In February 2020, Milwaukee Repertory Theater announced plans to build one of the largest new theater complexes in the United States. Four weeks later, the theater shut down due to COVID-19. Over the course of developing the $80 million, 155,000-square-foot project, Milwaukee Rep confronted a global pandemic, record-high inflation, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, tariffs, and even a 1,000-year flood that destroyed its production center. Despite these unprecedented challenges, the Associated Bank Theater Center opened on time, under budget, and fully funded. Bauman will share lessons learned from leading a regional theater through extreme uncertainty, drawing on insights from an organization recently profiled by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Chicago Tribune as one of the most successful in the country. Chad Bauman is the Ellen and Joe Checota Executive Director of Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Since his arrival in 2013, Bauman has overseen a significant period of growth for a company that produces about 700 performances a year, making it “the city’s most prolific performing arts organization” (Milwaukee Business Journal), presenting seasons that can “rival anything in Chicago and beyond” (Chicago Tribune). During his tenure, Milwaukee Rep has eliminated all debt, nearly doubled the endowment, achieved operating surpluses annually, grew net assets from $16 million to $111 million, raised more than $108 million across four successful capital campaigns, and opened the Associated Bank Theater Center, the largest regional theater complex to open in the United States in the last decade. Under his leadership, Milwaukee Rep has been recently recognized by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Chicago Tribune as one of the most successful regional theaters in the country. Previously, Bauman was the Associate Executive Director at Arena Stage where he was instrumental in the 2010 opening of the Mead Center for American Theater, a three-theater performing arts complex dedicated to American voices. While at Arena Stage, he more than doubled earned revenue, reversed a decline in subscriptions by doubling the base, shattered several company sales records, and helped raise $145 million in capital funds. In addition, he worked on the Broadway transfers of Next to Normal (Pulitzer Prize; Tony Award), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tony Award), Wishful Drinking starring Carrie Fisher, Looped starring Valerie Harper, and John Grisham’s A Time to Kill, in addition to other notable plays including the world premiere of Marcus Gardley’s Every Tongue Confess starring Phylicia Rashad and Red Hot Patriot starring Kathleen Turner. In 2025, Milwaukee BizTimes recognized Bauman as its “Community Leader of the Year” in addition to naming him one of Wisconsin’s most influential business leaders. Bauman has also been Non-Profit CEO of the Year and a notable LGBTQ Executive by BizTimes, a Champion of the Hispanic Community by the United Community Center, Top 40 under 40 by the Milwaukee Business Journal, and one of the most influential leaders under 40 in Washington, DC by Washington Life Magazine. He is currently the Board President of the Milwaukee Arts Partners and a Board member of Pathways High School, ImagineMKE, and AFS Milwaukee, and has served as an adjunct professor at American University, Drexel University, and CalArts. Bauman is currently a doctoral student in the Organizational Learning and Leadership Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Additionally, he is a graduate of Brown University’s Leadership and Performance Coaching Program, Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management program, and has a Master of Fine Arts in producing from CalArts.