Gwen Moore, Tom Barrett named co-chairs of Milwaukee's 2020 DNC host committee

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore was one of the biggest backstage players in Milwaukee's effort to land the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Despite that, Moore said she cautioned Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez, "don't even think about coming to Milwaukee" without a "real strategy for engaging the entire community."

Moore will now be able to continue that push for community engagement in an official capacity. On Monday, she and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett were named co-chairs of the convention host committee during an appearance at the St. Ann Center on the city's north side.

Their roles aren't just honorary. They'll be key participants as the host committee looks to raise up to $70 million and recruit 15,000 volunteers to stage the event.

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"As the local leaders for this convention they will speak with authority on behalf of the organization," said Liz Gilbert, president of the host committee.

Gilbert said Moore and Barrett "will know what we are doing day in and day out. They will be ingrained in all of our work."

The host committee is rolling out its full leadership structure over the next few days.

As previously reported by the Journal Sentinel, the host committee's board includes Gilbert, attorney Michael O'Neil, Joan Prince, UW-Milwaukee's vice chancellor of global inclusion and engagement, and John W. Miller, founder of Arenberg Holdings.

O'Neil is general counsel of The Dohmen Co. It was Cynthia LaConte, chief executive of Dohmen, who is underwriting the bulk of a $10 million letter of credit that helped Milwaukee secure the convention.