William C. Frye Award
About the William C. Frye Award
William C. Frye was a community leader who, at the time of his death in 1954, was chairman of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Board (then called the Milwaukee Foundation). It was his wish that this annual award recognizes individuals who have contributed their time, efforts or talents to make this a better community. The William C. Frye Award is one of the oldest and most well-respected civic awards in metropolitan Milwaukee.
2024 award recipient
John Schlifske
Through leadership of one of Milwaukee’s top companies over the past 14 years, John Schlifske has made exceptional contributions to create positive change across our region. Read more >
Past award recipients
2024 - John Schlifske
2023 - Ted and Mary Kellner
2022 - Ralph Hollmon
2021 - Virgis and Angela Colbert
2020 - Ricardo Diaz
2019 - Judge Derek C. Mosley
2018 - Steve Marcus
2017 - John W. Daniels, Jr.
2016 - Linda Mellowes
2015 - Doug and Sharon Ziegler
2014 - Leon Janssen
2013 - Dan Bader
2012 - Mario and Cathy Costantini
2011 - Jan and Vince Martin, Robert S. Zigman
2010 - Thomas and Patricia Dalum
2009 - Robert Harris Jr., Ed and Diane Zore
2008 - Sister Edna Lonergan, Jeannetta Simpson-Robinson
2007 - Dr. Howard Fuller, John and JoEllen Stollenwerk
2006 - Tim and Jan Hoeksema, Dennis Kuester
2005 - Marianne and Sheldon Lubar, Wesley Scott
2004 - Richard Abdoo
2003 - Walter Sava, Linda Stephenson
2002 - Marianne Epstein
2001 - Jill and Jack Pelisek
2000 - Barbara and Edwin P. Wiley
1999 - Martin F. Stein, Richard Pieper
1998 - Fred and Ann Stratton, Catherine B. Cleary
1997 - James L. Forbes
1996 - Daniel F. McKeithan Jr.
1995 - Fred Brengel, Lucinda Gordon
1994 - Gwen T. Jackson, William L. Randall
1993 - Anne Luber, David F. Nelson
1992 - Patricia B. Apple, Charles W. Parker Jr.
1991 - Joan Hardy, Robert Doucette
1990 - Jane and Lloyd Pettit
1989 - Carl W. Moebius, Theodore Friedlander
1988 - Willard Davidson, Jane Pate Eastham
1987 - Donald K. Mundt, Kim Trostel
1986 - Monnie D. Messinger, William C. Messinger
1985 - Robert M. Hoffer, Gertrude Elser Schroeder, James O. Wright
1984 - Edith N. Finlayson, Dorothy Ross Pain, Esther Leah Ritz
1983 - Harry F. Franke, Frank E. Horton, Jean B. Tyler
1982 - Francis E. Ferguson
1981 - Patrick W. Cotter
1980 - John R. Willetts
1979 - Rev. John D. Fischer, I. Andrew Rader
1978 - Brother Booker Ashe, Mrs. Samuel W. Lewis, Carlton P. Wilson
1977 - William D. Vogel, Virginia Booth Vogel
1976 - Ray Richardson
1975 - John C. Geilfuss
1974 - Allen M. Slichter
1973 - Eliot G. Fitch, Harold W. Story
1972 - Abraham B. Schwartz
1971 - Richard R. Teschner
1970 - Edmund Fitzgerald
1969 - Mrs. Erwin C. Uihlein
1968 - Donald C. Slichter
1967 - Howard W. Gregg
1966 - Louis J. Selzer Sr.
1965 - Thomas Cheeks, Irwin Maier
1964 - Leo Tiefenthaler
1963 - Albert S. Puelicher
1962 - Rev. Edward J. O’Donnell
1961 - Harold S. Vincent
1960 - Harry Brockel
1959 - Norman N. Gill
1958 - Dr. William R. Rasche
1957 - Walter H. Bender