In southeastern Wisconsin, where Quad was founded in 1971, the company’s legacy is, quite literally, set in stone. Beyond Quad’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, you can see it across the community: at the Milwaukee Art Museum’s iconic Quadracci Pavillion and the Applied AI Lab at Waukesha County Technical College — and now at the Century City Tower Building, home of Quad MKE, the company’s recruitment, training and retention hub in Milwaukee’s central city.
But the hub, which opened in 2023, doesn’t just provide services for Quad’s current and future employees. It also functions as a forum for community-focused initiatives. According to Brandon Ramey, Quad MKE Site Director, this programming is often an outgrowth of the company’s work with area nonprofits. Last year, for example, the space served as a drive-thru distribution and donation center for a special event with Milwaukee Diaper Mission, a group that provides personal care necessities for families in need. For another event, a workshop focused on financial empowerment, Quad collaborated with 501(c)(3) organization Riverworks Development Corp., which was on site to provide free credit reviews and one-on-one consultation.
“Workshop attendees were able sit down with a certified financial coach to talk about their plans,” Ramey says. “The community was really appreciative of that, because they were able to walk away with something tangible — clear goals to work toward, whether that’s home ownership or something else.”
Overall, the company views Quad MKE as an investment in the future of Milwaukee as a leading talent pool for the marketing industry. Ramey points out that, as one of the area’s leading employers, Quad recognizes how proverbial rising tides can lift all boats. He offers Changemaker Pitchfest, backed by Quad in conjunction with Young Enterprising Society and the nonprofit group Teens Grow Greens, as a prime example.
The initiative, launched in 2024, aims to equip young people (aged 16 to 22) with the skills needed for tactical problem-solving; through a series of seminars, participants can receive guidance through the process of identifying a community challenge and planning out their solution. Last year, this included a workshop with Data You Can Use, a nonprofit that provides technical tools and training for data analysis and visualization, as well as a session with Duffy Lampen, Quad’s Corporate Communications Manager, focused on presenting ideas effectively. This all culminated in a real pitch to a panel of local judges who awarded nearly $5,000 in combined prize money to the most promising concepts.
“At the first Changemaker Pitchfest, we saw ideas presented around food insecurity, around more ethical and sustainable energy, around so many things,” Ramey says. “Quad’s role now is to serve as a resource for them going forward.”
That commitment extends to the physical surroundings of the community, too. Consider the Urban Ecology Center’s Washington Park location, a nature-focused gathering space at the former site of the Milwaukee Zoo. While the facilities underwent a recent renovation, Quad sponsored autumn and winter events — and during the run-up to the grand reopening last January, employee volunteers gave away gloves and hats, children’s books and company merch.
Deantrium King, Quad MKE Logistics Coordinator, acknowledges that this may seem somewhat beyond what you might expect of a potential future employer, much less a multibillion-dollar marketing services company. But to some extent, that’s the point.
“We’re showing up in those places and spaces where people aren’t as familiar with seeing Quad,” King explains. “We’re letting the community know we’re here for them.”
