MILWAUKEE — A Wisconsin program is helping young business leaders and professionals get connected. It’s also sharpening their skills and helping their communities thrive.
Forward 48 is a collaboration between the Greater Milwaukee Committee, the Hoan Group, and the New North. It has connected 279 participants over the past two years with experienced business executives.
Maurice Thomas is the president of Forward 48. He said the program offers professional development and exclusive networking opportunities to participants across the state.
He said the goal is to have executive leaders in the city participate in a master class where they share their business insights, success stories and failures.
“Too often we have young people who are waiting their turn to have leadership,” said Thomas. “If that leadership is shared and passed on, we don’t have to start over every 40 years.”
The program has recently expanded to accept participants from Green Bay, the Fox Valley, Madison, Racine and Kenosha.
The 279 alumni with the program represent 186 companies across the state.
Ian Abston is the founder of Forward 48. He said the program is all about connecting today’s leaders with tomorrow’s leaders.
Through his work with the community, he realized there was an information gap between community leaders and smaller business leaders.
“We knew there was a playbook,” said Abston. “In a community like Milwaukee, when executives retire they tend to move south. They take with them that wisdom and knowledge.”
He said there is a rural and urban divide. That’s why they wanted to expand the program from Milwaukee to all across the state.
Abston said building these professional relationships at a young age will ensure success.
Past participants like Stephanie Skrade said joining Forward 48 helped sharpen her leadership skills. She’s the sales director at the Milwaukee Athletic Club.
“It’s very inspiring to me to be in a group of like-minded individuals who are doing really big things,” said Skrade.
She said learning from successful leaders in the city and learning from their failures and successes has inspired her.
Thomas said the program is now accepting applicants for the next cohort. The cohorts last six weeks and take place both in-person and virtually.
“We now have our most senior executives and our rising leaders playing on the same team for the first time,” said Thomas.
Thomas said each session is designed to give participants an engaging learning experience that will equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to define the state’s future.