Wisconsin Grocers Association names Mike Semmann president and CEO

The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA) has named Mike Semmann as its new president and CEO. Semmann takes over on April 2 for former WGA leader Brandon Scholz, who recently retired.

Semmann brings over 25 years of trade association experience and joined WGA as the VP of government affairs. 

Prior to joining WGA, Semmann held key positions in both the private and non-profit sectors. He most recently served as the senior account executive at SAS, the data analytics firm, as well as the executive vice president/COO for the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA), where he oversaw advocacy, legal, and communications initiatives. He also co-founded Advancing AI Wisconsin, a grassroots organization that was focused on increasing awareness of machine learning’s impact on the state’s economy.

He is also the past Chair of the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists and currently sits on the board of the Hessen Wisconsin Society to develop and strengthen partnerships between the State of Hessen, Germany, and the state of Wisconsin.  

Semmann holds a degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. 

The Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA) is a non-profit trade association established in 1900 to represent independent grocers and grocery chains, warehouses & brokers, vendors, suppliers, and manufacturers before all levels of government. The WGA provides educational and networking opportunities, leadership training, public affairs, and compliance information for its membership. The WGA represents nearly 350 independent grocers with multiple locations across the state, more than 200 retail grocery chain stores, warehouses and distributors, convenience stores, food brokers and suppliers.