Service Award

BRADLEY J. KALSCHEUR,
BUS AD '89, LAW '95

Milwaukee

“Of whom much is given, much is expected.”

That’s how Brad Kalscheur looks at life. And he considers himself the beneficiary of many gifts, which is why he expects so much of himself.

As a partner in the wealth planning services practice group at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, he focuses on all areas of estate and business succession planning, charitable planning, and the structuring and taxation of partnerships and limited liability companies.

“I live the dream of helping people make sure their money goes to deserving children and charities after they’re gone, instead of the federal government,” he says.

After graduating cum laude with an accounting degree from Marquette in 1989, he relocated to Washington, D.C., and joined the operating tax department at KPMG. Working primarily in the area of partnership taxation, he remained there a short while before deciding to return to Milwaukee to attend Marquette Law School. He earned his juris doctorate, cum laude, in 1995, shortly thereafter starting his legal career in estate planning at Weiss Berzowski Brady LLP. He joined Michael Best in 2002.

Looking back on the many gifts he received while at Marquette, Brad says, “The people you meet, classmates, alumni, faculty and administrators — especially when you stay in Milwaukee — contribute to your success by being part of the Marquette Mafia and by creating a network of people you can turn to for advice, help and business.”

Speaking of networks, Brad is part of many, including as director of the Jesuit Partnership for the Wisconsin Province and director of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Eastern Wisconsin. He has volunteered for Marquette's College of Business Administration Alumni Association and is active with the Wisconsin Bar Association, the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants and many more.

“The ability to mentor students and pass along what I’ve learned is a way of instilling the volunteer spirit in them, which will cultivate the next generation of service winners,” he says.

Fun facts about Brad:
Hometown: Port Edwards, Wis.
Favorite book: Centennial by James Michener
Someone alive or dead he’d like to have dinner with: Barry Goldwater
The Marquette faculty members who had an impact on Brad: Rev. John Naus, S.J., Rev. John Schlegel, S.J., Dr. Jim Trebby and Patricia Bradford
Favorite Marquette memory: “When the menu was being planned in the winter for the Schroeder Hall spring semiformal, we didn’t realize it would occur on a Friday during Lent.” Once discussed, Brad jokingly told the person writing the invitation to include, “Due to the semiformal nature of this event, abstinence from meat is not required.” That ended up on the invitations. So, he ended up giving a general dispensation to the entirety of Schroeder Hall.
Most influential people in Brad’s life: Too many to single out one person