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The Board of Directors of Cream City Foundation is excited to announce the selection of Gary A. Balcerzak as its new President & CEO.
“It was agreed that we wanted someone who respected the past and will move us into the future, addressing the economic, health, equity, and prosperity needs of the LGBTQ+ Community. The Board’s vote was unanimous; we are confident that Gary has the talent and skills to guide Cream City Foundation for years to come,” stated Board Chairperson, Sam Hall, JD.
Balcerzak, a former Board member of Cream City Foundation, assumes this new role after almost twenty years with Advocate Aurora Health where he was the Vice President of Operations for Aurora Sinai Medical Center. He was responsible for ensuring that Milwaukee’s only downtown community hospital remained viable and met the needs of our diverse community. While at Aurora Sinai Medical Center, he worked to obtain designation from the Human Rights Campaign as the first Aurora hospital with a 100% rating in the Healthcare Equity Index.
Additionally, Balcerzak is an adjunct professor at UW-Milwaukee in the Master of Healthcare Administration program where he teaches and mentors future healthcare leaders. His focus is on process improvement, helping hospitals and clinics improve the quality, safety, and cost of health care. He was recently honored by the UWM College of Health Sciences with their Community Partnership Award.
Balcerzak holds an undergraduate degree in Organizational Communication and a master’s degree in Educational Psychology, Rehabilitation Counseling. He also has a master’s certificate in Mediation and Negotiation, all from UW-Milwaukee.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Gary has been active in the community, most recently devoting nine years as a Board member and Treasurer of Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center. He has volunteered as a solicitor for the United Way of Greater Milwaukee. With his husband Tom, they are strong supporters of LGBTQ+ communities in Milwaukee.
Balcerzak started his new position in July and succeeds Brett R. Blomme, JD, who left the organization to assume a position as Circuit Court Judge in Milwaukee County. As such, he leaves CCF after three years of outstanding service to the LGBTQ+ communities and Cream City Foundation is incredibly grateful for Brett’s commitment to our organization and LGBTQ+ communities of southeastern Wisconsin, and we wish him the best of luck from the bench.