Fred Geilfuss comes from a long line of Milwaukeeans.
“I always thought Milwaukee was a great place to raise a family and to live,” he said. “It has such a wonderful balance of cultural activities, sports, education and family life, and it’s just an easy place to live. Community is the fabric of the city.”
Growing up, Geilfuss recalled his father instilling in him the importance of being involved in community. His father, John C. Geilfuss, served on the Foundation
Board from 1979-1986.
Geilfuss currently serves on Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin’s board and donates blood every couple months.
“Versiti serves every hospital in southeastern Wisconsin,” Geilfuss said. “The blood really stays here, and it helps your family and friends and community members who need it.”
He previously served on the board for Marcus Performing Arts Center, Grand Avenue Club and his alma mater, University School, where he served as board president and where he now sits on the endowment fund.
“I always found serving on boards was a really enjoyable aspect of my life,” he said. “You meet people that you didn’t know and wouldn’t know otherwise. It was a great balance to both my family life, raising my kids and my professional life. It got me out of the office to learn what was going on in the city.”
As a corporate health care lawyer, it made sense for Geilfuss to get involved with boards of that nature, such as Grand Avenue Club, that focus on mental health. But he also credited Foley & Lardner’s board match committee, which aimed to involve lawyers in the community.
“Community service is valuable,” he said. “It’s personally rewarding and it’s rewarding for the community. Milwaukee is small enough that when you serve on a board, you can see that impact.”
Beyond making an impact through his board work, Geilfuss is the fund adviser for two Foundation funds; each was started by relatives who selected him as a successor adviser.
“It’s another way to make a difference,” he said.
The Foundation does all the work, he said, from managing the funds to timely publications that keep him informed about community happenings that help him decide where to give.
“They are very helpful in advising on lots of topics,” he said. “It’s that function of knowing the community and knowing what’s important in the community, knowing what the challenges are in the community that need addressing. The funds grow every year, and we’ve been lucky to have more to give away. It’s an easy way to provide a lasting legacy.”