Admirals named finalist for corporate citizen award after big charity donations

The Admirals are on the finalist list for Corporate Citizen of the Year, and the nod says as much about the franchise as any box score. Milwaukee and the Admirals Power Play Foundation said they donated more than $325,000 to local charities during the 2025-26 season, a total that makes the organization’s community work part of its identity, not just a side project.

BizTimes Media’s 13th annual Nonprofit Excellence Awards will honor finalists on Thursday, July 23, at 2:30 p.m. at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. The program recognizes southeastern Wisconsin nonprofit organizations, leaders, philanthropists and corporate citizens, and the Admirals are one of 38 finalists spread across 10 categories. That matters in a market like Milwaukee, where visibility and trust can be as valuable as a hot power play.

The club’s biggest fundraising engine this season was the Community Partners Program, which brought in $125,052. The model pairs the Admirals with nine corporate partners and ties donations to team statistics, with the Power Play Foundation matching the amount. In one of the cleaner examples of hockey translating directly into dollars, Northwestern Mutual’s goal-based donation for Children’s Wisconsin reached $42,400 after the Admirals scored 212 goals, including the playoffs.

That kind of campaign is why the finalist status lands with some weight. The Admirals said their 2024-25 charitable fundraising total topped $257,000, and a 2023 announcement said Community Partners initiatives raised more than $70,000 that season. The numbers show a steady climb, not a one-time spike, and they help explain why the organization keeps getting recognized beyond the rink.

The team also has built its brand around visible, hands-on work around the city. Admirals staff and players have served as celebrity waiters for Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, a fundraiser the club has described as its largest of the year. The organization has also hosted Try Hockey events for underprivileged kids and sent mascot Roscoe to a wide range of community appearances, while previous player-driven efforts have included Ronald McDonald House gift donations and youth rink visits.

President Jon Greenberg has framed that work as part of the Admirals’ leadership role in Milwaukee, and the finalist berth backs up the point. In a minor-league market, the franchise’s off-ice footprint is not a feel-good extra. It is a competitive advantage, and the Admirals are selling it as part of what they are.