Don Richards Leadership Award

As former publisher of The Business Journal and president of the Waukesha Area Chamber of Commerce, the late Don Richards’ hands-on leadership, ethics and delight in achieving tangible results have left a lasting impression on our leaders today. The Don Richards Leadership Award was created in his honor in 1993 to inspire and motivate business people to take community leadership roles. Recipients of the Don Richards Leadership Award have embodied the following criteria:

• Leadership
• Making involvement exciting
• Vision
• Optimism
• Sustained impact
• Credibility
• Risk taker
• Getting things accomplished
• Hands-on
• Ability to see the big picture
• Active love for the community

Our 2026 nominations have closed. Award winners will be recognized at the Alliance's Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 17, 2026.