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Don Smiley’s Latest Paycheck Was $991,154
Summerfest boss has collected $6.56 million in five years for running tax exempt charity.
Jun 21st, 2023 by Bruce Murphy
Summerfest Leader Will Step Down At End of 2023
Don Smiley will return at the end of 2023. Sarah Smith Pancheri named president.
Jun 3rd, 2022 by Jeramey Jannene
IRS Complaint Filed Against Summerfest
Complaint challenges festival’s nonprofit status, claiming it now operates ‘as a commercial entity.’
Mar 30th, 2022 by Bruce Murphy
Summerfest CEO Collects $2.49 Million
Don Smiley gets total compensation of 1.19 million in 2019 and $1.29 million in 2020.
Jan 18th, 2022 by Bruce Murphy
Why Is Summerfest Helping Live Nation?
National ‘monopoly’ company’s proposed music halls in Third Ward target local companies.
Jan 4th, 2022 by Bruce Murphy
Summerfest Flush With Cash
Festival has $47 million net fund balance. Aldermen say it can afford to pay for police services.
Feb 4th, 2020 by Bruce Murphy
Summerfest Pays No Net Rent
Charges ethnic festivals more rent than it pays city, like “a greedy landlord,” alderman charges.
Nov 26th, 2019 by Bruce Murphy
Summerfest Got $48 Million in Gifts
Total donations from 2010 to 2018 helped pay for CEO Don Smiley’s "caviar lifestyle"?
Nov 21st, 2019 by Bruce Murphy
Should Summerfest Pay Higher Rent?
Harbor House pays at least 7 times more than Summerfest per acre of lakefront land.
Nov 14th, 2019 by Bruce Murphy
Journal Sentinel’s Huge Mistake
Newspaper vastly inflates growth of Summerfest CEO Don Smiley’s compensation.
Nov 11th, 2019 by Bruce Murphy
Summerfest CEO Awarded $2.33 Million
Don Smiley’s 2017 pay package includes $1.3 million deferred from prior years. City officials “shocked.”
Nov 8th, 2019 by Bruce Murphy
Summerfest Blows Off City Meeting
No festival official attends scheduled meeting. Partnership with city “broken”, Ald. Murphy says.
Nov 7th, 2019 by Bruce Murphy
