CONNECTIONS: The Podcast

In this episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak talks with JoAnne Anton, President and CEO of Herb Kohl Philanthropies, about her remarkable career in public service and community impact. JoAnne reflects on her longtime partnership with Herb Kohl, sharing stories about his commitment to service, education, and the people of Wisconsin. She also discusses her path from Milwaukee's family dry-cleaning business to leadership in philanthropy and the lasting impact of Kohl's legacy across the state.

On this episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak sits down with fellow Rotarian Jerry Stepaniak and Marquette University student Laura Johnson about Rotary Club of Milwaukee's partnership bringing clean water to communities in Guatemala. They share how hands-on collaboration is transforming lives abroad while shaping the next generation of civic-minded engineers. You'll hear inspiring stories from the field and see how Milwaukee leaders and students are making a real difference together.  

  In this episode, Rotarian and Milwaukee Repertory Theater Executive Director Chad Bauman sits down with our host Tom Luljak to discuss the theater's $80 million renovation and its transformative impact on Milwaukee's arts community.   He also highlights the Rep's strong audience engagement, educational outreach, and the vital role of philanthropy in sustaining Wisconsin's underfunded arts sector. Listen to the conversation on CONNECTIONS wherever you get your podcasts—including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the Rotary website.

In this special episode of CONNECTIONS, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis, RCM Executive Director, Mary McCormick, and polio survivor Kristine Hinrichs discuss Rotary's decades-long fight to eradicate polio. They share personal stories, global progress, and the ongoing efforts to protect millions of children worldwide ahead of World Polio Day on October 24th.  Listen to the conversation on CONNECTIONS wherever you get your podcasts—including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the Rotary website.

On this edition of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak sits down with three young and ambitious Rotarians who are shaping the future of Milwaukee: Paige Radke of UMB Wealth Management, Antoine Carter of the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation, and Carol Alexander Barnes of KCB Buildings LLC. They share their perspectives as up-and-coming leaders, offering insight into how the next generation of Rotarians is making an impact in their professions, their community, and within the club.

On this edition of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak shines a light on the good work of fellow Rotarian Ian Abston and Michael Hostad…two of the people who are the driving force behind lighting the Daniel Hoan Bridge in Milwaukee.    We'll hear about the impact Lighting the Hoan has had on Milwaukee's image around the world…and how it has affected the way Milwaukeans themselves feel about their home town.  

Later this week, Beth Weirick, CEO of Milwaukee Downtown Business Improvement District #21, will step down after decades of service that have transformed Milwaukee into a more vibrant, inclusive, and thriving community. Beth's passion for Milwaukee runs deep, and her energy is unmatched. Often spotted dashing through the city streets in her signature high heels, she led countless ambitious projects, all with the goal of making Milwaukee a better place to live, work, and play.  A lifelong Milwaukeean, Beth has been committed to the city since her first independent bus ride downtown to see a concert at the MECCA. Her career reflects this devotion. Hired in 1998 to lead the newly formed Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21, Beth brought experience from roles at the Westown Association, the Milwaukee Department of City Development, and the Milwaukee Common Council. Beth's decades of leadership, compassion, and vision have transformed Milwaukee, and have earned her the recognition of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee's 2025 Person of the Year.  Listen to Beth sit down with CONNECTIONS Podcast Host Tom Luljak as she reflects upon her colorful journey and career in Milwaukee. 

In this episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak sits down with new Rotarian Kevin Shafer, the Executive Director of MMSD - the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.  Kevin has been working on water issues  for much of his career and is recognized as a national leader in water management. He's been called a visionary  because of his work to stop sewer overflows into Lake Michigan and using Green Infrastructure.   We'll hear about Kevin's ability to create strong partnerships between MMSD and other leading organizations committed to keeping Milwaukee and Wisconsin's waterways safe for future generations. 

One of the keys to being a successful business leader is creating a great environment for employees.   Our guest on this edition of CONNECTIONS the podcast is someone who has spent her entire career trying to do just that.   Beth Ridley has worked as a corporate executive for a Fortune 500 Company, served as a management consultant at one of the world's largest consulting firms, and  today...is head of her own company - Ridley Consulting Group-providing organizations with  Leadership Development, Training, and HR Support.   Join host Tom Luljak as we learn more about Beth's work to prepare the next generation of business leaders.  He also discusses the Culture of Belonging survey she just completed, which will guide us in identifying what to keep, stop, or start doing to strengthen belonging across our club.  

In this episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak has a Frank discussion…as in Frank Cumberbatch, Vice President of Engagement at Bader Philanthropies.   Frank's responsibilities include leading the Foundation's exploration of a neighborhood, place-based strategy to complement the Foundation's existing grantmaking, with an emphasis on the Harambee neighborhood. We'll hear how Frank's own determination and discipline lifted him from a life of poverty in Trinidad to an existence in the U.S. he could only dream about as a profoundly shy, severely asthmatic boy.

In our fourth episode of CONNECTIONS, host Tom Luljak sits down with Rotarian Erin Richards, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's first director of strategic partnerships and development. Erin has spent much of her career as an education reporter for the Journal, and later covered the national education beat for USA TODAY. Newspapers that once commanded top dollar for advertising space have seen their incomes and market share shrink. Erin shares how Wisconsin's largest news gathering organization, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, is taking a new approach to building audiences and improving their bottom line.  All of this happening at a time when the need for strong, independent and local reporting has never been greater.

In this episode of CONNECTIONS, incoming Rotary President and Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern joins host Tom Luljak. As a seasoned prosecutor, Kent recognizes that action in the criminal justice system should be coupled with community efforts that diminish poverty and expand economic opportunity. He celebrates the many ways that Rotary has expanded his knowledge of Milwaukee and friendships outside circle.

In our second episode of CONNECTIONS, Corey Zetts, Executive Director of Menomonee Valley Partners, joins Tom to discuss how Milwaukee inspires her. She also shares her interest in philosophy and its influence on her day-to-day work and projects like the B-Line Park.

Launched in November 2024, CONNECTIONS is a program that profiles the members of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. Tom Luljak, a fellow Rotarian, interviews some of our city's most interesting people who help to make southeastern Wisconsin a great place to work and live.   On this episode, Tom sits down with the current 2024 Club President and Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement at MSOE, Saj Thachenkary.