Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Honors Nettles, Community Members and Organizations

MILWAUKEE– (May 21, 2024) Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) is pleased to announce Cory L. Nettles as its MVP honoree for the 2024 MVP Salute to Youth, presented by Associated Bank, which was held Monday, May 20. The annual event honors youth, individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to BGCGM and saw nearly 600 attendees pack the newly renovated Baird Center.

Monday’s MVP Salute to Youth successfully raised $1.23 million for the Clubs, which will go directly to BGCGM to support Milwaukee’s youth.

The MVP award is given yearly to an individual for truly outstanding community involvement and service to the children of Milwaukee. Nettles is the founder and managing director of Generation Growth Capital, Inc., a private equity fund focused on buyouts and providing growth capital to small businesses and lower-middle market companies in the Midwest. He is a long-time supporter of BGCGM and serves as a board member on several corporate, private and nonprofit organizations.

“I am so honored to be this year’s MVP,” Nettles said. “But the real MVP is the Clubs because of the tremendous difference the Clubs have made in the lives of our youth for so many generations.”

“The BGCGM Board of Trustees is grateful to have the opportunity to honor Cory with the 2024 MVP Award at this year’s MVP Salute to Youth,” BGCGM Board Chair Gregory Wesley said. “Cory’s impactful work in the Milwaukee community is unmatched and we appreciate his support of the Clubs and our mission to supporting our youth.”

In addition to honoring Nettles with the night’s top award, BGCGM recognized four other Milwaukee community members and organizations for their service and support of the Clubs, as well as the 2024 BGCGM and Wisconsin Youth of the Year.

• Loren Muwonge, a senior at Brown Deer High School, represented BGCGM as the 2024 Youth of the Year, as well as BGC Wisconsin Youth of the Year. Muwonge recently announced she will attend Spelman College in the fall on a full-ride scholarship and will compete in the regional Youth of the Year competition in June.
• Milwaukee-based law firm, Foley & Lardner, LLP, was honored with the Fred F. Loock Award, presented to an outstanding corporation devoted to helping youth achieve richer and fuller lives. Foley & Lardner provides hours of volunteer work to BGCGM and runs the Street Law Legal Diversity Pipeline Program, as well as other special projects for the Clubs.
• The Milwaukee Police Department was presented with the Key Award, which honors individuals and organizations for exemplary community service. MPD Chief and BGCGM Board of Trustees member, Jeffrey Norman accepted the award on behalf of the department. BGCGM recognizes the importance of healthy, productive partnerships between law enforcement and our community service agencies in keeping members and communities safe. The Clubs have partnered with MPD to host multiple community events throughout the year.
• Tanya Hines, founder, CEO and principal of Hines + Associates management consulting firm, was named recipient of the Irving J. Seher Award. This award is named after a former executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs and recognizes an alumnus who exemplifies the mission of the Clubs. Hines and her brother were Club members at the former LaVarnway Club as children. She joined the BGCGM Board in 2020 and serves as a member of the Development Committee. Hines and her family boast strong ties in the Milwaukee community, and she offers her expertise on multiple projects for the Clubs.
• The Annabell Cook Whitcomb award was given to Dr. Howard Fuller, Professor Emeritus of Education at Marquette University, and founder/director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning. This award is named after the founder of the Clubs 137 years ago and honors a friend of the Clubs who exemplifies Cook Whitcomb’s spirit and energy. Dr. Fuller owns a long history of distinguished leadership and service to education in Milwaukee and founded the Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy.

“This year’s award recipients spotlight a key ingredient in our success, especially given the breadth and depth of BGCGM’s work across greater Milwaukee,” BGCGM interim president and CEO Jeff Snell said. “We have passionate, dedicated volunteers and stakeholders who won’t take no for an answer when it comes to providing safe, supportive, nurturing environments for our youth. Through their examples, they inspire all of us to move forward, work together, and get the job done. We all owe them a great debt of gratitude.”

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) is one of the largest and longest youth-serving agencies in Milwaukee and the largest Boys & Girls Club in the country. With more than fifty locations in the city of Milwaukee, BGCGM provides youth ages 4-18 with safe, fun, enriching after-school and summer programming including academic support, mentorship, organized athletics, arts, and nutritious meals. Our programs strengthen academic performance, build character, encourage healthy lifestyles, and meet the basic needs of Milwaukee’s youth. More than 80 percent of BGCGM’s annual budget goes toward youth programming. Learn more at www.bgcmilwaukee.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.