Meet our Founders, Current Board Members, and Supporters.
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JON BALES jon@urbanaquaculturecenter.com
Jon was raised in Milwaukee, attended Bay View High School, and graduated from UWM in 1966 with a degree in Botany. He served with the U.S. Navy as a flight instructor in basic jet training and as an aircraft carrier pilot flying A-6 Intruders in the Mediterranean Sea. In the 1990s he served as Commissioner for the Housing Authority in the City of Milwaukee. Jon recently sold his successful coffee plantation and trout farm in Costa Rica to focus on creating the Urban Aquaculture Center.
LEON TODD leon@urbanaquaculturecenter.com
Leon graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) School of Education-Cultural Foundation with a MS in 1972. He received an MBA from the UWM School of Business Administration in 1969 and also acquired a BA in Latin & Greek Classic Studies at Northwestern Lutheran College in 1965. After serving 5 years as Director of Sales and Marketing for Rexnord’s Data Systems Division, in May of 1987, Leon became a Managing Partner with Strategic Technologies Consulting, located in Milwaukee, and is presently Director of Strategic Planning, Marketing and Public Relations for the firm. In 1975, Leon was elected to the MPS Board of School Directors, held a citywide seat, and served until 1981. He was a candidate for state superintendent in 1977 and was re-elected to a MPS district seat (District 3) in 1994 and again in 1995.
Former Director Todd has long recognized that public school education has been the route to the middle class for African American children. He is a frequent guest lecturer, op-ed columnist, and panel speaker on a wide variety of issues related to public school education, school choice, and charter schools.
BOARD MEMBERS
Jon Bales – Founder
Leon Todd – Founder
Mike Hoyng
Tim Vargo – Research Coordinator at Urban Ecology Center
Lori Servi
Jenelle Elder-Green – Community Activist
Will Allen – Growing Power
Tim McCollow
Allen Washatko – The Kubalo Washatko Architects
SUPPORTERS
Tina Beckett
Fred Binkowski – Great Lakes WATER Institute: Senior Scientist
Bob Dennik – Milwaukee County Economic Development: Director
James Godsil – SweetWater Organics
Rick Goetz-Shaw – Great Lakes WATER Institute: Senior Scientist
Tim Hansman – Kubala Washatko Architects
Howard Hinterthuer – Groth Design Group
Val Klump – Great Lakes WATER Institute: Director
Brook Meier
Rick Miller – Growing Power: Fish Farmer
Dave Mueller – Milwaukee County House of Corrections Firm Farm
Bryce Ruddock
Bob Simi
