Visit Milwaukee 2025 Annual Report

MOMENTUM THAT DELIVERS 2025 ANNUAL REPORT

2 | Annual Report 2025

A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR DEAR VISIT MILWAUKEE PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS, Tourism is one of the most powerful economic engines we have, not only in Milwaukee, but across the entire state of Wisconsin. It drives spending into local businesses, supports jobs across industries, generates critical tax revenue, and strengthens the quality of life that makes communities attractive places to live, work, and visit. In Milwaukee, that impact was impossible to ignore in 2025.

This past year demonstrated what can happen when a city invests in itself and works together with purpose. Visit Milwaukee and its partners continued building momentum that reached every corner of our visitor economy. Major conventions, sporting events, festivals, cultural activations, and national media exposure generated measurable economic impact for hotels, restaurants, venues, retailers, attractions, and neighborhoods throughout the region. At the same time, Milwaukee’s national reputation continued to rise, earning recognition as one of America’s best big cities and one of the country’s most exciting food destinations.

As someone who advocates daily for Wisconsin’s restaurant and hospitality industries, I understand how important this work is to the businesses and workers who depend on a strong visitor economy. Tourism funding is not an abstract investment. It creates real returns for communities and directly supports the people and small businesses that make Milwaukee unique. Every convention booked, every sporting event hosted, every marketing campaign launched, and every visitor welcomed contributes to a stronger local economy and a more vibrant community for residents and visitors alike.

What impressed me most throughout 2025 was Visit Milwaukee’s ability to think beyond promotion alone. The organization continued expanding accessibility initiatives, strengthening community partnerships, advocating for tourism-supporting legislation, and creating opportunities that benefit the broader region. Those efforts reflect a deep understanding that tourism works best when it is aligned with community growth, workforce development, and long-term economic sustainability.

I want to thank Peggy Williams-Smith and the entire Visit Milwaukee team for their leadership, creativity, and commitment to Milwaukee’s future. I also want to thank the thousands of partners, hospitality workers, volunteers, elected officials, and community leaders who continue investing their energy and belief into this city.

Milwaukee’s momentum is real. More importantly, it’s sustainable because it is being built collaboratively by people who care deeply about this community and its future.

I am incredibly optimistic about where Milwaukee is headed, and proud to support the work that continues moving this city forward.

CONTENTS 3

Tourism Drives Milwaukee

5

Milwaukee Tourism Numbers

7

Meetings & Convention Sales

8

Event & Visitor Experience

11

Sports Milwaukee

13

Accolades

14

Milwaukee’s Flavor Era

15

Communications & Strategic Partnerships

17

Regional Partners, Collaborations & Partners

18

Strengthening Community Connections

19

Financials & Oversight

20

Thank You to Our Partners

22

Visit Milwaukee Team

23

Board of Directors 2024-2025

24

A Message From Our CEO

Sincerely,

Kristine Hillmer Board Chair, Visit Milwaukee President & CEO, Wisconsin Restaurant Association

Visit Milwaukee | 1

2 | Annual Report 2025

WISCONSIN STATE FAIR

TOURISM DRIVES MILWAUKEE Tourism continued to serve as one of Milwaukee’s most important economic engines in 2025, driving visitor spending, supporting local businesses, sustaining jobs, and generating momentum across the region’s hospitality and entertainment industries.

According to Tourism Economics and our other data partners, Milwaukee County hotel demand increased 4.5% year over year, generating more than $436 million in lodging revenue across hotels and shortterm rentals. Hotel demand alone surpassed 2.8 million room nights, while occupancy rose 3.4% countywide, even as many destinations across the country faced softening travel trends.

Milwaukee’s tourism economy demonstrated strength not only in visitation, but also in engagement and long-term competitiveness. Visit Milwaukee’s digital platforms reached record audiences in 2025, with website sessions increasing 5.8% year over year and social media audiences growing more than 11% to over 300,000 followers. Visitor trends showed Milwaukee continuing to attract overnight travelers, repeat visitors, and regional audiences from key growth markets including Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri. Downtown Milwaukee remained Wisconsin's most visited destination area, while attractions and neighborhoods throughout the county benefited from increased tourism activity.

