Mark Mone

Chancellor, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Mark Mone leads the largest university in southeastern Wisconsin. He was appointed Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in 2014.

He has put UWM on a strategic course for student success, research growth, partnerships, entrepreneurship and innovation while managing unprecedented challenges facing higher education. Dr. Mone spearheaded the school’s most ambitious fundraising campaign, which raised more than $251 million.

Working with key constituents across Wisconsin, Dr. Mone has expanded UWM’s innovation initiatives through the new Lubar Entrepreneurship Center and strategic partnerships with business and community leaders. Under his leadership, UW-Milwaukee has launched the Connected Systems Institute and created the Northwestern Mutual Data Sciences Institute. He chairs the Higher Education Regional Alliance – a partnership with 18 colleges and universities plus 10 economic development and community partner organizations – to increase the number of college graduates to address the growing need for highly-skilled talent in the state. He is currently chairing the American Public and Land Grant Universities Urban Serving Universities’ Task Force on 21st Century Workforce Skills.

Chancellor Mone has positioned UWM to address societal issues through strategic re-invention and research and collaboration. Chancellor Mone led the creation of the UW System-wide Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, which aims to solve the world’s water challenges by preparing Wisconsin’s future workforce. The collaborative, led by UWM, connects the 13 UW System institutions through shared curricula and research. He co-founded and co-leads the
M-cubed – a critical initiative of the three major public education institutions in Milwaukee that jointly serve more than 140,000 students – to close the achievement gap.

UWM is one of America’s top research universities, educating more than 26,000 students on multiple campuses with an operating budget of $707 million. Chancellor Mone has successfully led the state’s second-largest University to institute operational efficiencies, executed strategic opportunities and enrollment management plans, and improved business practices.

Dr. Mone has served higher education for more than 30 years as a faculty member, associate dean and senior administrator. He has a B.S. in Management from Central Washington University, a M.B.A. from Idaho State University, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Organization Theory from Washington State University. Previously, he was a chef, food and beverage director, and opening assistant general manager in hospitality operations.

Chancellor Mone serves on the boards of The Water Council, United Way, Milwaukee Succeeds, Milwaukee Film, Midwest Energy Research Consortium, BizStarts Milwaukee, Scale Up, Milwaukee Global Health Consortium, and chairs the Horizon League Athletic Conference. He is an active member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee and Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.

Chancellor Mone is an avid cyclist, athlete and a gourmet cook. He is married to Dr. Sara Swanson and they have two adult children.