The Birth of BPX
The Birth of BPX
From how it treats its staff to how it serves their community, an organization’s culture is the heart of everything it does.
In 2018, Marty Brooks was hired to lead the WCD and he quickly concluded that the culture was broken. The first ever employee survey, which was conducted in 2019, proved his instincts were correct. It showed communication, trust and pride in the WCD were almost non-existent. Something had to change and the work needed to make the necessary changes had to begin immediately.
The first step was for Marty to release his CEO Vision. He made it clear that for the WCD to succeed, its venues must be recognized for providing superb, captivating and buzzworthy experiences. His vision made clear that we, the WCD staff, would play the most important role in making this a reality. His vision empowered all staff to think unconventionally and take strategic risks. By doing this we would have more ownership of our jobs and start to take pride in the role we played in making Milwaukee stronger.
The introduction of the WCD’s core values to Be Bold. Be Proud. Be Experience Obsessed. quickly followed. BPX was a call to action.
In 2018, Marty Brooks was hired to lead the WCD and he quickly concluded that the culture was broken. The first ever employee survey, which was conducted in 2019, proved his instincts were correct. It showed communication, trust and pride in the WCD were almost non-existent. Something had to change and the work needed to make the necessary changes had to begin immediately.
The first step was for Marty to release his CEO Vision. He made it clear that for the WCD to succeed, its venues must be recognized for providing superb, captivating and buzzworthy experiences. His vision made clear that we, the WCD staff, would play the most important role in making this a reality. His vision empowered all staff to think unconventionally and take strategic risks. By doing this we would have more ownership of our jobs and start to take pride in the role we played in making Milwaukee stronger.
The introduction of the WCD’s core values to Be Bold. Be Proud. Be Experience Obsessed. quickly followed. BPX was a call to action.
Bold.
We relentlessly seize any opportunity to improve every experience, even if it means taking risks or thinking unconventionally.
Proud.
We stand tall about how our efforts help transform Milwaukee into a first-choice, not-to-be-missed destination.
Experience Obsessed.
We move beyond what needs to be done to what can be done to help craft Milwaukee’s most unforgettable and talked-about moments.
We relentlessly seize any opportunity to improve every experience, even if it means taking risks or thinking unconventionally.
Proud.
We stand tall about how our efforts help transform Milwaukee into a first-choice, not-to-be-missed destination.
Experience Obsessed.
We move beyond what needs to be done to what can be done to help craft Milwaukee’s most unforgettable and talked-about moments.
The Results of BPX
The Results of BPX
BPX became a rallying cry for the entire WCD team.
A new atmosphere rapidly developed around our venues and we started looking at our jobs in a different light. The old tendencies began to fade and a new philosophy of “how do we get to yes?” started to take root. We started seeing each day as a new opportunity, filled with the exciting potential to exceed people’s expectations and show visitors what makes Milwaukee special.
Before long, people outside the organization noticed the change. A buzz about the WCD started spreading throughout the community. People were excited to host their events in our venues, we were named a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Top Workplace and our friends and neighbors started asking about how they could work at WCD with us. The culture change also was noticed by the WCD Board of Directors who trusted management to move forward with the long talked-about expansion of the convention center.
The results of our embrace of BPX can be seen all around us. A new era for Milwaukee’s conventions, meetings and events industry has begun. The expansion and modernization of Baird Center opened in May of 2024, bringing with it the potential for Milwaukee to host bigger and overlapping events, providing even more economic impact to Milwaukee. Miller High Life Theatre is filled with exciting shows and concerts and the activities at UWM Panther Arena help make memories for thousands of people with each sporting event, graduation and assembly.
Most importantly BPX has allowed us to take more pride in our jobs and how we are helping Milwaukee continue to grow. Through BPX, our efforts are making the city an even better place to live, visit and play.
A new atmosphere rapidly developed around our venues and we started looking at our jobs in a different light. The old tendencies began to fade and a new philosophy of “how do we get to yes?” started to take root. We started seeing each day as a new opportunity, filled with the exciting potential to exceed people’s expectations and show visitors what makes Milwaukee special.
Before long, people outside the organization noticed the change. A buzz about the WCD started spreading throughout the community. People were excited to host their events in our venues, we were named a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Top Workplace and our friends and neighbors started asking about how they could work at WCD with us. The culture change also was noticed by the WCD Board of Directors who trusted management to move forward with the long talked-about expansion of the convention center.
The results of our embrace of BPX can be seen all around us. A new era for Milwaukee’s conventions, meetings and events industry has begun. The expansion and modernization of Baird Center opened in May of 2024, bringing with it the potential for Milwaukee to host bigger and overlapping events, providing even more economic impact to Milwaukee. Miller High Life Theatre is filled with exciting shows and concerts and the activities at UWM Panther Arena help make memories for thousands of people with each sporting event, graduation and assembly.
Most importantly BPX has allowed us to take more pride in our jobs and how we are helping Milwaukee continue to grow. Through BPX, our efforts are making the city an even better place to live, visit and play.
The Evolution of BPX
The Evolution of BPX
The first version of BPX has served an important purpose, but all great things must evolve or risk becoming stale and less impactful.
When BPX began we were being asked to Be Bold. Be Proud. Be Experience Obsessed. And we rose to the challenge. Our response was so complete that BPX became a core value. Today, we no longer need to be told to be bold, proud and experience obsessed. We are Bold, Proud and Experience Obsessed.
When BPX began we were being asked to Be Bold. Be Proud. Be Experience Obsessed. And we rose to the challenge. Our response was so complete that BPX became a core value. Today, we no longer need to be told to be bold, proud and experience obsessed. We are Bold, Proud and Experience Obsessed.
The new version of BPX reflects what we have made it. BPX is no longer a set of values that we try to stick to. It is in the DNA of who we are and serves as the heart of what we do.
Bold. Proud. Experience Obsessed. We are what makes the WCD a great place to work, why so many people want to host or attend events at our venues and what is creating a world-wide buzz about our city.
Bold. Proud. Experience Obsessed. We are what makes the WCD a great place to work, why so many people want to host or attend events at our venues and what is creating a world-wide buzz about our city.
400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee | WI | 53203