The meetings and conventions sector also continued building long-term momentum. Visit Milwaukee’s Sales team secured more than 328,000 future hotel room nights in 2025, a 14.4% increase year over year,

Source: Milwaukee County / Tourism Economics

while generating more than 1.28 million lead room nights for future consideration. Looking ahead, future bookings for early 2026 were already pacing ahead of the previous year in several key months, reinforcing confidence in Milwaukee’s continued tourism growth trajectory.

These numbers represent more than visitor activity alone. They reflect real economic impact felt across Milwaukee’s hotels, restaurants, attractions, venues, neighborhoods, and small businesses. Tourism supports tens of thousands of local jobs, strengthens tax revenues that help fund public services and community assets, and creates opportunities that improve quality of life for residents throughout the region.

In Milwaukee, tourism isn’t simply an industry. It’s an investment in economic growth, community vitality, and the future of the city itself.

2025 HOTEL GROW TH HOTEL DEMAND

+4.5%

HOTEL OCCUPANCY

+3.4%

Visit Milwaukee | 3

SOBELMAN'S BLOODY MARY

27,812

FULL-TIME JOBS SUPPORTED

BY TOURISM

A Milwaukee bloody Mary isn't just a drink, it's an economic impact study.

One order supports a restaurant, a local producer, a server, a distributor, and usually a cheesemaker. Tourism works the same way, which is why $2.5 billion in visitor spending turns into $4.4 billion in economic impact.

4 | Annual Report 2025

MILWAUKEE (TOURISM)

IS LIKE BUILDING A GOOD BLOODY BACON STRIP

Bringing home the bacon on the daily.

$6.86 MILLION IN DAILY TOURISM SPENDING CHEESEBURGER SLIDER

The meat of the visitor economy.

$2.507 BILLION IN DIRECT VISITOR SPENDING

CELERY STALK

A key ingredient to a healthy economy.

$244.9 MILLION IN STATE & LOCAL TAXES GENERATED BY TOURISM

PERFECTED BLOODY MARY MIX

The secret sauce to our tourism impact.

$4.431 BILLION

IN TOURISM-BASED ECONOMIC IMPACT Visit Milwaukee | 5 Visit Milwaukee | 5

CONNECT MARKETPLACE

6 | Annual Report 2025

MEETINGS & CONVENTION SALES Milwaukee’s meetings and conventions momentum accelerated in 2025 as Visit Milwaukee’s Sales team secured more than 328,000 future hotel room nights, a new organizational record that reinforces Milwaukee’s emergence as one of the Midwest’s premier convention destinations. Major bookings including Expo! Expo!, AVCA First Serve, Black Travel Summit, Jehovah’s Witness conventions, and Mid-America Oireachtas demonstrated Milwaukee’s growing appeal to national organizations seeking destinations that combine state-of-theart infrastructure with authentic cultural experiences.

Our team elevated Milwaukee’s visibility at more than 60 tradeshows nationwide, while innovative activations like the Milwaukee Tailgate Club and an AI-powered augmented reality sales ambassador featuring Packers legend LeRoy Butler helped Milwaukee stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace. At the center of that momentum was the Baird Center, which earned national recognition as Exhibitor Magazine’s Center of Excellence, a finalist for best convention center in the Skift IDEA Awards and was named the best convention centers in the country by BizBash.

Those recognitions are proof that strategic investments in tourism infrastructure are generating measurable returns for Milwaukee’s economy, workforce, and future growth.

GERMAN FAM TOUR

YE AR END S T R DATA Milwaukee Year End

% Change

Average Comp Set

OCR

58.3%

+3.4

60.46%

ADR

$136.07

-3.3

$133.81

RevPAR

$79.27

+0.1

$81.09

PEGGY SPEAKS AT AN IMEX PANEL

IN 2025 SALES TEAM BOOKED

328,344 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS

EXCEEDING TARGET BY

23.9%

“THE BAIRD CENTER HAS TRANSLATED INTO BIGGER CONVENTIONS AND THOUSANDS OF OUT-OF-STATE AND INTERNATIONAL VISITORS”...“MORE VISITORS MEAN MORE BUSINESS FOR OUR HOTELS, BARS, RESTAURANTS AND OTHER AMENITIES.”

