DATE: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
TIME: 1:00 PM – 6:30 PM
LOCATION: Fox Cities Stadium | Appleton
Fox Cities Stadium
2400 North Casaloma Drive
Appleton, WI 54913
Keynote Presentation Time
3:45 - 4:45 PM
Keynote Topic
Winning in a Small Market: Driving Financial Performance, Fan Growth, & Sustainable Operations in the NBA G League
Summary
Operating a small-market NBA G League franchise demands disciplined financial management, creative revenue generation, and deep community engagement. Steve will share stories from his career journey and explore how business leaders can align limited resources with strategic priorities to deliver profitability, brand growth, and long-term organizational value.
Learning Objectives
Keynote Presenter & Biography
Steve Brandes
Team President | Wisconsin Herd
Steve Brandes was appointed Team President for the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee Bucks NBA G League Team, in 2017. Brandes presides over all business verticals and day-to-day operations of the Herd. He sits on the NBA G League’s Team Leadership Council and Executive Committee. Under his leadership the Wisconsin Herd has been awarded NBA G League Franchise of the Year (2022-23), NBA G League President’s Choice Award (2021-22), NBA G League Promotion of the Year (2018-19 & 2022-23) and NBA G League Social Responsibility of the Year (2017-18). Brandes was the first ever NBA G League Team President to be awarded the NBA G League Executive of the Year Award two times (2017-18 & 2021-22).
He previously spent 14 seasons with the front office of the Idaho Stampede NBA Development League team in which he spent 10 of those seasons as President & General Manager. Brandes began with the Stampede as an Account Executive and moved up the ranks serving as Director of Sales & Game Operations and Assistant General Manager. Through his time at the Stampede, Brandes helped the team with successful transitions to a new arena and a new league (CBA to NBA Development League). He was instrumental in the success of the 2006 CBA All-Star Classic, as well as the 2008 and 2010 NBA Development League Showcase. Brandes helped facilitate the team’s hybrid affiliations with the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz while serving as the main liaison with both NBA parent clubs. In 2015, the Stampede were purchased by the Utah Jazz and Brandes was retained as President to run Larry H. Miller’s enterprise in Idaho. In 2016, Utah relocated the Stampede to Salt Lake City in which he played a vital role with the group for a successful relocation.
Brandes has been recognized as an Accomplished Under 40 honoree by the Idaho Business Review in June 2015 for his efforts in the community. He helped run the Idaho Stampede Community Foundation which was awarded the 2014 Most Outstanding Foundation Award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). He has served on many boards in the past including the Epilepsy Foundation of Idaho (EFI) board, the Idaho Non-Profit Center’s board. Currently, and the Oshkosh Boys & Girls Club. Brandes currently sits on the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce.
Prior to joining the NBA G League, Brandes enjoyed a diverse background ranging from traveling to Russia as a student ambassador to working as a professional archaeologist for two years. Brandes obtained a liberal arts degree from the College of Wooster. He then attended Game Face, Inc.’s Executive Academy, a leading international sports sales training and placement firm in Portland, Oregon where he trained with a variety of sports properties.
Awaiting content from CIBC.
Dan Welytok, J.D., LL.M., von Briesen, will provide a practical look at deferred compensation planning as a strategic tool. The session will examine plan design options, tax considerations, and common pitfalls, along with how deferred compensation arrangements can align executive incentives with long-term business goals.
Dan Welytok, J.D., LL.M
Shareholder | von Briesen & Roper, s.c.
Dan Welytok is a Shareholder and Chair of the Tax Section. Dan’s practice focuses on helping management achieve practical results in all aspects of business. He assists clients nationally and internationally with business development, tax issues, acquisitions and divestments, capital structuring, financing, corporate governance, information technology, licensing and distribution, regulatory and compliance issues, labor and employee benefits matters, and dispute resolution. Dan represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor, Federal and state courts and regulatory agencies on audits, controversies, compliance issues, white collar tax defense, and business disputes. He advises nonprofit and tax-favored organizations on business and tax matters including structural and cooperative arrangements, joint ventures, unrelated business income, grant making, public awareness campaigns and fundraising activities.
Dan frequently gives presentations at various local and national seminars and is an editorial board member and regular contributor to the industry publication, The Cooperative Accountant. He has authored and edited various tax and law-related books listed as best sellers by Amazon.com, including Nonprofit Law & Governance for Dummies with a foreword by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, Sarbanes-Oxley for Dummies, The Wisconsin Guide to Nonprofits and the National Income Tax Workbook. Dan is also the chair of the firm’s Opinion Review Committee.
CIBC Professional Development Presentation from 1:00 - 2:00 PM = 1 credit
von Briesen & Roper, s.c. Presentation from 2:15 - 3:15 PM = 1 credit
Keynote Presentation from 3:45 - 4:45 PM = 1 credit
Michelle Weiss
920.750.9110
michelle@mwcommunications.org
Register and send cancellations by noon on 9/2/26.