Green Bay, Wis. — Long-term community support for engaging, inspiring and empowering Northeast Wisconsin’s next generation of women leaders took a phenomenal step forward on April 20, 2023, when Schreiber Foods announced a gift to UW-Green Bay’s Institute for Women’s Leadership. With the gift, the Institute will be renamed the Schreiber Foods Institute for Women’s Leadership at UW-Green Bay.
“Personal growth and leadership development — especially for women leaders – is extremely important to me, and it’s important to Schreiber,” said Ron Dunford, Schreiber Foods President and CEO. “We’re proud to have our name tied to an organization that advances women both personally and professionally.”
Dunford announced the news to more than 500 people attending the Institute’s annual event celebrating Northeast Wisconsin women at all stages of their careers, “Celebrate 2023: Phenomenally You,” an evening of connection, education and inspiration open to everyone. View the event video here.
Identified as a key priority in the University’s Ignite the Future Campaign, the Women’s Leadership Institute has gained momentum in the last year, hosting dozens of formal and informal events and engaging more than 1,800 women who are looking for a flexible, dynamic resource for leadership connection, education and inspiration. The gift establishes an endowment to provide long-term sustainability for the Institute and its work to become the go-to resource in Northeast Wisconsin supporting women and their leadership journeys.
It will also support the Institute’s work to increase communities’ knowledge and awareness of issues related to women in leadership and advance new knowledge in the state of Wisconsin through benchmarking data on women in business, and research about women and leadership.
The University established the Institute in 2021, recognizing the region’s growing need for a pipeline of women leaders and the distinct challenges they face in the workplace. The Institute is a comprehensive leadership resource committed to providing ongoing, relevant connection, education and inspiration to support women as they rise.
“The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is incredibly grateful to Schreiber Foods for providing such a transformational gift, made possible by their innovative and hardworking partners who are committed to ‘doing good through food,’” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Mike Alexander. “We are proud to be a university that supports women at all stages of their careers. Schreiber’s gift makes it even more possible for us to expand our efforts to empower women.”
Sheryl Van Gruensven, UW-Green Bay’s Chief Business Officer/Senior Vice Chancellor for Institutional Strategy and one of the founders of the Institute, also acknowledged the significance of Schreiber’s commitment to women’s leadership. “Support from a global company like Schreiber not only validates the need and value of the Institute’s initiatives, but signals to other organizations that now is the time to invest in women and their leadership journeys,” she said.
About Schreiber Foods
Schreiber Foods strives to do good through food every day. Based in North America, Schreiber is a customer-brand leader in cream cheese, natural cheese, process cheese, beverages and yogurt. Our more than 10,000 employees and presence on five continents enable us to be an essential ingredient in our customers’ success. With annual sales of nearly $7 billion, we partner with the best retailers, restaurants, distributors and food manufacturers around the globe. We also recognize our responsibility to do good in the world and are driven to make a difference in everything we do.
About the Institute for Women’s Leadership
The Institute was created in 2021, recognizing the region’s growing need for a pipeline of women leaders and the distinct challenges faced by professional women in the workplace. The Institute’s mission is to advance women both personally and professionally at all stages of their career by educating, inspiring and providing networking opportunities to create a strong and equitable workforce. Learn more at https://www.uwgb.edu/