IAEE EXPO! EXPO!

Dale Kooyenga, President of MMAC

Visit Milwaukee | 7

GREAT LAKES CRUISES

EVENT & VISITOR EXPERIENCE Milwaukee’s reputation as a welcoming and visitor-friendly destination was reinforced in 2025 through the work of Visit Milwaukee’s Event Experience and Visitor Services teams.

Together with an extraordinary corps of 120+ volunteers, the team supported more than 370 events and helped create memorable experiences for approximately 765,000 attendees throughout the city. From conventions and sporting events to cruise ship arrivals and cultural festivals, Milwaukee consistently demonstrated its ability to welcome visitors at scale while maintaining the authenticity and hospitality that distinguish the city from larger competitors. That commitment to service and execution helped Milwaukee earn recognition from BizBash as the best city to host a convention, reinforcing the work of Visit Milwaukee’s Event Experience team in transforming first-time clients into long-term repeat customers and advocates for the destination.

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Throughout the year, 22 cruise ships docked in Milwaukee, contributing to a growing Great Lakes tourism economy and introducing thousands of new travelers to the city’s neighborhoods, restaurants, and attractions. Visitor-facing innovations including expanded visitor tools, enhanced travel resources, and more touchpoints with visitors in market that further strengthened Milwaukee’s competitive position.

These efforts directly influence repeat visitation, convention retention, reputation, and long-term economic impact.

EVENT EXPERIENCE TEAM RATED

4.95/5

BY MEETING PLANNERS

100%

OF MEETING PLANNERS SAID THEY WOULD RETURN TO MILWAUKEE

CRUISE WELCOMES

FIND YOUR MILWAUKEE TOUR

COLLATERAL DRIVE THRU

Visit Milwaukee | 9

USA TRIATHLON

10 | Annual Report 2025

SPORTS MILWAUKEE

USA FENCING

Sports tourism continued to generate significant economic and cultural impact for Milwaukee in 2025, driving more than 94,515 hotel room nights while attracting athletes, families, fans, and event organizers from across the country. Sports Milwaukee helped position the city as a destination capable of hosting events at every scale, from USA Triathlon National Championships and USA Fencing Summer Nationals to securing the nationally celebrated Banana Ball Championship League Series at American Family Field for 2026.

In partnership with the marketing team, Milwaukee Tailgate Week brought the excitement surrounding Wisconsin’s NFL Draft moment to Milwaukee, a citywide tourism activation that energized local businesses and amplified the destination's reputation as a sports and entertainment destination. And partnerships with leaders and athletes including Bobby Portis, Mason Crosby, Nick Collins, and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame extended Milwaukee’s reach to new audiences while reinforcing hometown pride.

At the same time, tourism’s impact extended beyond visitation alone. Collaborations like the Milwaukee Admirals hospitality scholarship initiative invested directly into the future workforce powering Milwaukee’s visitor economy. Recognition of Sports Milwaukee Director Marissa Werner as Sports ETA Woman of the Year further underscored Milwaukee’s growing leadership and influence within the national sports tourism industry.

122

EVENTS BOOKED FOR FUTURE YEARS

74,424 ROOM NIGHTS BOOKED IN 2025

$68,503,268 2025 ECONOMIC IMPACT

3O N 3 N E WS L E TTE R CO N N EC TS W IT H OV ER 1,500 S P ORTS PLAN N E R S E V E RY MONTH

NIKE PRESIDENT'S CUP

Visit Milwaukee | 11

THAT'S THAT FLAVOR The Visit Milwaukee team brought home accolades galore.

