Founded on February 19, 2006 in honor of Dr. Frank P. Zeidler, the Frank Zeidler Center for Public Discussion is anchored in Frank Zeidler's commitment to seek the public good through community dialogue, strategic planning, issue analysis and action.

After serving as mayor of Milwaukee for three terms from 1948-1960, Frank Zeidler spent the remainder of his public life as an arbitrator, mediator, fact-finder and hearing officer with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.  In addition, he founded the local chapter of the United Nations Association, the Public Enterprise Committee and was active in the Socialist Party.

Frank Zeidler devoted his life to the common good in his approach to public life, his intellectual curiosity, his committment to family, neighborhood, personal responsibility as a citizen and his participation in constructive discussion.

In his own words, Frank Zeidler believed "people should be cooperative, not fiercly competitve."  It is in this spirit that the Frank Zeidler Center for Public Discussion is dedicated to serving the community.