MILWAUKEE, WIS. – The Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) is pleased to announce the return of Kathryn Dunn to WWBIC as Vice President of Programs & Operations.
Dunn began her career in the Milwaukee community, serving as Vice President of WWBIC from 1993-1997. Kathryn was part of the dream team that began WWBIC over 38 years ago alongside President, Wendy K. Baumann. Kathryn’s work within the Milwaukee community as well as the State of Wisconsin has been instrumental to women’s economic empowerment movement as well as community based programming to serve the underserved.
“We are very pleased to bring Kathryn back to WWBIC in our mission of ‘Putting Dreams to Work’,” says Baumann. “She will work with us statewide to help advance hope and opportunity for all who want to start or grow a small business.”
Kathryn is leaving one of WWBIC’s long standing partners, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation (GMF) after 13 years of providing leadership and partnership in developing several key programs and initiatives. Kathryn’s work is reflected in the current GMF strategic plan, and the “Milwaukee for All” vision. She served as a key partner in the development of ThriveOn King Community HUB and supported the Greater Together Campaign. Kathryn’s work has deepened strategic partnerships within the broader Milwaukee region. Most recently, her work on ThriveOn Community HUB, a historic partnership between Greater Milwaukee Foundation, The Medical College of Wisconsin and Royal Capital ensured the community’s vision and voice was reflected.
Ms. Dunn has partnered across teams at the Foundation throughout her time on projects such as creation of the Centennial Plan and Gifts to the Community, Match Day, On the Table, Impact Investing and the early work of the Foundation’s role in addressing racial inequities. After WWBIC and prior to her work with the GMF, Kathryn served as Community Investment Officer for the Helen Bader Foundation.
“I am excited to join such a talented team working to help people fulfill their dreams of business ownership,” Kathryn says. “WWBIC’s impact can be seen across the state of Wisconsin and I’m looking forward to being part of this important work.”
The Vice President of Programs and Operations will complement the work and talent of WWBIC’s continuing Vice Presidents, Christina Knudsen and Jon Gaines. Knudsen serves as WWBIC’s Vice President of Development & Communication and leads WWBIC’s advancement, fund development, compliance, event, and marketing and communications efforts. Christina has been instrumental in creating a statewide marketing plan for the organization, stewarding WWBIC’s strategic plan, and has been key in fund development throughout the state, including WWBIC’s new initiative through the Small Business Administration Office of Women’s Business Ownership where WWBIC will open its 6th regional office in Hayward, Wisconsin. This office operates in partnership with Native Tribal support and offices on the campus of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University. The Hayward office will open in the third quarter of 2024.
Jon Gaines serves as the Vice President of Business Services and Finance and has been with WWBIC for nearly 15 years. Gaines plays a vital role in business operations and administration to lead WWBIC’s finances and support loan operations. Jon works to support all departments and leads WWBIC’s financial reporting, audits and compliance. He plans, develops, organizes, implements, directs, and evaluates the organization’s fiscal functions including strategic and day-to-day oversight of financial operations including establishing financial policies, procedures, controls, and reporting systems. Overall, he has 25 years of accounting, finance, and operations management experience. He is currently directing the migration and implementation of a new lending platform upgrading decades of WWBIC’s lending operations. The new platform, Ventures, will be operational by fourth quarter of 2024 and improve the lending pillar of operations.
Now serving as President and Chief Visionary Officer of WWBIC for over 30 years, Wendy K. Baumann leads the three Vice Presidents to lead the statewide economic development organization known as WWBIC. Over her 30 years, Wendy is an internationally-recognized leader in micro-enterprise, small business development, financial capability and social enterprise. In her long and rich career, Wendy has focused on advancing opportunities for women, people of color, lower-wealth individuals and veterans and military-connected families. She has pioneered business incubation, capital access programming, financial and business training programming and financial capability initiatives in Wisconsin and advanced many through national channels. With her leadership and vision, WWBIC has grown from a $200,000 budget with a staff of two, to a $9 million organization with over 50 staff, and six regional offices. Over 38 years of impact, WWBIC has directly lent over $107 million in micro and small business loans with a current loan portfolio of $26 million and over 700 active borrowers.