THE BETTY AWARD

S

SPORTS

HSMAI

12 | Annual Report 2025

ETA WO M

AN OF T

HE YEA

R

INDUSTRY AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Adrian Award for Best B2B PR Campaign: Baird Center HSMAI Award (Best in Category), Public Relations/ Communications, PR B2B Campaigning: Baird Center Northstar Meetings Stella Award, Bronze for Best Convention Center: Baird Center SportsEvents Readers' Choice All-Star Destination Partner Award Smart Meetings Platinum Choice Award: Visit Milwaukee eTSY Award for Best Travel Brand Refresh PRSA Paragon Award, Communicator of the Year: Peggy Williams-Smith Connect Event Experience Award, Best Host City Connect Event Experience Award, Best Convention Center: Baird Center Skift IDEA Award Finalist, Best DMO Midwest SportsEvents Best Volleyball Venues, No. 7 Ranking: Baird Center Facilities & Destinations Prime Site Award: Baird Center Facilities & Destinations Top Destination Award BizTimes Notable Latino Leaders Recognition: Tony Snell Rodriguez SportsETA Woman of the Year Award: Marissa Werner Betty Awards, Bridge Builder Recognition: Peggy Williams-Smith 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch Recognition: Peggy Williams-Smith Meetings Today Best CVBs in the Midwest Meetings Today Best Convention Center: Baird Center Prevue Visionary Award, Best U.S. Destination for Meetings & Conventions

• • • • • •

Champions of Economic Impact Recognition: USA Fencing Nationals & July Challenge IAEE Marketing & Sales Person of the Year Recognition: Leslie Johnson C-Suite Stars Recognition: Christina Cooper Viddy Platinum Award: Milwaukee Made Viddy Gold Award: Bobby Portis Loves Milwaukee EXHIBITOR Magazine Centers of Excellence Designation: Baird Center

MEDIA ACCOLADES

• • • • • • • • • • •

Condé Nast Traveler, The Best Food Cities in the US: 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards Parade, The 7 Best Destinations for Women Over 50 to Visit Right Now, According to Travel Advisors Condé Nast Traveler, The Best Cities in the United States: 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards The Wall Street Journal, The Cities Where College Grads Are Actually Landing Jobs Lonely Planet, The 11 Best Day Trips from Chicago Afar, 52 Places to Travel in the U.S. This Year TimeOut, This is the most affordable lake town in the U.S. Travel + Leisure, This Midwestern City Was Just Named the Most Affordable Lakefront Destination in the U.S. Today Show, Here’s your guide to the hottest summer music festivals in 2025 Lonely Planet, 12 under-the-radar destinations in America's Midwest National Geographic, These Black neighborhoods shaped America. Here are their lasting legacies

“MILWAUKEE HAS A BUZZY RESTAURANT SCENE THAT HAS TURNED THE CITY INTO A DINING DESTINATION IN ITS OWN RIGHT.”

-Condé Nast Traveler

Visit Milwaukee | 13

MILWAUKEE MADE RELEASE PARTY

MARKETING MILWAUKEE’S FLAVOR ERA Visit Milwaukee’s marketing efforts in 2025 did more than promote a destination. They reshaped perceptions of Milwaukee on a national stage, and delivered real results. For every dollar spent on advertising in 2025, Visit Milwaukee's campaigns returned $72 in visitor spending. Award-winning campaigns like City of Festivals and Buy Local Bonus demonstrated how tourism marketing can simultaneously drive visitation, support neighborhood businesses, and strengthen civic pride. They even secured some City of Festivals love on the Today Show! Those efforts earned top industry honors including eTSY Awards for Campaign of the Year and Best Local Impact Campaign, as well as multiple HSMAI Adrian Awards recognizing excellence in tourism marketing and public relations.

14 | Annual Report 2025

COMMUNICATIONS In 2025, Visit Milwaukee’s communications and public relations efforts elevated Milwaukee’s profile far beyond Wisconsin, positioning the city as one of America’s most compelling emerging destinations. Through strategic media hosting, cultural storytelling, and proactive national outreach, Milwaukee earned recognition as one of Condé Nast Traveler’s top three big cities in America for the third consecutive year while continuing to gain acclaim as one of the nation’s best food cities. Visit Milwaukee hosted influential national media outlets and travel journalists, including the staff of AFAR Magazine, generating high-value coverage that introduced Milwaukee to new audiences seeking authentic urban experiences.

The organization’s storytelling efforts celebrated everything from Milwaukee’s culinary identity and arts scene to public art, cultural festivals, and neighborhood creativity. Projects like “Milwaukee Made,” the Joshing Around Milwaukee podcast, and Milwaukee Flavor: The Cookbook extended Milwaukee’s story across television, digital, print, and social channels, creating a modern tourism narrative rooted not in stereotypes, but in culture, innovation, and community. The impact of this work extended beyond impressions alone. Strong storytelling drives visitation, strengthens local businesses, attracts investment, and helps shape how residents see their own city.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Strategic partnerships with Good Karma Brands, Team Lammi, Summerfest, Adidas, Shake James, and others amplified Milwaukee’s voice across radio, digital platforms, experiential activations, and cultural collaborations.

