John R. Dedrick to Lead Fundraising Campaign
News of the Museum of Wisconsin Art’s plan to construct a new building on its current
site met with great applause from media critics and columnists in May. “Museum design
lets art be the star” wrote Architectural Critic Whitney Gould of the Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel. “Art museum unveils new look” headlined the Daily News, and Columnist
John Torinus proclaimed “12 million reasons to support art museum – History, beauty
can be viewed as basic need” again in the Daily News.
A showcase for our state will move from concept to construction within two years.
“The Museum of Wisconsin Art will soon be housed in a classy new building, financed
by donations from a $12 million statewide capital campaign, $2 million of which
will be used to create an endowment fund,” announced John R. Dedrick, Chairman of
West Bend Mutual Insurance Company.
As general chairman for the Reflecting Our Heritage capital campaign Dedrick will
head a team of business and community leaders, both locally and throughout the state,
who are committed to bringing together the resources to make the new museum a reality.
“Art is a universal reflection of the way various cultures view the world and themselves.
The new Museum of Wisconsin Art will finally have what it needs to collect, preserve,
display, and document the many diverse forms of visual art from our state, enriching
our collective heritage now and for future generations,” Dedrick said.
The 32,000-square foot building – expected to be completed by early 2010 – will
replace and be built on the site of the current museum, which lacks the space, infrastructure
and amenities required of a regional attraction.
Dedrick’s Reflecting Our Heritage team will include: Dale Kent, executive vp and
cfo of the West Bend Mutual Insurance Company, serving as the campaign’s Corporate
Division Chair, Sharon Ziegler, serving as the Foundations Division Chair, Ric Leitheiser,
president of the M&I Bank in West Bend, serving as the Business Division Chair,
Roger Stephenson, retired vp of the M&I Trust in West Bend serving as the Individuals
Division Chair, and Gerald J. Mehring, PJR Management, Inc. in West Bend, serving
as the Clubs and Organizations Division Chair.
(Click the image to enlarge the view).