Lori A. Syverson announced as President and CEO
November 28, 2023
Milwaukee native will work to accelerate MWi’s expansion and impact
Milwaukee Women inc (MWi) is pleased to announce that its board of directors has named Lori A. Syverson its first full-time president and CEO. Syverson returns to her hometown of Milwaukee from the Twin Cities, where she most recently served as president of the Edina Chamber of Commerce.
“After 20 years of growth and impact, the MWi board determined the time was right to further enhance our mission by thoughtfully expanding our strategic direction. We remain committed to change the composition of corporate boards to maximize the performance of public and private companies, with an increased focus on women of color, engaging men as advocates and expanding into other leading Wisconsin regions. We need a strong full-time leader to drive these initiatives. Lori Syverson’s well-rounded experience as president of a leading member-based business organization and her commitment to empowering women made her a perfect fit,” said Kim Stoll, MWi chair and vice president of sales and marketing for Badger Meter.
During her 10 years in leading the Edina Chamber of Commerce, Syverson also led two other organizations under the Chamber umbrella: the city’s visitor bureau, Explore Edina, and the Edina Innovation Lab, a business she created to help businesses across Minnesota innovate and grow. Her responsibilities at the Edina Chamber of Commerce included strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, internal and external communications, financial and administrative oversight, and developing and accessing Chamber and community programs. In her role as a visible leader and community partner, she worked to support and promote the economic growth and vitality of the entire community.
Syverson’s experience also includes serving AARP as a Barry Rand Fellow, where she was one of eight individuals dedicated to addressing the needs of individuals undergoing life transitions. She moved to the Twin Cities in 2005 with U.S. Bank in a client marketing and analysis role for Elan Financial Services, which she held for seven years. Her career also includes 17 years with CNR Health in Milwaukee. Syverson is a member of the well-known Albanese family, which served homemade Italian food to generations of Milwaukee-area families for more than 50 years.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marquette University and an MBA from Alverno College.
“MWi has built a strong reputation for advancing inclusive leadership through its annual research on the representation of women on the Top 50 Wisconsin public and private companies. While progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help move this initiative forward, along with Milwaukee’s leading executive women and MWi’s dynamic board,” said Syverson.
About Milwaukee Women inc (MWi) Milwaukee Women inc is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to achieving balanced representation of women on boards of directors to maximize the performance of public and private companies, with a focus on women and women of color. MWi is a catalyst for change through its benchmarking research, education and advocacy, providing resources and programs that can help companies and organizations move the needle even further. More information is available on Milwaukee Women inc’s website: http://www.milwaukeewomeninc.org/.