The Milwaukee Theater District also continued building momentum through impactful year-round campaigns that elevated Milwaukee’s performing arts scene and strengthened downtown vibrancy, helping position the city as a premier destination for live entertainment and cultural experiences. Meanwhile, initiatives like Milwaukee Flavor: Live, the launch of "Milwaukee Flavor: The Cookbook", and immersive events at the Mall of America brought Milwaukee directly to potential travelers in key growth markets.

Even amid rapid disruption in the digital marketing landscape caused by artificial intelligence and changing search behavior, Visit Milwaukee increased website traffic by more than 10% year over year while continuing to grow audiences across social platforms. The results were clear. Milwaukee’s story resonated because it was authentic, creative, and deeply connected to the people and businesses that make the city one of a kind.

POCKET PANCAKES T-SHIRT GIVEAWAY

MILWAUKEE FLAVOR: THE COOKBOOK

Visit Milwaukee | 15

REGIONAL PARTNERS In 2025, Visit Milwaukee strengthened one of the largest and most collaborative tourism ecosystems in the Midwest. The organization closed the year with a record 1,065 partner businesses spanning hospitality, arts, entertainment, retail, sports, neighborhoods, and corporate leadership.

New regional partnerships with organizations including Discover the North Shore and Discover Brookfield expanded Milwaukee’s tourism footprint while encouraging visitors to explore the broader region. Enhanced strategic partnerships with Discover Wauwatosa and Potawatomi Casino | Hotel meant heavy promotion and celebration of Wisconsin's first Thomas Dambo troll, Mama Rosa, as well as the best Sportsbook in the region.

HUBBARD PARK BEER GARDEN

COLLABORATIONS Strategic collaborations with community institutions, cultural organizations, sports teams, and businesses helped power everything from national tourism campaigns and large-scale events to local activations supporting small businesses.

Visit Milwaukee also continued deepening engagement with its growing partner network through increasingly popular partner mixers and networking events that have evolved into quarterly must-attend gatherings for Milwaukee’s business and hospitality community. These events create meaningful opportunities for collaboration, relationship building, and shared investment in Milwaukee’s future.

PARTNER MIXER

POTAWATOMI SPORTSBOOK

VALUE OF PARTNERS In 2025 it became crystal clear: Behind every successful tourism initiative Visit Milwaukee undertook was a network of partners investing their time, creativity, and resources into Milwaukee’s continued growth. Those partnerships are not symbolic. They are economic infrastructure. They create alignment, amplify marketing reach, support workforce development, and ensure that the benefits of tourism extend into neighborhoods and businesses across the region.

16 | Annual Report 2025

TOURISM SUCCEEDS WHEN COMMUNITIES WORK TOGETHER

HUGH JACKMAN SONG SUNG BLUE PR TOUR

1,065 PARTNER BUSINESSES

CHRISTIAN YELICH VISITS STYLE POP CAFE

BOBBY PORTIS EXPLORES MILWAUKEE

MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MARKET IKE WYNTER INSTALLATION

41.5% OF VISITORS TRAVELED MORE THAN 250 MILES TO VISIT MILWAUKEE Source: Tourism Economics

Visit Milwaukee | 17

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS In 2025, Visit Milwaukee continued to demonstrate that successful tourism development must also strengthen communities, expand access, and create opportunities that benefit residents alongside visitors. The launch of the Accessibility Hub, adaptive event listings, and expanded participation in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program reinforced Milwaukee’s commitment to becoming a destination where all travelers feel welcomed and supported. These efforts generated national attention while helping local venues and organizations improve inclusive practices across the visitor economy.

At the same time, Visit Milwaukee partnered with organizations like Boelter SuperStore to activate the Hospitality Emergency Relief Fund, directly supporting hospitality businesses facing unexpected hardship.

