Women in Business 2025
Date and Time
Thursday Apr 3, 2025
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM CDT
Location
Tuckaway Country Club
6901 W Drexel Ave
Franklin WI 53132
Fees/Admission
$35 Members/ $45 Non-Members
Heavy Appetizers will be served along with a cash only bar.
Contact Information
South Suburban Chamber
Send Email
Description
Join us and connect with local business leaders to discuss leadership skills & techniques to help you thrive! Network, learn and share knowledge with other local women in business at our annual event!
Featuring:
Our Host:
Nina Johnson
Senior Vice President
US Bank WI
Nina Johnson is U.S. Bank’s Branch Banking Market Leader for the state of Wisconsin, and she has worked in the banking industry for more than 40 years. Nina has held several leadership roles in her tenure ranging from computer operations and consumer lending to regulatory compliance and loss mitigation. She has an M.B.A. in Global Business Management, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and she is a CBA Executive Banking School graduate from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. She is also a published author.
Nina has served on approximately forty-five nonprofit boards throughout her career, as well as a handful of national committees supporting the growth and modernization of low-and-moderate income (LMI) geographies within the United States. She was a contributor to the American Bankers Association (ABA) collaborative white paper on the “Modernization of the CRA”, submitted to the United States Treasury in December 2017, and she previously led a regional group called the CRA Roundtable, supporting LMI initiatives throughout the Midwest. Her media work includes WTMJ 4 “The Morning Blend”, WITI Fox 6 “Real Milwaukee”, WVTV CW-18/My-24 “Connect MKE”, WNOV Milwaukee radio, WVON Chicago radio and other media platforms. Nina’s memberships have included CHIEF, Professional Dimensions, Milwaukee Women Inc. and TEMPO Milwaukee where she serves as Director At-Large.
Nina is the Executive Advisor of U.S. Bank’s Global Black Heritage Business Resource Group (BRG), National Chair of U.S. Bank’s Political Action Committee (P.A.C.) Board, local Executive Advisor of the Nosotros Latinos Milwaukee BRG and the bank’s U.S. Bank Market Leader Advisory Board Chairperson for the state of Wisconsin. As a bank employee leading teams during the pandemic, Nina worked with multiple business lines to create “Circles” as an interactive way to bring diverse teams together during a time of social unrest in the United States. She was also a co-founder of a Market Leader program for emerging female leaders in the Midwest.
Recently named as BizTimes’ “Wisconsin 275”, Milwaukee Magazine’s “Women of Distinction”, and The Milwaukee Times’ “2024 Black Excellence Award” recipient, she has been recognized as Milwaukee Business Journal’s “People to Know in Banking and Finance” and Milwaukee Biz Times’ “Notable Minority Executive” among other accomplishments. She is a wife, a mother and daughter that credits having a sound network of positive influencers; touting that “great people with wise advice are truly a gift from above!”
Panelists:
Megan Seppmann
Vice President Of Sales
Wisconsin Center District
Megan Seppmann is a results-driven leader known both locally and nationally for her excellence in the hospitality industry and dedication to helping others. Her innovative thinking and strategic vision have helped turn Milwaukee into a not-to-be-missed destination for meeting, convention and event planners and their attendees. With an exceptional track record of mentorship and development, she has fashioned an innovative team responsible for 80 million dollars in annual revenue.
In her current role as the vice president of sales at the Wisconsin Center District (WCD), Megan provides executive leadership for all sales strategies and operations for the WCD’s three venues; Baird Center, Miller High Life Theatre and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Since joining the WCD in December of 2018, Seppmann has overseen steady, year-over-year growth in both revenue and event bookings. Using her executive MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and executive certificate from Cornell University, she has maximized ROI across the three properties, empowered those who work for and with her and led successful collaborations with partners ranging from small startups to Fortune 500 companies. Following the groundbreaking of the Baird Center expansion in October 2021, Seppmann, alongside operations and project management teams, has successfully supported the $456 million project that is projected to stimulate at least $12.6 billion total spending in Wisconsin over the next 30 years.
She is also driven by a passion for positively impacting her community and profession, shown by her extensive history of supporting non-profit organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, and by founding the Megan M. Seppmann Hospitality Scholarship Award at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU). For Seppmann, success is not just measured in revenue but in the positive impact she leaves on both the business world and the lives of the people she touches.
Sarah Pancheri
President & CEO
Summerfest
After spending the formative years of her career with MWF (2000 – 2007), Sarah gained experience as Managing Director for Milwaukee fundraising at Marquette University, and, later, as Vice President of Development and Communications for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee.
Sarah’s Responsibilities Include:
Liz Klug
Vice President
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Liz Klug currently serves as Territory Vice President for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, leading the revenue team in LLS’s Central Territory. In this role, Liz oversees a $52 million revenue portfolio and a dynamic and relentless team of 140 professionals across 16 states, working together to drive essential funds to cure blood cancer. Liz’s expertise lies in fundraising, aligning high-impact teams of staff and volunteer leaders, developing strategic partnerships, and converting ideas into action in the pursuit of a shared mission.
Liz describes herself as an experienced people leader, a diplomatic communicator, a proficient listener, a sunrise person, and a resolute optimist. She is motivated by the limitless potential to improve lives through focused teamwork.
Liz holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and the comparative study of religion from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and a master’s of nonprofit management from North Park University in Chicago. A Milwaukee native, Liz resides in Thiensville with her husband, Mike, and three children, Morgan, Carter and Dori. She and Dori are currently on a mission to pet every dog in Thiensville.
