Wisconsin still home for former Miller Brewing CEO
The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Steven Jagler
Don't shed a single tear for Jack MacDonough.
"I've had one of the best summers of my life," says MacDonough.
Those might sound like curious words coming from a man who was fired in April as the chief executive officer at Miller Brewing Co.
But MacDonough didn't spend the summer grilling himself about what he could have done differently in his six years as head of Milwaukee's largest remaining brewing company. He didn't move to Martha's Vineyard. And he certainly didn't crawl back to his previous employer, Miller rival Anheuser-Busch Cos., St. Louis.
Instead, he spent the bulk of this glorious summer on a lake in Waukesha County, catching his wind and contemplating his future.
"It was delightful to be able to enjoy a Wisconsin summer on the lake," he says.
What can a 55-year-old, unemployed CEO do with the rest of his life?
Virtually anything he wants to.
For now, that means serving as the chairman of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School in Milwaukee, a position MacDonough accepted after he was recruited by several local business leaders to head the project.
"I always look forward, not backward, and I look forward to the creation of this new school," MacDonough says. "It caught my interest for a couple of reasons. One, I've had an interest in education all my life. And two, I've been alert to any opportunities to give back to the community in a personal way. The creation of a new tech school is certainly a very worthwhile and needed opportunity, with a very nice net result that you've got 2,000 kids who will benefit from it."
A perfect fit
MacDonough's approachable demeanor and administrative experience made him a natural selection to manage the various educational interests and personalities involved with the new tech school, according to insiders with the project.
"I'm very impressed that he is very much a consensus builder and someone who is very good at keeping things on schedule," says Francis Croak, a Milwaukee attorney who is representing philanthropist Jane Pettit on the tech school commission. "There are some delicate political issues, and he's dealt with them with intelligence."
"The reason we thought of him is that he's made a decision to remain in Milwaukee, and he has the time and the interest," says Robert Milbourne, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee. "I think he will be the perfect fit. We were delighted that he agreed to become the chairman."
A summer of reflection has left MacDonough tan, refreshed and ready for the next chapter of life for himself, his wife, Kathy, and their son, Steve, 16.
And if MacDonough has any sour grapes remaining about his treatment at Miller, they're not apparent in his wide grin and easygoing demeanor. Given the short tenure of most executives at Miller, a subsidiary of Philip Morris Cos., New York City, MacDonough is at peace with his past.
"Would I do it all over again? Yeah, I'd do it again," MacDonough says. "It's been a good community to live in. I've gotten to know the community. It's been good for my family. I'm glad we moved here."
Packer ties
In addition to his long hours coordinating the development of Milwaukee's new tech school, MacDonough continues to serve on the Green Bay Packers' board of directors and marketing committee.
"I am a Packers fan," he says. "Coming from outside of Wisconsin and fully understanding the enthusiasm in Wisconsin for the Packers, I don't think Wisconsin realizes how much the Packers do for the image of the state -- the cheesehead (hats) aside.
He is involved in the team's study of whether to renovate Lambeau Field or build a new stadium.
"If the current stadium is strong enough to last into the future, (Packers team president) Bob Harlan has said all along we would like to modify Lambeau," MacDonough says. "Lambeau Field -- everyone wants to figure out how to do it, if it's at all possible."
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