Get To Know The Team We have had a handful of requests from our members and volunteers to share a bit more about ourselves. Accordingly, we've created this "Staff Picks" series for your reading enjoyment.  Saul Newton, President & CEO Favorite Wisconsin destination in Summer: When I was young I spent my summers in central Wisconsin, and it's still one of my favorite places to visit. Predictions on how the Brewers season will turn out: I'm looking forward to watching Brewers baseball long into October and beyond. Prediction for the Packers record (remember, NFL seaso ..read more

By Erin Gagnon, Guest Contributor You spend months preparing for your event, here are 10 affordable ways to get it more attention and sell more tickets! Google My Business - Posts This is super easy and free! You should have a Google My Business Account set up already. This is where you can respond to reviews, add photos and add posts. You can access Google My Business through the Gmail account you have signed up with. You will go to the Google My Business App and click on Posts on the left hand side. You can select Event, What's New or Offer. Fill out the info, add an image and publish. Add ..read more

By Kathy Henrich, Guest Contributor A national shortage of tech talent is a major challenge for employers. Veterans are an incremental pool of talent with adjacent skills which can help solve this tech talent shortfall while increasing diversity.  So why might veterans not be considered? In a recent survey of tech employers by the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce, with the support of the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, this question of “What is the biggest challenge in hiring veterans?” was asked. The top two answers given were the difficulty in translating military jobs and skills to open ..read more

By Arthur Cyr, Guest Contributor “Why all the fuss?” That is how retired U.S. Army Col. Ralph Puckett reacted when he learned he was to receive the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary bravery and effectiveness in combat during the Korean War. The modesty befits the man, and reflects his selflessness, a distinctive human virtue. Memorial Day is a fitting time to honor him, along with the men and women in our military who gave their lives. This special day originated shortly after our Civil War as Decoration Day. From the beginning, parades have been an important feature. From ancient times, s ..read more

By Adam Braatz    What does it mean to truly support our military members? You may be surprised to learn that the average civilian's vision of what "veteran friendly" embodies can be vastly disparate from the average veteran's. The chasm between the two matters. Unfortunately, when uninformed the best of intentions can often do more harm than help. For example: many veterans don't feel supported by the magnetic "support our troops" ribbon industry. Many roll their eyes at the sight of them; some are deeply insulted. I'm not suggesting you run out to the garage immediately and rip th ..read more

By Chris Smith, Guest Contributor     Turbulent times highlight the need to prepare for the unexpected. You may have a job today, but it's important to be prepared if you were to suddenly lose your job. Here are a few ways to get ahead of the stress and safeguard your strategy:   You've probably heard it before, but have an emergency fund. An emergency fund is incredibly valuable in the event of a job loss. We recommend saving at least three to six months of your monthly living expenses, but if you are starting at zero, aim to hit an initial goal of $500 to one month of li ..read more

By Adam Braatz    For nearly 30 years, our friends at the Center for Veterans Issues (CVI) have been providing essential housing and support services for Wisconsin veterans in need. In partnership with the Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars, CVI has launched a groundbreaking new mobile and browser-based app, CVI Help, to provide real-time assistance to veterans, military families, caregivers, and surviving dependents.    Simply put, this app is a game-changer.    Through the CVI Help app, users have immediate access to over 600 potentially lif ..read more

The newly revamped Veterans Day Parade will be held this November in downtown Milwaukee, WI. MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that it is leading a community coalition to host the Wisconsin Veterans Day Parade this November in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Veterans Day Celebration will feature a revived parade with a new parade route, partnerships and promotions from area businesses, and a festival with live entertainment, vendors, and resources for veterans and their families.  "Wisconsin's veteran business community is proud ..read more

      By Adam Braatz    In April, the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce observed "Restaurant, Food, & Retail Month." May is National Barbeque Month. Here we sit, smack dab in limbo between food-based festivities.    What better way to celebrate both occasions than by featuring our favorite Wisconsin-based veteran-owned BBQ outfits? Many Wisconsinites (including yours truly) grill year 'round, snow and freezing temps be damned. That aside, nothing signifies the arrival of Spring quite like the smell of grills firing up throughout the ne ..read more

  By Saul Newton, WVCC Executive Director   Restaurants and businesses in the hospitality industry have been disproportionately impacted by the economic downturn because of the pandemic. Thankfully, help is on the way. The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open.    Businesses eligible to apply for funds through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund are businesses where the public or patrons assemble for the primary purpose of being served food or ..read more