Sweet Success: Zizzo Group’s 2026 Donut Smackdown Raises $137,549 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
Donut Eating and Fundraising Champions Crowned at 10th Annual Event
MILWAUKEE – (November 13, 2026) – Zizzo Group Engagement Marketing (ZG), the region’s first engagement marketing agency, announced today it raised more than $137,549 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee through its 10th annual “Donut Smackdown” competition sponsored by DonutNV. Close to 100 community and business leaders teamed up to go head-to-head in a battle for bragging rights about their donut-eating and fundraising supremacy.
“For more than 10 years now, corporations and executives get into the holiday spirit by supporting Donut Smackdown and a cause we can all get behind – Milwaukee’s youth,” said Anne Zizzo, Founder and CEO of Zizzo Group Engagement Marketing and the creator of Donut Smackdown. “Milwaukee needs Club Kids and Club Kids need us. We believe in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and the amazing work they’re doing to be the seedbed for Milwaukee’s youth, while strengthening our community.”
“When you see a community rallying around the needs of its youth, you see what Boys & Girls Clubs are all about,” said Jeff Snell, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. “We love Zizzo Group’s Donut Smackdown because it exposes so many people to our mission and how Milwaukee’s youth rely on our safe spaces, sports, arts and after-school programming.”
Contestants have been making appeals to their networks for donations to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. Some of this year’s competing executives included:
- Alice Ambrowiak, Investment Analyst at Baird Advisors
- Micah Crawford, Vice President Marketing, Milwaukee Tool
- Jason Eggert, Market President & Corporate Banking Director, Wisconsin Old National Bank
- Bryan Kubel, Director of Partnership and Business Development at Visit Milwaukee
- Aaron Lipski, Milwaukee Fire Chief
- Katie Monachos, SVP and Residential Practice Leader at RINKA
- Derek Mosley, Director of the Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education at Marquette University Law School
- Danny Rivera, Director of Security, Fiserv
- Brian Rutkowski, Chief Operating Officer, Wisconsin Center District
- Omar Shaikh, Restaurateur (Carnevor & 3rd Street Market Hall)
- Gee Smith, Owner of Gee’s Clippers
- Jerrod Woods, Senior Director of Marketing, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (Summerfest)
- Johnny Zizzo, Account Director, Zizzo Group Engagement Marketing
Donut Smackdown – Qualifying Round
To make the final round of the competition and a chance of donut glory, teams qualify in two categories: (1) donuts eaten in two minutes and (2) fundraising. The qualifying round took place at Zizzo Group’s headquarters in Walker’s Point over a three-week period to determine who would grace the stage at the live finale.
For this year’s Donut Smackdown competition, 25 teams of three competed to eat as many donuts as possible in two minutes. The top teams who ate the most donuts in a two-minute timeframe moved on to compete in the live event. Top qualifiers included:
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- #1: Johnny Zizzo, ZG, Kelly Sullivan and Sean Sample, Gardner Builders (105 Donuts)
- #2: 2x defending champions Brian Rutkow, Brandon Anderson, Drew Dawson, Wisconsin Center District (103 donuts)
- #3: Micah Crawford, Milwaukee Tool, Danny Rivera, Fiserv, Pedro Guerrero, Voya (81 donuts)
The three top fundraising teams who went on to participate in the live event included:
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- #1: Baird: Alice Ambrowiak, George Wong, Erik Schleicher – $47,050.95
- #2: Foley & Lardner: Kris Szatmary, Eric Wild, Andy Wronski – $28,956.91
- #3: MKE Fire Chief, Aaron Lipski, Milwaukee Firefighters Association, Eric Daun, and Gee Smith, Gee’s Clippers – $12,808.35
At the live eat-off at the Oriental Theater, six teams competed to be crowned 2026 Donut Smackdown Champions but only one team came home with the victory. Congrats to Brian Rutkowski, Brandon Anderson and Drew Dawson from the Wisconsin Center District for smashing 105 donuts in less than two minutes. The victors were crowned by Super Bowl Champion, Donald Driver and awarded the coveted Donut Smackdown trophy and donut medal. All six teams were acknowledged on stage and awarded their donut medals.
“Thank you to all the teams that stepped up to the plate to compete and raise some dough for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee,” Zizzo stated. “This was a special 10th anniversary year. We’ve raised close to $700,000 with the Donut Smackdown competition so far and we look forward to another 10 years of supporting Milwaukee’s youth.” Zizzo continued, “I’m ecstatic to announce that Donut Smackdown 2026 raised $137,549 from 482 donors benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. The funds will help replace a basketball court that was destroyed by a storm at Camp Whitcomb/Mason. More than 6,000 youth use the court annually.”
More than to 300 community members cheered on the competition while enjoying free donuts from sponsor DonutNV. There was also a hilarious Donut Smackdown short film that highlighted all the competitors from the qualifying round. Click here to see the short film.
For more information, visit DonutSmackdown.com or ZizzoGroup.com.
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.