These efforts reflect a broader truth: tourism is not separate from community development, it is one of the tools that helps communities thrive. Investments in tourism strengthen public spaces, support local businesses, sustain cultural institutions, and create opportunities that improve quality of life for residents across Milwaukee.

Tourism is not separate from community development.

It is one of the tools that helps communities thrive.

CORPORATE PARTNER TOUR

Beyond direct community engagement, Visit Milwaukee also played an active advocacy role at the local, state, and federal levels on behalf of Milwaukee’s tourism and hospitality industries.

The organization helped advocate for the return of film tax credits in Wisconsin, recognizing the significant economic and promotional impact film and television production can generate for destinations. Visit Milwaukee was also deeply engaged in efforts to strengthen statewide tourism opportunity funding legislation, helping improve programs that provide destinations across Wisconsin with greater resources to compete for major tourismdriving events and business opportunities. Throughout the year, Visit Milwaukee worked closely with partners and elected officials to help businesses and organizations advocate for themselves and for policies that support tourism growth, economic development, workforce opportunity, and community investment.

Behind the scenes, Visit Milwaukee staff served on 75 boards and committees, attended 300+ community events, and helped foster deeper civic alignment across the region.

VISI T MILWAUKEE S TAFF SERVED ON

75

BOARDS & COMMITTEES

CELEBRATING THE FONZ'S 80TH BIRTHDAY

18 | Annual Report 2025

ATTENDED

300+ COMMUNITY EVENTS

FINANCIALS & OVERSIGHT Behind every campaign, convention booking, visitor experience, and community partnership is a team ensuring Visit Milwaukee remains strong, accountable, and prepared for long-term growth.

In 2025, Visit Milwaukee’s Human Resources, Administration, and Finance teams played a critical role in strengthening the organization from within.

Human Resources continued building a workplace culture centered on collaboration, inclusion, and professional growth, contributing to improved employee culture and engagement scores while attracting an increasingly diverse and highly qualified pool of candidates from across the country. As Milwaukee’s national profile continues to rise, so does interest from destination marketing professionals eager to help shape the city’s future.

At the same time, the Administration and Finance teams ensured the organization remained financially responsible, transparent, and strategically agile. The annual audit process was completed smoothly and successfully, while internal financial systems evolved to provide more real-time operational insight and stronger reporting capabilities. These improvements not only strengthened organizational decision-making, but also enhanced Visit Milwaukee’s ability to accurately measure and communicate the economic return tourism generates for local businesses and the broader community. Together, these teams provide the operational foundation that allows Visit Milwaukee to grow responsibly, respond strategically, and continue delivering measurable value for Milwaukee.

OVER ALL 2025 RE VENUE

$14,034,000 ■ 88% Hotel Occupancy Tax and Public Funding ■ 5.8% Partner Dues and Programs ■ 3.4% Marketing and Ad Sales ■ 2%

Other (Interest and Miscellaneous Income)

■ <1%

Program and Service Revenue

T OTAL 2025 EX PENSES

$13,426,000 ■ 48% Marketing & Communications ■ 31% Convention Sales, Sports Milwaukee

& Event Experience ■ 9%

Administrative

■ 2% Partnerships

Visit Milwaukee | 19

THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS FOR

Moving Milwaukee Forward S T R AT E GIC

PR E MIER R E GION A L

DE S T IN AT ION

COR P OR AT E

20 | Annual Report 2025

SUPPORT FROM REGIONAL PARTNERS

WAUWATOSA

THE NORTH SHORE

Wauwatosa's walkable streets are lined with sought-after restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, and boutiques that make it one of the Milwaukee area's favorite places to spend the day.

Lake Michigan, sandy beaches, wooded trails, nature centers, sculpture gardens, brewery tours, and beer halls put the North Shore's biggest attractions all within a few miles of one another.

WEST ALLIS

BROOKFIELD

Come for the State Fair, stay for the breweries, vintage shops, neighborhood restaurants, and constant stream of new discoveries that have put West Allis on everyone's radar.

Shopping may put Brookfield on the map, but its restaurants, entertainment options, and collection of hotels give visitors plenty of reasons to make a day, or a weekend, out of their trip.

