Gale Klappa, a UW-Milwaukee alumnus and executive chairman of WEC Energy Group, was honored with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by the UWM Alumni Association at its annual awards evening on Friday, Feb. 23, at the Pfister Hotel.
At the end of the program, UWM Chancellor Mark Mone surprised the audience and Klappa, who served as the evening’s master of ceremonies, by announcing the award. The presentation featured a video of Wisconsin business leaders talking about Klappa’s impact on UWM and Greater Milwaukee.
Klappa graduated cum laude from UWM in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications, and he received an honorary degree from UWM in 2011 in recognition of his support for UWM’s growth initiative, his extensive community involvement and his leadership in helping to shape the economic future of southeast Wisconsin through the launch of the Milwaukee 7 regional economic development initiative.
Kevin Loh, a master’s degree student in the classical guitar program at the Peck School of the Arts, provided music throughout the evening.
Eleven other alums and university partners were honored at the annual event, which recognizes alumni and friends of UWM for their career achievements and their impact on their communities and the university. They included Letters & Science graduates Juan Orjuela and Nyesha Stone, who were honored as Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) award recipients.
With two graduate degrees, including a master’s in urban affairs and a doctorate in urban studies, both from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s College of Letters & Science, Janice (Jan) Wilberg devoted her 45-year career to working with nonprofits and governmental organizations to improve the lives of vulnerable populations in Milwaukee. In her retirement, she helps the homeless by serving on the board of Street Angels Inc., and she advocates for senior citizens in her role as chair of the Milwaukee County Commission on Aging.
Letters & Science alumna Janice Wilberg was also honored for her advocacy for Milwaukee’s most vulnerable.
Wilberg received the UWM Impact Award from the UWM Alumni Association in 2024. This award highlights alumni who are improving their communities.
By Kari Pink and Kyle Bursaw, Marketing & Communications