Chad Halvorsen

What is your job and its responsibilities?
I’ll start with the easy part. I’m a Producer at Flipeleven Creative, a digital marketing agency downtown. Overall, we deal with brand identity and strategy. From there it breaks off to design, web, and video. Most of my time is devoted to our video department. I make shoot schedules, hire freelancers, deliver content to clients, anything that has to do with planning and execution with video projects. On top of that, I’m also a project and client manager. My favorite part though is when I’m brought in to brainstorm an idea or guide a brand. It reminds you why working hard is worth it.

How long have you lived in Milwaukee and what brought you here?
I grew up in Kenosha, so pretty much in the middle of Milwaukee and Chicago. Kenosha is one of those places that if you don’t leave by 25, you’ll be there forever. Which isn’t a bad thing, but I wanted to get out. When you grow up in a family that is made up of insurance agents, real estate agents, and bankers, it casts a big shadow and you feel like you’ll never make a name for yourself. So I decided I wanted to try a bigger city. Milwaukee was the perfect fit. I  went to college at UW-Milwaukee. I have lived here ever since.

How would you rate Milwaukee as a place to socialize and play?
I’ve lived here for 14 years and I’m still finding new things to do. You have to be the laziest person in the world if you’re sitting at home on any day and saying “pfft, Milwaukee is so lame, there’s nothing to do.” I’ve made so many connections and friendships in this city. From professional events to striking up a conversation with the guy behind me at the Brewers game. That’s why organizations like NEWaukee are so great.

What strikes you as the most unique thing about Milwaukee?
I go to Kenosha every Tuesday night to play trivia with some old friends. While I do sometimes miss my hometown, Milwaukee is where I belong. Milwaukee is where I work and play. I also met my wife and most of my longtime friends here. The most unique thing about Milwaukee is how it makes you feel that you are truly home, and not in that Olive Garden sort of way. This is my home, and I don’t ever see that changing.

Milwaukee also seems to care more. For example, I’m currently managing a project with the Greater Milwaukee Committee called Teachtown Beyond the Books, a program created to help raise money for teachers to give their classrooms an extraordinary experience. Currently, Teachtown is trying to raise money to buy a bus and convert it to run off of alternative fuel. The teacher, Rick Ferarro of the Hmong American Peace Academy, has been teaching his students the science behind making alternative fuels. If they had a bus, it would show that what they’re learning has a practical applications and a positive effect on the environment. I recommend checking out the Indiegogo campaign here.

What is your favorite Milwaukee event?
Well the base hit answer would be Brewers Games (see what I did there?). I’ve been to Miller Park so many times I could tell you how to traverse it without being there. I love watching our team play, I love our fans, and it’s something that my wife and I can both enjoy. One of my dreams is to be able to afford season tickets or make Flipeleven a sponsor of the Brewers so we can get some nice box seats.

A more obscure event that I enjoy would be Jazz in the Park. I haven’t gone in a couple of years, but I used to feel so fancy grabbing some friends, some drinks, and listening to music.

What is your favorite Milwaukee building?
I recently took a tour of the Pritzlaff building off of Plankinton. I love it. The owners are updating the building, room by room and it looks amazing with its perfect mix of old and new. There’s a hall that is still being renovated on the first floor that’s all wood — 20-foot high ceilings with wood pillars every 30 feet. Plus the whole building has that Cream City Brick we love so much. Every room is unique and it looks like they have big plans for it in the future.