million

Don Smiley gets total compensation of 1.19 million in 2019 and $1.29 million in 2020.

Why Is Summerfest Helping Live Nation?

National ‘monopoly’ company’s proposed music halls in Third Ward target local companies.

Summerfest Flush With Cash

Festival has $47 million net fund balance. Aldermen say it can afford to pay for police services.

Summerfest Pays No Net Rent

Charges ethnic festivals more rent than it pays city, like “a greedy landlord,” alderman charges.

Summerfest Got $48 Million in Gifts

Total donations from 2010 to 2018 helped pay for CEO Don Smiley’s "caviar lifestyle"?

Should Summerfest Pay Higher Rent?

Harbor House pays at least 7 times more than Summerfest per acre of lakefront land.

Journal Sentinel’s Huge Mistake

Newspaper vastly inflates growth of Summerfest CEO Don Smiley’s compensation.

Summerfest CEO Awarded $2.33 Million

Don Smiley’s 2017 pay package includes $1.3 million deferred from prior years. City officials “shocked.”

Summerfest Blows Off City Meeting

No festival official attends scheduled meeting. Partnership with city “broken”, Ald. Murphy says.