Gregory M. Wesley
President & CEO
As President and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation since 2024, Gregory M. Wesley, JD, is committed to building a thriving Milwaukee for all by aligning philanthropic generosity, strategic community leadership and cross-sector collaboration. Throughout his career spanning law, academia and philanthropy, Wesley has remained a connected and dedicated civic leader, giving his time, talent, treasure, ties and testimony to cultivate partnerships, support community-centered solutions and strengthen the greater Milwaukee region.
Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, Wesley began his career in Milwaukee as an attorney, practicing with Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP from 1997-2016. He went on to become the Medical College of Wisconsin’s first Senior Vice President for Strategic Alliances and Business Development from 2016-2024.
Notably, he served on MCW’s Board of Trustees and the Foundation’s Board of Directors before assuming leadership positions at each organization respectively. He brought this compound perspective to his role as a founding co-chair of the ThriveOn Collaboration, a partnership among the Foundation, MCW, and developer Royal Capital that gave rise to the historic ThriveOn King development, where the Foundation is now headquartered.
Through the years, Wesley has demonstrated his commitment to collective action and improving life in the region through extensive community involvement. He currently serves on the boards of Teach for America Milwaukee (Chair); Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (Immediate Past Chair), Black Arts Fest MKE, Greater Milwaukee Committee, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, MHS Health Wisconsin, Milwaukee World Festivals, Trust for Professional Managers, and Versiti. He is also a trustee for the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread.
In a capital campaign and fundraising capacity, he has been a member or co-chair for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin Legacy Campaign, United Performing Arts Fund Community Campaign, and United Way Community Campaign.
His many honors and achievements include: African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin Business Champion Award (2022); BizTimes Media Notable Nonprofit Board Leaders (2023) and Wisconsin 275 list (2025-26); Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee Annabell Cook Whitcomb Award (2026); Fellowship Open Civic Legacy Leadership Award (2025); Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 (2007), Hall of Fame (2019) and Power Players Pillars list (2026); Wisconsin Law Journal Leader in Law (2016),
Wesley attended Indiana University-Bloomington where he earned a Bachelor of Science in 1992. He earned his law degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School in 1997. He and his spouse (Lisa) have two children.
