Milwaukee Hospitality Leaders to Headline Newsmaker Lunch Hour

MILWAUKEE – Rodney Ferguson, CEO and general manager of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, Omar Shaikh, restaurateur and VISIT Milwaukee chair, and Gary Witt, executive director of the Pabst Theater Group, will be the featured guests at a virtual event set for noon on Thursday, Dec. 3. This Newsmaker Lunch Hour is presented by a partnership between the Milwaukee Press Club and WisPolitics.com.

Ferguson has led Potawatomi Hotel & Casino since 2017. During that time, the property has added a second hotel tower and remained the most visited entertainment destination in the state with more than 6 million annual visitors. In addition to his current role, Ferguson sits on the board of directors for a number of organizations including COA Youth and Family Centers, Sojourner Family Peace Center, Wisconsin Policy Forum and Menomonee Valley Partners.

Shaikh provides Milwaukee residents and visitors with dining and entertainment as a partner in Carnevor, Wisconsin Ticket Concierge, O & B Consulting, and 3rd Street Market Hall at the Avenue. Shaikh is also involved in several tourism and philanthropic organizations including Milwaukee Kitchen Cabinet and Donald Driver’s Driven to Achieve Foundation.

Witt arrived in Milwaukee via Chicago in 2002. He heads Pabst Theater Group, which includes The Pabst Theater, Riverside Theater and Turner Hall Ballroom. His organization hosts more than 700 events per year that help to build community, loyalty and reinforce identity and heritage for the city.

The three will discuss how the pandemic has affected the hospitality industry.

They will take questions from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Tom Daykin and the audience at the luncheon, moderated by Milwaukee Press Club President Corrinne Hess, reporter for Wisconsin Public Radio.

You must register in advance to view this event. Those who register will receive a link on the morning of the event to view it live.

REGISTER HERE

The Milwaukee Press Club’s Newsmaker Luncheon Series is underwritten by presenting sponsor Spectrum News 1 and sustaining sponsor Mueller QAAS, LLC.

WisPolitics.com partners with the press club for this luncheon as part of its ongoing event series in Milwaukee, sponsored by UW-Milwaukee, Wisconsin Academy of Global Education and Training, ELEVEN25 at Pabst, Milwaukee Police Association, The Firm Consulting, Medical College of Wisconsin and Spectrum.

Questions? Please contact Joette Richards, Milwaukee Press Club executive director, at joette@milwaukeepressclub.org or call 262-894-2224.

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.