CARW is proud to partner with UW-Milwaukee on the 414 Day of Giving on behalf of Tom Bernacchi to help raise $30,000 with a $5,000 gift from the CARW Foundation unlocking, once $25,000 is reached. In 2021, the CARW Foundation recognized Tom Bernacchi posthumously for his contributions to the commercial real estate industry. A scholarship was given in his name to a student attending UW-Madison, Mr. Bernacchi’s alma mater. Throughout Tom’s career, he worked with students across the State and the City, where Zilber Company’s roots are, inspiring and encouraging young people to consider a career in commercial real estate where they can build and support their communities in so many ways. And now we can do even more.
The CARW Foundation is proud to work with Tom’s wife, Terri, to further Tom’s legacy through this gift to build a program that will expose even more students to careers in commercial real estate through the UW-Milwaukee School of Business and the Real Estate Certificate program. The School is in the process of hiring a full-time Director to meet the demand of students enrolled in the program while ensuring those students are connected to professional growth, development, and employment opportunities with business partners.
About the UW-Milwaukee Real Estate Certificate Program:
Real Estate has been taught at UWM since 1960, and in 2001, the Real Estate Certificate Program was formed with 300 students enrolled in the program each year. A majority of students in the program are Finance, Accounting, and Marketing majors, with several students from other fields from the Business College or School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Enrollment in the program has increased by 56.7 percent since 2019 which is a testament to the strong alumni network and ability to place students in meaningful job opportunities throughout the community! The “Introduction to Real Estate” course has hit max enrollment in the past 3 semesters. To build off the momentum and enthusiasm we see from students and the business community, UWM will invest in the Real Estate Certificate Program by hiring a full-time Director who can continue to grow and develop the program in the classroom and in the community. Currently, the program is being taught by part-time adjunct professors.
Did you know that 22% of CARW members today attended UW-Milwaukee? Real Estate is a local business and success is grown locally. Currently, 75% of UW-Milwaukee alumni stay in Southeastern Wisconsin after they graduate. We want to focus on growing and retaining commercial real estate-focused students. Our goal is to use this very generous $5,000 gift from Tom Bernacchi’s family to inspire others to help us reach $30,000 in 2023, which will help UWM to develop new real estate talent, who will carry on his legacy. If this is a success, we will partner with the program in 2024 and 2025 to jump-start this important initiative.
Will you participate? Direct giving link here: https://bit.ly/realestatedirectorfund
To follow the leaderboard on April 14th, visit: https://www.uwm414day.org/giving-day/65986/department/68250
About Tom Bernacchi:
In 1986 Mr. Bernacchi found his home in Zilber Ltd. (Milwaukee, WI) with his mentor and long-time friend Joseph Zilber Sr., working for the group from 1986 through the week of his death. He was most recently Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Towne Investments (Towne Realty, Inc.), a division of Zilber, Ltd. He was a charter member and past President of the Commercial Association of REALTORS® Wisconsin. Thomas was a Certified Property Manager and was actively involved with the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), where he served as a national Governing Councilor for eight years and Regional Vice President of Region 9 for two years. In addition to his association with IREM and CARW, Mr. Bernacchi was active in the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), past President of the Wisconsin Chapter of the NAIOP and past President of downtown Milwaukee’s Westown Association. He was also Director of the Milwaukee Riverwalk BID #15, Vice Chairman of Milwaukee’s Alliance for Downtown Parking and Transportation, and was the Chairman of the Board of Milwaukee Downtown BID #21. VIDEO HERE
About the CARW Foundation:
The Wisconsin Commercial REALTORS Education and Research Fund (CARW Foundation) is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 2018. It was announced at the CARW 25th Anniversary Celebration. The effort was formalized in 2020 by a group of commercial real estate professionals dedicated to enhancing the careers of commercial real estate professionals and the communities in which we live. The purpose of the CARW Foundation is to provide support for educational opportunities for commercial real estate students, and to fund research that benefits the Wisconsin commercial real estate community.