Visit Milwaukee | 21

VISIT MILWAUKEE TEAM As of June 1, 2026

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Joshua Albrecht Chief Marketing Officer

Leslie Johnson Chief Sales Officer

Claire Hanan Vice President of Communications and Advocacy

Christina Cooper Vice President of Human Resources

Michelle Haider Senior Director of Event Experience

Tony Snell Rodriguez Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion

Marisol Acevedo Creative Services Manager

Nicole Bedner Event Experience Manager

John Blust Copywriter

Peyton Boelk Marketing Specialist

Monica Bullington Marketing Projects Manager

Chad Chappell National Account Executive

Fernando De La Sancha Partnership Development Specialist

Kaitlin Foley Communications & Social Media Manager

Steven Forbes Executive Assistant

Christina Fox Senior Convention Sales Coordinator

Matthew Gifford Marketing & Communications Assistant

Abi Hammonds Sports Development Manager

Chelsea Hernandez Marketing Coordinator

Devric Hitchcock Sports Retention Specialist

Megan Husband National Account and Tourism Sales Executive

Jessica Jacobs National Account Executive

Andrew Knuth Senior Event Experience & Housing Manager

Bryan Kubel Kathryn Lavey Director of Creative Director Partnership and Business Development

Katie Lawrence Account Executive

Shaylynn Libby Convention Sales Coordinator

Taleah Meah Visitor Experience Manager

Julia Meehan Communications Manager

Laura Nelson Director of Group Sales

Manuel Rocha National Account Executive

Kendahl Skomski Event Experience Coordinator

Taylor Trost Visitor Experience Coordinator

Raymond Valles​ National Account Executive

Der Vang HR Employee Engagement Manager​

Marissa Werner Director of Sports Milwaukee

Alex Zimdars Senior Performance Marketing and Analytics Manager

Peggy Williams-Smith President and CEO

STAFF

Maria Strand Partnership Services Specialist

THANK YOU TO VISIT MILWAUKEE'S MARKETING COMMITTEE: Steve Baas, Stacy Bartsch, Erin Borkowsky, Lindsay Dracca, Beth Gleesing, Chris Graham, Lynn Griffith, Tajma Hall, Cortney Heimerl, Katie Hill, Lennora Jules, Curt Kluth, Mary Leonard, Harold Mester, Kathleen O'Leary, Sarah Pancheri, Becca Petrillo, Maxx Rodriguez, Melissa Sabel, Emily Salentine, Wes Shaver, Gary Witt, Mike Wojciechowski, and Jerrod Woods.

22 | Annual Report 2025

BOARD OF OF DIRECTORS DIRECTORS 2024-2025 2025-2026 BOARD July 2025-June 2026

OFFICERS

Sarah Pancheri Immediate Past Chair, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.

Curt Kluth Vice Chair, Saz’s Hospitality Group

Jim Villa Treasurer, National Association for Industrial & Office Parks (NAIOP)