Featuring:
Our Host:
Nina Johnson
Senior Vice President
US Bank WI
Nina Johnson is U.S. Bank’s Branch Banking Market Leader for the state of Wisconsin, and she has worked in the banking industry for more than 40 years. Nina has held several leadership roles in her tenure ranging from computer operations and consumer lending to regulatory compliance and loss mitigation. She has an M.B.A. in Global Business Management, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and she is a CBA Executive Banking School graduate from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. She is also a published author.
Nina has served on approximately forty-five nonprofit boards throughout her career, as well as a handful of national committees supporting the growth and modernization of low-and-moderate income (LMI) geographies within the United States. She was a contributor to the American Bankers Association (ABA) collaborative white paper on the “Modernization of the CRA”, submitted to the United States Treasury in December 2017, and she previously led a regional group called the CRA Roundtable, supporting LMI initiatives throughout the Midwest. Her media work includes WTMJ 4 “The Morning Blend”, WITI Fox 6 “Real Milwaukee”, WVTV CW-18/My-24 “Connect MKE”, WNOV Milwaukee radio, WVON Chicago radio and other media platforms. Nina’s memberships have included CHIEF, Professional Dimensions, Milwaukee Women Inc. and TEMPO Milwaukee where she serves as Director At-Large.
Nina is the Executive Advisor of U.S. Bank’s Global Black Heritage Business Resource Group (BRG), National Chair of U.S. Bank’s Political Action Committee (P.A.C.) Board, local Executive Advisor of the Nosotros Latinos Milwaukee BRG and the bank’s U.S. Bank Market Leader Advisory Board Chairperson for the state of Wisconsin. As a bank employee leading teams during the pandemic, Nina worked with multiple business lines to create “Circles” as an interactive way to bring diverse teams together during a time of social unrest in the United States. She was also a co-founder of a Market Leader program for emerging female leaders in the Midwest.
Recently named as BizTimes’ “Wisconsin 275”, Milwaukee Magazine’s “Women of Distinction”, and The Milwaukee Times’ “2024 Black Excellence Award” recipient, she has been recognized as Milwaukee Business Journal’s “People to Know in Banking and Finance” and Milwaukee Biz Times’ “Notable Minority Executive” among other accomplishments. She is a wife, a mother and daughter that credits having a sound network of positive influencers; touting that “great people with wise advice are truly a gift from above!”
Panelists:
Megan Seppmann
Vice President Of Sales
Wisconsin Center District
Megan Seppmann is a results-driven leader known both locally and nationally for her excellence in the hospitality industry and dedication to helping others. Her innovative thinking and strategic vision have helped turn Milwaukee into a not-to-be-missed destination for meeting, convention and event planners and their attendees. With an exceptional track record of mentorship and development, she has fashioned an innovative team responsible for 80 million dollars in annual revenue.
In her current role as the vice president of sales at the Wisconsin Center District (WCD), Megan provides executive leadership for all sales strategies and operations for the WCD’s three venues; Baird Center, Miller High Life Theatre and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Since joining the WCD in December of 2018, Seppmann has overseen steady, year-over-year growth in both revenue and event bookings. Using her executive MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and executive certificate from Cornell University, she has maximized ROI across the three properties, empowered those who work for and with her and led successful collaborations with partners ranging from small startups to Fortune 500 companies. Following the groundbreaking of the Baird Center expansion in October 2021, Seppmann, alongside operations and project management teams, has successfully supported the $456 million project that is projected to stimulate at least $12.6 billion total spending in Wisconsin over the next 30 years.
She is also driven by a passion for positively impacting her community and profession, shown by her extensive history of supporting non-profit organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, and by founding the Megan M. Seppmann Hospitality Scholarship Award at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU). For Seppmann, success is not just measured in revenue but in the positive impact she leaves on both the business world and the lives of the people she touches.
Sarah Pancheri
President & CEO
Summerfest
After spending the formative years of her career with MWF (2000 – 2007), Sarah gained experience as Managing Director for Milwaukee fundraising at Marquette University, and, later, as Vice President of Development and Communications for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee.
Sarah’s Responsibilities Include:
- Set comprehensive goals for organizational performance, aligning employee efforts and resources to achieve overall financial performance.
- Charged with developing and implementing all business strategies and plans in alignment with Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.’s short- and long-term company objectives.
- Formulate and implement strategic plans that guide the direction of the business, ensuring desired results are met and are consistent with the overall strategy and mission of the company.
- Under Sarah’s leadership in 2024, MWF hired over 2,700 employees, hosted 55 events attended by over one million patrons, and successfully completed a new multi-million- dollar stage improvement project.
- VISIT Milwaukee, Chair
- Sponsorship Marketing Association, Board Member
- Milwaukee School of Art & Design, Board Member
- Historic Third Ward Association, Board Member
- Woman of Influence - Milwaukee Business Journal, 2018
- All Star - Venues Now, 2024
- Wisconsin 275 Most Influential Business Leaders
- Power Player - Milwaukee Business Journal, 2024, 2025
Liz Klug
Vice President
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Liz Klug currently serves as Territory Vice President for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, leading the revenue team in LLS’s Central Territory. In this role, Liz oversees a $52 million revenue portfolio and a dynamic and relentless team of 140 professionals across 16 states, working together to drive essential funds to cure blood cancer. Liz’s expertise lies in fundraising, aligning high-impact teams of staff and volunteer leaders, developing strategic partnerships, and converting ideas into action in the pursuit of a shared mission.
Liz describes herself as an experienced people leader, a diplomatic communicator, a proficient listener, a sunrise person, and a resolute optimist. She is motivated by the limitless potential to improve lives through focused teamwork.
Liz holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and the comparative study of religion from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and a master’s of nonprofit management from North Park University in Chicago. A Milwaukee native, Liz resides in Thiensville with her husband, Mike, and three children, Morgan, Carter and Dori. She and Dori are currently on a mission to pet every dog in Thiensville.
