Milwaukee Business Leaders Announce Support for Streetcar

MILWAUKEE (February 9, 2015) – Milwaukee business leaders today made the case for supporting the Milwaukee Streetcar at a news conference hosted at ManpowerGroup’s Headquarters in downtown Milwaukee. CEOs of some of Milwaukee’s most notable companies were joined by civic and nonprofit leaders urging the Milwaukee Common Council to take action to move the Milwaukee Streetcar forward at its meeting on February 10, 2015.

“We support the proposed Streetcar because it makes powerful economic sense as part of a larger growth strategy for Milwaukee that is already generating billions in new development and thousands of jobs for our community,” said Jeff Joerres, Executive Chairman of ManpowerGroup. “The Streetcar will connect the dots between these major new developments and provide the momentum to spark the next wave of economic development and job creation.”

Joerres is part of a broad coalition of business leaders that have come together in recent weeks to support the Streetcar, including:

• Michael Cudahy
• Linda Gorens-Levey
• Gary Grunau, Schlitz Park
• Jeff Joerres of ManpowerGroup
• David Lubar, Lubar & Co.
• Barry Mandel, Mandel Group
• Greg Marcus, Marcus Corporation
• Alex Molinaroli, Johnson Controls
• Greg Wesley, Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP

“Why should we invest in this project now?” asked Greg Marcus, CEO of Marcus Corporation. “Because the Streetcar, along with a host of very important investments in our community assets, presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move our City forward and make Milwaukee more attractive to new employers, workers, residents and tourists. We need to take advantage of all these opportunities.”

The business leaders cited a number of other key reasons to support the Streetcar, including its ability to attract and retain the next generation of talent who want to live in diverse, high-density areas served by modern mass transit. Right now, while Milwaukee is among the 30 cities with the highest density in the United States – it is one of only two without fixed transit.

“At ManpowerGroup, we know how important it is that Milwaukee find new ways to attract and retain the next generation of talent, “ said Joerres. “The Streetcar is a key infrastructure investment that will keep us competitive with our peer cities and make us more attractive to new businesses and new employees.”

The Streetcar is a reliable transit connection that has proven highly successful in other cities both larger and smaller than Milwaukee – and will serve as the foundation for a comprehensive transportation system. It will bring connectivity, not only downtown, but throughout the City, bringing together workers and jobs, students and educational institutions, retail stores and customers and connecting neighborhoods.

Jorge Franco, CEO / President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin spoke to the importance of the Streetcar in driving investment in the City, creating new opportunities for minority contractors and increasing employment among disadvantaged populations.

“We support more jobs, business growth and economic development for the entire City,” said Jorge Franco, CEO/President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin. “The Streetcar is a smart investment that will pay for itself many times over. We urge our elected officials to move the Streetcar forward.”

About the Coalition

The news conference is supported by the following members of our business community who believe the Milwaukee Streetcar makes powerful economic sense for our City as part of a larger growth strategy for Milwaukee that is already generating billions in new development and thousands of new jobs for our community.

• Michael Cudahy
• Linda Gorens-Levey
• Gary Grunau, Schlitz Park
• Jeff Joerres of ManpowerGroup
• David Lubar, Lubar & Co.
• Barry Mandel, Mandel Group
• Greg Marcus, Marcus Corporation
• Alex Molinaroli, Johnson Controls
• Greg Wesley, Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP

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.