When Tom Florsheim commits to something, he does so wholeheartedly. When looking for a place where he could join with others to address the community’s greatest challenges, he turned to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
Florsheim, who joined the Foundation’s Board in 2018, appreciated the connections it had in the region and believed the impact it could have on any given issue would be greater than any one individual could have on his or her own.
“I joined the Board because I was inspired to hear about the work the Foundation is doing in terms of social justice and racial equity,” said Florsheim, chairman and CEO of Weyco Group, a firm that designs and manufactures men’s dress and casual shoes. “It brings the leadership of different groups in Milwaukee to the table to discuss more all-encompassing solutions to the problems that seem so intractable,” such as poverty, dropout rates and incarceration.
Florsheim became involved right away, joining the Development & Philanthropic Services and Community Impact committees that July. He and his wife, Jennifer, started a donor advised fund in December 2018.
Florsheim also manages his company’s philanthropic arm, the Weyco Charitable Trust, which annually grants $250,000 to organizations that focus on education, art, youth and vulnerable populations, among others.
“Now that I’m on the Foundation’s Board, I have a better understanding of the problems here in the city and some of the good organizations we can support to address them,” he said.
The Florsheims have other community leadership roles as well. Jennifer is on the board of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. Tom is on the board of Milwaukee College Prep, chairs the University School of Milwaukee endowment board and is on the Tocqueville Society Campaign Cabinet at the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, which works with donors who contribute $10,000 or more. Florsheim cares about the long-term health of the community.
“I grew up here. The business has been here forever. I am very rooted,” he said. “As an employer in Milwaukee, I want Milwaukee to have a thriving economy, one that is inclusive, where there are not any segments of the population given short shrift when it comes to education and other benefits that much of the population of the city has.”