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Conference Preview 2025
This year's NGAUS conference returns to Milwaukee, a destination Vogue magazine calls “the Midwest’s coolest and most underrated city.”
The city long famous for beer, bikes and brats also hosted the conference in 1998 and 2011. It is the only city to host three NGAUS conferences in the past 30 years. The 147th General Conference & Exhibition is set for Aug. 22 to 25.
Located on the shores of Lake Michigan just 90 miles north of Chicago, “Milwaukee,” Vogue says, “is a Midwestern city that feels like a coastal one, where sailboards bob in the harbor and golden beaches stretch along a shockingly blue shore.”
It’s also a city with great architecture, a thriving arts scene and a vibrant nightlife that includes 150 restaurants downtown plus pubs, bars and, of course, beer gardens. After all, the city is one of the beer capitals of the world. And a place where the dollar goes a little further than elsewhere.
“Milwaukee is relatively inexpensive,” says retired Brig. Gen. Mark Michie, one of the state co-chairs.
Most attendees will arrive by air at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), 8 miles south of downtown. Shuttles will be available for $10 each way to take attendees to their hotels and back on the main travel days.
But driving might be the best option for some, as Milwaukee is only a six-hour drive from eight states.
Attendees will stay in one of 12 hotels (see below) within a mile of the Baird Center, the city’s convention center. Free shuttles will run daily to move attendees back and forth between the convention center and their hotels. The Hyatt Regency will serve as the NGAUS headquarters hotel. It’s a block from the Baird Center.
Attendees in 2011 will remember Baird Center, but it has since been renovated as part of a $460-million expansion, including added space for ballrooms and exhibits. Much of the area around the Baird Center has also undergone something of a transformation
“The city has really changed; a lot of new things,” Michie says. Citywide upgrades, he says, were necessary to host the Republican National Convention last year, which attracted 50,000 visitors, and the Democratic National Convention in 2020.
THE CITY
Situated on the southeastern corner of Wisconsin, Milwaukee rose from a collection of scattered settlements on a site familiar to the Native American tribes in what is now eastern Wisconsin. Local historians attribute the name to a word derived from the Potawatomi Tribe, who pronounced it Mahn-ah-wauk, meaning council grounds.
The first immigrants were French and French Canadian traders and trappers. During the 1830s, settlement occurred rapidly and in earnest as the population grew to several hundred by 1837.
Germans began to arrive during the 1840s, followed by Polish immigrants and African Americans from the South after the Civil War. Influxes from Ireland, Italy, Russia, Sweden and Serbia arrived later. The city retains the flavor of all these long-ago arrivals.
Many Americans became acquainted with the city in the 1970s and 80s through the hit television show Happy Days. The sitcom featured a teenager, Richie Cunningham, his suburban Milwaukee family, his school friends and local greaser, Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli in the 1950s and 60s. The show enjoyed a 10-year run.
Today, the city is home to the international headquarters of seven Fortune 500 companies, including Northwestern Mutual, Fiserv and Manpower.
THE CONFERENCE
Social events and activities are always a big part of the conference agenda and Milwaukee will be no different.
The Brown Deer Golf Club in the city will host the sponsors’ tournament Aug. 21, while the attendees’ tournament will be held at The Bog in nearby Saukville on Aug. 22. Brown Deer is where Tiger Woods made his professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1996. The Bog is an Arnold Palmer-designed course that has been named in Golf Digest’s Best in State rankings.
That same day, the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Ride is scheduled for the surrounding area. The conference in 2011 hosted the first NGAUS motorcycle ride in 2011. Several host states have since included it in their social agenda.
Harley-Davidson is headquartered in Milwaukee, but you can ride whatever you please. Bring your own or a local shop will have bikes available for rent on the day of the ride. Riders will head to Lake Geneva and the scenic hills of southeast Wisconsin.
Sport fishing is also on the menu for the first time. Take advantage of the waterfront for a day of salmon fishing on a charter boat. You may catch lake trout. too. Space on the boat will be limited.
The popular mixers are set for that evening. The company-grade/warrant officer event is scheduled for the MECCA and Beer Garden, while the senior warrant officers will be in the Gather. Both establishments are downtown in the Deer District, an entertainment complex across the street from Fiserv Forum, the home of the 2021 NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks.
While the Bucks’ season will be over in August, the Milwaukee Brewers MLB franchise will play at American Family Field during the conference. They play the San Francisco Giants over the weekend and the Arizona Diamondbacks are coming to town if you plan to stick around after the conference.
The annual Fun Run is set for early Aug. 23. It starts and finishes at Veterans Park. The course follows a bike and running trail along the waterfront.
The area meetings and caucuses are scheduled for 9 a.m. that morning. The ribbon-cutting for the exhibition is set for 10 a.m., followed by free brunch on the tradeshow floor. NGAUS continues to seek more health and leisure exhibitors. An expanded schedule for the Minuteman Stage inside the exhibit hall is also in the works.
Officer professional development for company-grade officers is scheduled throughout the conference. The first session begins the morning before the First Business/Professional Session, which begins at noon. As always, NGAUS will invite key lawmakers and defense leaders to speak.
