Jim Schlief was involved with the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW), and worked on development of the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center.

Denise Wise, who served for some time on the board and as president of the Cream City Foundation and a member of the PrideFest Task Force, remembers Jim as one of a few community leaders who made a major impact on her and the community. “I met Jim Schlief through his work at ARCW,” says Wise. “The enthusiasm he has had for that organization and its mission really inspired me. He was also pivotal in the development of the community center.”