Board Vice Chair Nick Bauer focused on increasing access to care
02/15/23 12:30:pm
“Mental health touches all families in one way, shape, or form,” Nick says. “I had some specific incidents in my family that led me to want to give back to the mental health community.”
After being introduced to Rogers by friend and fellow board member Bill Mulligan, Nick first joined the Rogers Behavioral Health Foundation Board’s Golf Committee.
A few years later, he transitioned to the System Board of Directors, where he has held various roles over the last decade including on the Executive Committee, Audit and Compliance Committee, and Finance and Investment Committee. He previously served as treasurer of the Board, and, in 2022, became Board vice chair.
“I’m an investment professional by trade, so I bring to the Board a lot of experience in financial reporting and budgeting,” explains Nick, who is the founder and managing director of Operose Advisors LLC, a Milwaukee-based investment firm.
Over the last 15 years, Nick has enjoyed seeing Rogers expand access to care.
“The Herrington Center (for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery) was just built when I started. It wasn’t even open,” he says. “The growth and development of Rogers – not just in Oconomowoc but at a national level – has really created tremendous access to treatment. In parallel with that is the clinical expertise that Rogers puts forth. Rogers has some of the most talented people I’ve ever interacted with.”
Looking ahead, Nick is excited for the new strategic planning process that Rogers has begun, which will lay the foundation for the System over the next five years. He’s also pleased to continue to be part of Rogers’ future.
“I care about the Mission and work of Rogers,” he says. “It’s why I’ve been here 15 years and counting.”
Nick’s areas of expertise
- Finance and investments
- Asset management
- Private equity
- Executive management
- Entrepreneurship
Getting to know Nick
Raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Nick lives in New Berlin, Wisconsin, with his wife, Kristi, and four children: Addison, 14, Andrew, 10, William, 8, and Aaron, 6.
Nick enjoys golfing and spending time with his family, including going on big road trips every summer. Last year, they visited Montana and Yellowstone National Park, and this summer they’re headed to Maine and Montreal.
In addition to the Rogers Board, Nick serves on the boards of Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC); Versiti, a national leader in innovative blood health solutions; Badger Institute, a nonprofit policy research organization; and Marquette University High School.
“Find an organization you’re passionate about,” Nick advises to anyone who is interested in community involvement. “Offer to volunteer and do it without an agenda. You’ll receive a lot more back than you ever imagined.”
