Since 1909, the Milwaukee Press Club has honored exceptional community members and friends of the club by investing them in the Circle of the Knights of Bohemia. Alonzo Burt, who was president of the Wisconsin Telephone Company, was the first to be designated a Knight of Bohemia (and apparently the first non-journalist to join the Press Club). That was in 1909. By 1922, the ranks of the order had grown to 10 people, and stayed at that number for many years, despite the initial intentions of knighting someone each year at the club’s annual meeting – then known as “CatFest.” After 1922, club records do not indicate a new Knight of Bohemia until 1956 when Fred Pabst joined the list, and then in 1958 when Joseph J. Krueger’s name appeared.
Honorees
- Dave Baldwin* The Safe House/Newsroom Pub
- Ben Barkin* Jos. Schiltz Brewing Co.; Barkin & Barkin
- Joe & Jennifer Bartolotta, The Bartolotta Restaurants
- Donald Baumgartner Paper Machinery Corporation
- Rosemary Bischoff* Rosemary Bischoff Studios and Models Agency
- Harry W. Bolens* Port Washington Star
- Alonzo Burt* Wisconsin Telephone
- John Cary, MACC Fund
- Paul Cebar, American songwriter, singer, guitarist and bandleader
- Willie G. Davidson, Harley Davidson
- Fr. Frank Drabinowicz* Press Club chaplain, St. James Catholic Church, Bell Canto Chorus
- Bruce Estlund* Wisconsin Telephone
- Peter Feigin, Milwaukee Bucks
- Sheldon S. Glass* Milwaukee Gas Light Co.
- George Gravin* Gravin-Shaw Public Relations
- John Gurda, Acclaimed Historian
- Herbert J. Hansen* Wisconsin Gas Co.
- Charles Hanson* WISN-AM 1130 Radio
- Gerry W. Hazelton* U.S. House of Representative; Milwaukee attorney
- Alex J. Horlick* Horlick Malted Milk Co.
- Wm. Horlick Jr.* Horlick Malted Milk Co.
- Vyto Kapocius, Wisconsin Electric Power Co.
- Herb Kohl, Former U.S. Senator & Milwaukee Bucks Owner
- Joseph J. Krueger* Milwaukee city treasurer
- Stephen H. Marcus, The Marcus Corporation
- Major Wm. Mitchell Lewis* Mitchell Motor Car Co.; Racine Rubber Co, Wisconsin Army 32nd Div.
- Capt. James A. Lovell, National Aeronautics & Space Administration
- Huetta “Scotty” Manion, Landmarks Gallery
- Shirley Marine, Milwaukee Press Club manager
- H. Carl Mueller, Mueller Communications, Inc.
- Fred Pabst* Pabst Brewing Co.
- Gustave Pabst* Pabst Brewing Co.
- Julie Pedretti, Children’s Hospital
- Vel Phillips, Milwaukee Common Council, Milwaukee County Judge, Vel Phillips Foundation
- Hyman Popuch* Trophy Athletic Co.
- Helen Ratzsch* Karl Ratzsch’s restaurant
- Joette Richards, Administrator of the Milwaukee Press Club
- Robert Riordan* Milwaukee Sentinel, Northwestern Mutual Life
- William Schuchardt* Milwaukee architect
- Albert A. Silverman* Vilter Mfg., vice president and director; attorney
- Randal Sprecher, Sprecher Brewing Co.
- John Stollenwerk, Allen-Edmonds Shoe Corp.
- Stephen Swedish* Steve Swedish Band leader
- Ralph Tillema* Downer College, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
- Edwin C. Uihlein* Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.
- Robert A. Uihlein Jr.* Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.
- Debra Usinger*, Usinger’s Famous Sausage
- Fritz Usinger, Usinger’s Famous Sausage
- Sylvester B. Way* The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co; Wisconsin Electric Power Co.
- James E. Webb* NASA administrator
- Michael S. Wolke, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Dept.
- Frank P. Zeidler* Milwaukee mayor
*deceased