The Roll Call of States will take place shortly after the opening ceremonies. A crowd favorite, the roll call exudes state pride with its unique presentations. Country-music artist Rockie Lynne will perform at the opening ceremony.
All are invited to attend the Governor’s Reception at Discovery World. The 120,000-square-foot interactive science center with high-tech exhibits, such as a flight simulator, 3D tour of planet Earth, Les Paul’s House of Sound and a touch tank filled with sharks and stingrays. Conference attendees will have the place to themselves with music, food and beverage set up throughout. Stick around until the end. There will be fireworks after dark.
The conference continues with the Second Business/Professional Development Session at 8 a.m., followed by CGO OPD and task force meetings. The Retiree Caucus and the Spouses luncheon are set for that afternoon. Retirees will meet at the Harley-Davidson Museum, while the spouses will gather at the restored Pritzlaff Building in the Third Ward Historic District.
Later that evening is Hospitality Night, historically held in several state hotel suites or nearby bars and restaurants. The hotels are all within walking distance so it will be easy to visit with old friends and make new ones.
The Army and Air separate sessions are on the morning of Aug. 25. The last of the three business sessions will follow.
The final event of the conference, the States Dinner, will be back in the Baird Center ballroom. It’ll be themed as a traditional supper club environment with “come as you are” dress code. After dinner, comedian Charlie Berens, creator of the funny Manitowac Minute video series, will entertain.
BEYOND THE CONFERENCE
Take The Hop trolley to explore the city. It’s free.
Named one of Lonely Planet’s best cities to visit in 2024 and the No. 3 best big city in the United States by readers of Conde Nast Traveler.
The original Brew City — think Miller, Pabst and Schlitz — is not surprisingly also home to dozens of brewpubs. But what may come as a surprise, Milwaukee was also named by Midwest Living as Best Culinary City in 2023. Old-world flavors include German heritage and its omnipresent brats, but local favorites also include custard, fish fry and cheese curds.
Milwaukee also has the nation’s fifth-largest Polish population, so you will see its influences, too. Try a Polish sausage aka kielbasa if you get a chance.
After all that eat and drink, it’s time to walk it off. Stroll around many of the green spaces of Milwaukee County Parks or grab a bike or scooter to check out the many popular neighborhoods of The Village, East Tosa, Midtown or Mayfair.
The Historic Third Ward is known as Milwaukee’s Arts and Fashion District and offers the city’s most dynamic array of restaurants, spas, theaters, galleries and unique shopping, all in a historic warehouse setting. The neighborhood is also home to the award-winning RiverWalk and Milwaukee Public Market.
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame & Museum is in Walker’s Point. Other museums to visit include the iconic Milwaukee Art Museum and the Harley-Davidson Museum, which features hundreds of motorcycles that showcase how styles changed over the decades. You can even sit on the saddle of various bikes and take photos.
So, bring your spouse and/or your bike, but definitely bring your appetite!
RICH ARNOLD works in the NGAUS Communications Department. He can be reached at [email protected].
REGISTRATION, TRAVEL, HOTEL & EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Registration
NGAUS members should register through their state/territory Guard association. Exhibitors and industry representatives must register at www.ngaus.org/conference. Registration is $200. This fee covers admission to all business/professional development sessions, company-grade officer professional development, the exhibition and opening-day brunch on the tradeshow floor, the mixers, the Governor’s Reception and the States Dinner.
Flights
Attendees should use Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), located about 8 miles south of the city. Most major airlines provide nonstop or one-stop service daily. The airport is also home to the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 128th Air Refueling Wing.
Ground Transportation
Shuttles will be available for $10 each way to take attendees to their hotels and back on the main travel days, Aug. 21, 22 and 26. Shuttles will also be available to and from hotels to the Baird Center and to and from conference events and activities.
Hotel Assignments
Aloft by Marriott Louisiana, Nevada, Virginia, West Virginia
Courtyard by Marriott Kentucky, Nebraska, Oregon
DoubleTree Hotel (Hilton) Arizona, Idaho, Montana, South Carolina, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Drury Plaza Connecticut, Kansas, Missouri, Washington
Hawkeye (Holiday Inn Express) Guam, Hawaii
Hilton Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin
Hyatt Regency Alaska, Iowa, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, NGAUS
Hyatt Plaza California, New Mexico, Puerto Rico
Marriott Florida, Oklahoma, District of Columbia
Residence Inn Mississippi
Springhill Suites (Marriott) Georgia, Michigan, Rhode Island, Wyoming
Westin (Marriott) Alabama, Illinois
Exhibit Booth Sales
An exhibition prospectus, registration forms and a map of sold booths on the tradeshow floor are available at in the “Exhibitor” section at www.ngaus.org/conference.
Learn More
Find out more about Milwaukee at www.visitmilwaukee.org. Visit www.ngaus.org/conference for the latest information on conference events. NATIONAL GUARD and Washington Report, the association’s weekly e-newsletter, will also provide updates. So will NGAUS social media channels, including Twitter hashtag: #NGAUS2025. The business and company-grade officer professional development agendas will be posted Aug. 1. Many state/territory association websites will post their specific plans for the conference. The conference app will be available in July.
