MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee business and community leader Mark Kass will be leaving his position as Editor-In-Chief of the Milwaukee Business Journal, and joining Milwaukee sports marketing, events and media firm Team Lammi as a senior executive and will help lead the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame.
The Milwaukee Business Journal says a search for his successor will begin immediately.
“It’s never easy to leave something you’ve loved doing, and I’ve truly loved being the editor of the Milwaukee Business Journal,” Kass said. “The paper holds a unique position in our community, something that I have always been so proud of and know will continue for many years to come. I will also greatly miss the Business Journal’s talented team of reporters and editors, who have helped make the publication the success it has become.
“This was a very tough decision, but this opportunity was just too good to pass up, given my lifelong passion for sports and the high-quality firm I will be joining. I am truly excited about the next chapter in my life and the many fun and exciting challenges that lie ahead.”
“I have always been a big fan of the great work that Team Lammi has done throughout our community in highlighting some of our state’s most well-known athletes, along with putting on top-notch events, such as Donald Driver’s Driven to Achieve Awards. I am excited to work with Team Lammi to help it have an even greater impact throughout southeastern Wisconsin and the rest of the U.S.”
Kass has been Milwaukee Business Journal editor since 2003, leading the paper to win dozens of awards, including from the Milwaukee Press Club and the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Under his leadership, the paper is the leading source of business news in southeastern Wisconsin. In total, Kass worked for the paper for 27 years, including time as managing editor and real estate reporter.
Kass and his wife, Kaye, are very active in the community, previously co-chairing fundraising events for the Wisconsin Humane Society, Harry & Rose Samson Jewish Community Center, American Red Cross of Southeast Wisconsin and Sojourner Family Peace Center.
Team Lammi founder and president Brian Lammi said adding Kass as a senior leader will allow his companies, including 2s, FREES & 3s, to continue their national growth with high-quality events planned in many cities, including New York, Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Buffalo.
“I am excited for Mark to bring his skills and strong business and community relationships to our company,” he said. “Working together, we will be able to offer our dynamic services to more businesses throughout Wisconsin and the U.S, whether in aligning them with a college or professional athlete to help get their message out or working with them on producing a high-quality event that showcases their mission.”
Kass will also help lead the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame and work closely with its board, board chairman Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame wide receiver Donald Driver and Lammi, co-owners of the Hall of Fame. Kass will focus on growing the prominence and interest in the institution, the oldest state athletic hall of fame in the United States, and implementing a plan to dramatically upgrade the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame Walkway adjacent to the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in downtown Milwaukee.
The group is planning to install a RINKA-designed video board, pillar signage and other features along the walkway by the time of the Republican National Convention this summer.
