Doug Nelson was selected to become the second Executive Director of the ARCW/ AIDS Rescource Center of Wisconsin after the resignation of his predecessor, Sue Dietz, to join the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) in Atlanta. ARCW had grown out of the earlier Milwaukee AIDS Project just two years before, and under Doug's leadership, the organization would take on the increasing and awesome challenge of responding to this radidly spreading epidemic.

Doug would embrace the ARCW as his lifetime calling. Doug grew the organization from a handful of full time staff to over 100, and through several moves to increasingly larger quarters. By adept appeals to government agencies, corporations, and in fundraising appeals to the public, the ARCW has grown to have an annual budget of close to one million dollars. Doug retired from ARCW in 2011 but remains active in Wisconsin's LGBT community. ARCW has gone on to become a nationwide leader in AIDS and HIV services as Vivent Health.