Calls for United Way merger came from businesses

Enlarge Photo

David Lubar, board chair of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee

Mark Kass

Editor-in-Chief- Milwaukee Business Journal

Email  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Google+

The calls for the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and the United Way in Waukesha County to merge came from businesses that have operations in both Milwaukee and Waukesha counties.

The two agencies Thursday announced the merger to create the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.

David Lubar, board chair of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee, said Milwaukee-area businesses such as Quad/Graphics, Wells Fargo, BMO Harris Bank, GE Healthcare, Aurora Health Care and Froedtert Health, would all benefit from not having to work with two United Way agencies.

"This makes so much more sense in allowing us to work more efficiently," Lubar said Friday in a meeting with the Milwaukee Business Journal editorial board.

Lubar also said the merger would help continue to break down the walls between Milwaukee and Waukesha counties.

"The social challenges facing our communities do not recognize city boundaries or county lines," he said. "This larger United Way will be able to partner with local and regional organizations and attract new funding from individual and corporate donors who are more interested in wider geographic programs that serve a greater number of people, influence social change and solve more problems."

Lubar and Mary Lou Young, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee, said they would work hard to make sure both Milwaukee and Waukesha counties were served equally. They said five members of the Waukesha County agency's board would part of the merged board and give the new agency a 45-member board of directors, up from 43 members.

One of the Milwaukee board's first action this week was the renewal of a $20,000 grant to fund the Thriving Waukesha County Task Force.

Mark Kass is the editor-in-chief of the Milwaukee Business Journal.