Peggy Williams-Smith President & CEO Visit Milwaukee

Steve Baas Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association

Paul Bartolotta The Bartolotta Restaurants

Danielle Bergner Hall & Render

Shari Black Wisconsin State Fair

Kate Braasch Marquette University

Amber Christopher Harley-Davidson Museum

Michael Cosentino Milwaukee Brewers

Grady L. Crosby Northwestern Mutual

Clifton Crump City of Milwaukee

Brian Dranzik Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport

Michael Evans Marcus Hotels & Resorts

Mark Flaherty Jackson Street Holdings

Tami Garrison Generac

Beth Gleesing Discover Wauwatosa

Dr. Eve M. Hall Milwaukee Urban League

Tracy Johnson Commercial Association of REALTORS® Wisconsin

James Kanter Central Standard Craft Distillery

Jeremy Lucas Milwaukee County

Yussef Morales Puerto Rican Festival of Wisconsin

Amos D. Morris, Jr. Milwaukee County Zoo

Samantha Maldonado Chaska Consulting

Dennis McBride Mayor of Wauwatosa

Kevin Newell Royal Capital

Jason Rae Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce

Gerard A. Randall, Jr. Milwaukee Partnership Academy

Alderman Russell W. Stamper II Milwaukee Common Council

Alderman Lamont Westmoreland Milwaukee Common Council

Jason Wilke Wauwatosa Common Council President

Dennis Williams Fiserv Forum

Alexx Zawada Potawatomi Casino | Hotel

Matt Dorner Ex-Officio, Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21

Craig Kammholz Ex-Officio, MMAC

Kristine Hillmer Board Chair, Wisconsin Restaurant Association

DIRECTORS

THANK YOU TO VISIT MILWAUKEE'S IDEA COMMITTEE: Alison Hanrahan, Anthony Smith, Aaron Rice, Damian Buchman, Element Everest-Blanks, Erik Kennedy, Eve M. Hall, Genyne Edwards, Jonathan Newby, Kalan Haywood, Sr., Kate Braasch, Lafayette Crump, Marian Jimenez, Meisha Bridges, Mohammed Bey, Nate Deans Jr., Oscar Tovar, Paul Smith, Ranell Washington, Russell W. Stamper II, Samantha Maldonado, Tami Garrison, and Tracie Sparks.

Visit Milwaukee | 23

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO DEAR FRIENDS AND CHAMPIONS OF MILWAUKEE, In 2025, Milwaukee continued proving something we have long known to be true: When people experience this city for themselves, they leave inspired, energized, and eager to return.

This was a year of extraordinary momentum for Milwaukee’s visitor economy and for Visit Milwaukee as an organization.

Across every department, every partnership, and every initiative, we saw the impact that strategic investment in tourism can have on a community. Conventions filled our hotels and restaurants.

Sporting events brought thousands of athletes and families into our neighborhoods. National media outlets spotlighted Milwaukee’s culture, culinary scene, and creativity. Visitors explored our lakefront, attended our festivals, supported our businesses, and contributed directly to the economic vitality of our city and region.

But this report is about more than tourism statistics and event wins. It’s about impact.

Tourism supports jobs. It sustains small businesses. It generates tax revenue that helps fund critical services and public spaces.

It supports arts and cultural organizations. It drives investment into neighborhoods and helps shape the way people perceive Milwaukee across the country and around the world.

In 2025, Visit Milwaukee worked aggressively to ensure that impact continued growing. Our Sales team secured a record number of future hotel room nights, strengthening Milwaukee’s position as a premier meetings and conventions destination.

Sports Milwaukee continued attracting nationally significant events that generated economic activity and visibility for the region. Our Marketing, Communications, and Partnership teams earned national recognition for campaigns that elevated Milwaukee’s brand while also supporting local businesses and partners. Our Event Experience team helped Milwaukee earn recognition as one of the best convention destinations in the country by consistently delivering exceptional visitor experiences.

Across the organization, our staff continued advocating for policies, partnerships, and investments that strengthen Milwaukee’s tourism economy for the long term.

At the same time, we never lost sight of the importance of community alignment. We expanded accessibility initiatives,

24 | Annual Report 2025

supported hospitality businesses facing hardship, strengthened regional partnerships, and continued investing in programs that ensure tourism benefits residents as much as visitors. Tourism is strongest when it reflects and supports the people who call Milwaukee home.

And while 2025 delivered remarkable accomplishments, it also laid the foundation for an incredibly exciting future. Throughout the year, our team spent significant time and energy helping support and prepare for the American Great Lakes MICHELIN Guide announcement, an opportunity that has the potential to further elevate Milwaukee’s culinary reputation on an international stage for many years ahead. We also continued building toward Expo! Expo! in November 2026, when thousands of meeting planners and hospitality professionals from across the country will experience Milwaukee and Baird Center firsthand. Combined with major campaigns, new partnerships, and expanded storytelling initiatives, the work happening today is positioning Milwaukee for even greater visibility and impact in the years ahead.

None of this work happens alone.

I want to thank our Board of Directors for their leadership and guidance, our incredible Visit Milwaukee team for their relentless dedication, and our more than 1,000 partners for believing in the power and potential of this city. I also want to thank our elected officials, civic leaders, volunteers, hospitality workers, and community organizations who continue helping Milwaukee grow as a destination and as a community.

Milwaukee’s rise isn’t accidental. It’s the result of collaboration, creativity, investment, and a shared belief in what this city can become.

And we are only getting started.

Sincerely,

Peggy Williams-Smith President and CEO Visit Milwaukee

Visit Milwaukee | 25

@visitmilwaukee | #visitmke