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Building the Future - Fund-raising Success

Construction of the new center met no delays or cost overruns, and staff moved in on schedule in early August. Milwaukee attorney Bill Mulligan, State Bar Facilities Committee member, credits those results to the contractors, the staff, and those involved in all stages of planning. "People came to grips quickly with what the needs were," he says, "and they were planned into the building. There were no last-minute change orders that can generate tremendous additional cost."

To help pay for the building, the fund-raising campaign raised more than $1.2 million. Loans, cash from investments, and sale of the old building account for the remaining dollars needed.

The Bar opted for a do-it-yourself fund-raising approach. "The easy way to handle a campaign like this is to hire a professional fund-raiser to run it for you," points out Nathan Fishbach, a Milwaukee attorney and general chair of the Campaign Cabinet. "Instead we worked with the State Bar staff, particularly coordinator Trina Haag, in developing the campaign. That saved us many administrative costs. So almost all the money raised could go to the new building."

Launched in early summer 1998, the "Building the Future" fund-raising campaign was in full swing by Labor Day of that year, Fishbach says. The 33 members of the cabinet, with statewide representation, reached out to local bar leaders to spread the word about the campaign. Nonlawyer members of the cabinet were instrumental, too. "We had some incredible assistance from Bill Neill, director of charitable gift and estate planning at Ripon College," Fishbach says. "Bill and I were on the phone constantly, and he gave us many excellent ideas to ensure that we were getting our message across."

Response from members, staff, and friends of the Bar was overwhelming. "We never would have dreamed that we would be able to raise $1.2 million in just nine months," Fishbach notes. All donors are acknowledged in the facility in various ways.

Leadership Gifts

Several areas are named in honor of large contributors. The Habush, Habush, Davis & Rottier West Foyer; the Foley & Lardner East Foyer; and the Quarles & Brady Technology Center. The Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek Conference Room; the Reinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren, Norris & Rieselbach Conference Room (in honor of John Reinhart, Roger Boerner, Richard Van Deuren, Richard Norris III, Allen Rieselbach, and Paul Lucke); and the Joseph R. Filachek Conference Room, donated by Michael Best & Friedrich. The Past Presidents Board Room off the second floor galleria was sponsored by the living past presidents to honor all State Bar past presidents. In addition, the American Board of Trial Advocates members are listed on a special plaque in the rotunda.

Founders Club

The names of the 30 contributors who gave more than $10,000 are featured prominently on the second floor galleria.

Recognition Wall

Located in the second floor rotunda, this mosaic recognizes all donors who contributed more than $500.

Honor Roll

A mahogany-framed listing of the 245 contributors who donated up to $499.

100 Percent Club

On the main level is the wall with names of the 223 law firms that pledged contributions of at least $300 per attorney.

All told, individual and group campaign pledges represented more than 8,000 attorneys - including Bar members from all types of practice settings, from firms of all sizes, and from all over Wisconsin as well as out-of-state. Says Fishbach, "This is truly a Bar center, built by its members."

Wisconsin Lawyer