Mary and Ted Kellner
Mary Kellner earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from UW-Madison in 1968, her master’s in Educational Psychology from UWM in 1978 and her doctorate in Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in 2007. She worked as an alcohol and other drug addiction counselor for the Mequon-Thiensville Schools and as a guidance counselor in the Grafton Schools. She is president of the Kelben Foundation, which supports local educational and child-oriented initiatives, and she served on the UWM Foundation Board of Directors from 2000 to 2009, during which time she co-chaired the UWM Scholarship Campaign. In 2012, Mary received the UWM Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award. Ted Kellner earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance from UW-Madison in 1969. He is the founder and executive chairman of Fiduciary Management Inc., an investment management firm. Ted also co-founded and serves as executive chairman and treasurer of Fiduciary Real Estate Development Inc. For decades, Ted has served the metropolitan Milwaukee and Wisconsin communities in numerous ways, taking leadership positions on numerous non-profit and corporate boards of directors.
Impact
The Kellners prefer that their scholarships attract students who are members of minority or ethnic groups and hail from homes and neighborhoods that are not wealthy. As such, they aim to diversify the student population and prepare all for a diverse workforce, enriching the university and the communities they will one day serve.
“So often, I talk with wonderful kids who are graduating from high school, and they tell me they want to go to college but they can’t afford it,” Mary says. “This is why it’s really important that we help them get access to a good education.”