Forum History

The Forum was founded in 1965 by some of Milwaukee’s Industrial leaders, which included Chet W. Anderson – Employers Association (now MRA), Robert W. Baird – Marine Bank, William H. Brady – W.H. Brady Co. (now Brady Corporation), Harold Falk – Falk Corporation, Burleigh Jacobs – Grede Foundries, William Law – Cudahy Tanning and James Wright – Badger Meter. The founders of the Wisconsin Forum were determined that an intellectual approach to free market economic principles was needed to serve our community. Their goal for this group was to bring intellectually stimulating speakers to our community in an effort to strengthen our ability to defend and promote the economic principles that have made this nation great.

Much has changed in Milwaukee’s business community with the growth of multinational corporations and the lack of businesses that call Milwaukee their home. Yet, the need to bring the leading-edge thinkers of today to Milwaukee has not changed. For the past fifty years, the Wisconsin Forum has provided an opportunity for Wisconsin libertarians and conservatives to interact with Nobel Prize recipients, members of government both here and aboard and an assortment of speakers that may have been unknown at the time, but are prominent leaders of today.

Through the schedule of dinner meetings, The Wisconsin Forum helps to fulfill its role in bringing articulate speakers to Milwaukee to discuss economic, moral and philosophical principles which have as their basis the concept of individual freedom and responsibility.

Members of The Wisconsin Forum have an unflagging respect for initiative and the free-marketplace of ideas and economic activity. Members feel the best government is the least government. These are the principles which guide the Forum on its educational mission.