MILWAUKEE – Amanda Braun has been honored by the Milwaukee Business Journal as part of its 2019 Women of Influence Award winners.
 
Braun, the Milwaukee Director of Athletics since March of 2013, was among the second group of winners announced Tuesday.
 
This is the 20^th year the Milwaukee Business Journal has honored Milwaukee's most influential women.
 
According to the press release, other winners in the second group included Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin president and CEO Tracy Johnson; Kareeda Chones Aguam, vice president of business strategy and activation for the Milwaukee Bucks; Dr. Lynn Sheets of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin; Kristin Dufek, vice president of Eppstein Uhen Architects; and community volunteer Geri (Nana Fotsch) of the Fotsch Family Foundation.
 
In all, the MBJ will honor 29 women as part of its 2019 Women of Influence Awards. The website describes the women as the cream of the crop of Milwaukee's professional community. They've grown businesses, created products, inspired future generations and made the community a better place.
 
Braun was named to the AD post in early March 2013 before officially taking the reins of the department on May 1, 2013. In her tenure on campus, she has helped Milwaukee to new heights, starting by playing the lead role in bringing Panther men's basketball contests back downtown. She also was instrumental in helping the University secure naming rights for UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, the downtown home of Milwaukee men's basketball.

Braun announced a new partnership this past winter with Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin, the largest-ever for the department in terms of both length and financial value of the partnership. Braun helped coordinate the department's partnership with ROC Ventures, one in which the Milwaukee baseball team will play all of its home games at the new facility, Routine Field, at Ballpark Commons.
 
The department also received its first-ever $1 million gift under Braun's watch, coming from alumnus Fred Sitzberger in the Fall of 2016 – still the largest ever made to Milwaukee Athletics.
 
The Business Journal received nearly 270 nominations for this year's program, the most ever received for this popular awards program. The winners will be honored in a special section in the June 28 issue and at an awards event the same day at the Wisconsin Center.