Virgis and Angela Colbert
This fall, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation honored five remarkable people for their contributions and commitment to the Milwaukee community and beyond through the organization’s annual Greater Together Awards. Through, philanthropy, professional and community leadership, Virgis and Angela Colbert, Mark Eppli, Carmen Pitre and Ness Flores have been at the center of generational change in this region. Here are their stories:
Colberts’ investment and heart remain in the community where they worked and raised their family
Virgis and Angela Colbert were honored with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s William C. Frye Award for their exceptional civic and nonprofit board service in Milwaukee over the decades, particularly in the areas of education and the arts. The William C. Frye Award honors exceptional civic contributions to create positive change across our region.
Mark Eppli
Eppli built, champions program that has helped diversify real estate field, build wealth in MKE
Mark Eppli received the Foundation’s Frank Kirkpatrick Award for his work with the Associates in Real Estate Program. The rigorous nine-month program trains people of color in the fundamentals of the real estate industry and the wide variety of available career paths. The Frank Kirkpatrick Award honors commitment to enhancing community spaces and places.
Pitre helps change the way community addresses domestic violence, serves survivors
Carmen Pitre received the Foundation’s Doug Jansson Leadership Award for her leadership over the past 20 years of the Sojourner Family Peace Center, Wisconsin’s largest provider of domestic violence prevention and intervention services. The Doug Jansson Leadership Award honors inspirational leadership in the nonprofit sector.
Carmen Pitre
Flores drew upon personal experiences
For his work over the past 50 years on behalf of underserved communities, particularly migrant farmworkers, Ness Flores received the President’s Leadership in Racial Equity and Social Justice Award from the Foundation.
The President’s Leadership in Racial Equity and Social Justice Award honors those who have worked to make our region welcoming and inclusive for all people, of all races, places, identities, and backgrounds.
Ness Flores
“Imagining the lives that have been changed by the work and generosity of this year’s Greater Together Award honorees is awe-inspiring,” said Foundation president and CEO Ellen Gilligan. “My sincere congratulations go to Virgis and Angela, Ness, Carmen and Mark, who have all channeled their wisdom and personal passions to help build a Milwaukee for all.”
About the Greater Milwaukee Foundation
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is Wisconsin’s largest community foundation and was among the first established in the world. For more than a century, the Foundation has inspired philanthropy by connecting generous people to community needs that align with their interests. The Foundation was founded on the premise that generosity can unlock an individual’s potential and strengthen the community as a whole for everyone who lives here. We work in partnership with those who are committed to ensuring greater Milwaukee is a vibrant, economically thriving region that comprises welcoming and inclusive communities providing opportunity, prosperity and a high quality of life for all.
