Chris Abele

Chris Abele

Board Position: Chair, One Victory
Milwaukee County Executive

Chris Abele the Chair of the Victory Fund Board of Directors and the Vice Chair of One Victory. Chris is bringing a new form of leadership to Milwaukee County and Wisconsin, redefining what government can be. By combining social responsibility and fiscal discipline, County Executive Abele has lowered the County’s deficit by more than $70 million and successfully instituted domestic partnership benefits for employees; at the same time, he has introduced three consecutive budgets that didn’t raise taxes. County Executive Abele’s bold approach has strengthened critical safety net services like public transportation, child support and mental health care.

One of County Executive Abele’s priorities has been to reform Milwaukee County’s mental health care system. County Executive Abele has also moved aggressively to make Milwaukee County a more transparent and highly regarded government.

For more than two decades, Abele has been a highly successful business owner. He currently runs a growing real estate company, CSA Commercial, and venture fund, CSA Partners. Prior to taking office in 2011 he also ran a medical waste company and served as CEO of the Milwaukee-based Argosy Foundation, where he remains a trustee.

Chris is a dedicated philanthropist focused on empowering others. For nearly 20 years, his volunteer work has included serving on and leading numerous local, national and international nonprofit boards. He currently serves on boards at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Schools that Can-Milwaukee, and the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University. He has received numerous awards for his effective leadership and speaks regularly on leadership, philanthropy and nonprofit best practices.