Rick Graber has had an inside view of politics and democracy, including on the international level. He was President George W. Bush’s ambassador to the Czech Republic, where he worked on issues from missiles to judicial reform. Afterward he served as chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party, attended GOP national conventions and even ran for state Assembly in 1990. A prominent Milwaukee lawyer, he also was the senior vice president for global government relations for Honeywell International. He traces his love of politics back to his father’s run for city council in a small suburban community outside Cleveland, Ohio. Rick knocked on doors for his dad, and listened as his father articulated his beliefs on doorstep after doorstep. These years later, Rick is best known as the president and CEO of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, which gives millions of dollars in grants to nonprofits. The Bradley Foundation, which has a decidedly conservative bent, believes strongly in civil society and private, rather than government, support. Local recipients include Milwaukee Film and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s new home —the Bradley Symphony Center, which honors Harry and Peg Bradley—but also the conservative MacIver Institute. The Bradley Foundation is also a major player on the school choice scene, so Rick tours private schools often.