YPM - FUELmilwaukee: Business Group or Progressive Social Activists?
Written by Brandon Henak on February 2, 2007 – 2:36 pm - Welcome, if you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed or subscribe to our email newsletter. Thanks for visiting!
Last night I had the opportunity to attend the launch event for FUELmilwaukee, “The Region’s Talent Network”. FUELmilwaukee is a rebranding of the Young Professionals of Milwaukee. Evidently, the rebranding is suppose to represent what YPM does, rather than who they are (ie they “Fuel” Milwaukee’s job market). It also changed it’s name to be less discrimiinatory towards it’s older members (the organization targets 21-39 yr olds). The organization is the largest of it’s kinda in the country, with 4,500 members and is working to make Milwaukee more attractive to employers and young professionals. Overall, it was a great event with over 500 in attendance, good appetizers and great opportunities for networking.
Their main speaker for the event was Peter Buffet, son of Billionaire Warren Buffet, he spoke about connecting with each other (with quotes from Ghandi and others), the African word Ubuntu (I am because you are), his experience in the music business, and his experiences helping with the philanthropic efforts surrounding his father’s fortune. His speech can be found here. It was a great feel good speech but, not very business oriented.
To be honest, I felt like the organization is now more about social activism, from the short clips on Milwaukee Public Schools in their presentation, to the speech by Peter Buffet to their focus on diversity, it all seemed very politically correct and socially focused. Nowhere in the presentation was there mention of training opportunities, best practice sharing or opportunities to learn about other’s careers. If there was, it was only briefly touched upon. They mentioned Wisconsin’s problem with brain drain but, then went on to fringe issues when the core reason young professionals and businesses leave Wisconsin is that our tax burden is the third highest in the country.
I suppose that if you want to get a captive audience of hundreds of young business people amongst an organization of thousands to listen to speeches and information about one worldliness and social change it is easier to do when it is billed as a young professionals event and networking session. The New American City describes “young professional” groups across the US as “socially-conscious” and “progressive”.
I will continue to go to the events because there a number of interesting business people there and it’s a great opportunity to see what others are doing but, I hope they tone down the social activism part or focus it on lower taxes and making the state more friendly to business, after all, their mission is “To position and establish the Milwaukee region as the destination for world-class talent, in all its diversity” not, “promote progressive social change and racial diversity in the Milwaukee region”.
Sidenote: Marquette University is one of the groups sponsors.
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Posted in Beyond the Facade |
February 2nd, 2007 at 3:25 pm
What fringe issues did they mention? Because I’m not all that convinced Milwaukee’s tax burden is the number one reason it is losing young talent . My guess is it has to do with the cultural climate of the city, housing and safety concerns, and just an overall feeling that the city is on the up and up. Portland, OR has one of the highest minimum wages in the country and a correspondingly high unemployment rate, yet young people are flocking there and anyone who has been there will tell you it is someplace they’d love to go back to. How do you explain that?
February 2nd, 2007 at 4:47 pm
You’re getting lost in the trees and ignoring the forest. The reason we are losing companies to MN and IA is because of their lower tax rates. The individuals may be swayed by other factors but the job sources (companies) are making their choices based on the economic environment. Young people may be flocking to Portland but, they don’t have jobs, hence the unemployment.
February 2nd, 2007 at 7:30 pm
you went to an UMBUTU event! hahahahahahhahaha
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:20 pm
I know I’ll be the minority here, but I figure my two cents is equal to anyone else’s.
I know you were looking for enthralling economic chatter and the ins into the Milwaukee business world, but I ask, what is wrong with becoming socially conscious? Now I won’t make assumptions about you or your future profession, but it seems to me that more businessmen ought to become more concerned with the welfare of their fellow citizens, neighbors, and employees. I feel as though we have lost some if not a lot of corporate accountability for their own employees as well as negative externalities some bring to their communities. Now I am not saying this about all business, nor all business men, but I ask, nay, I request that we all keep an open eye to the welfare of those around us.
- Two Cents from a Flaming Liberal
February 4th, 2007 at 11:24 am
I do believe in watching out for negative externalities and protecting employees and citizens but, I believe these things are in the best interest of the company because they are part of the pursuit of profit. If society puts value on these things, and they help sales, employee retainability and corporate image, great. However, I believe it is society’s duty to espouse these values and promote them as desirable to businesses and it is the company’s job to respond in the pursuit of profit.
February 6th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Galen Wiese,
I think you are right but I think it’s more about offering what you’re advertising. I agree with your goals in a very broad sense but when I go to an event I like to get what I’m told I’m going to get. It sounds like people go to expand there knowledge of business and that is not what they got this past time. I know I get disappointed when the movie is nothing like the previews.
Alternately, (to everyone)
There are other organizations. I go to BMA (Business Marketing Association) meetings. It’s good business information plus it’s a good networking opportunity. Students can go too but we are, by far, the minority of the people who attend.
Just thought I’d toss that out there. If any one knows of other professional organizations I’d like to read about those too.
January 17th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
[...] the Democrats continue to raise taxes and attempt to inhibit business further. Group’s like YPM - FUELMilwaukee try to cheerlead and think we just need to spend more money, they point to the “millions of [...]