In jeopardy after U.S. Bank ended years of sponsorship, Milwaukee’s annual July 3 lakefront fireworks display needed someone to step in — and fast.

Longtime Milwaukee money manager and philanthropist Ted Kellner went to Jack Salzwedel, the chief executive of Madison-based American Family Insurance, and explained that losing the fireworks would be a big blow to the city. Kellner, who had been a member of American Family’s board of directors, suggested Kellner’s T&M Partners and American Family split the cost.

“As we got into it we realized it’s a lot more than just writing a check. It was about logistics,” Salzwedel said. “So we approached the Brewers, who were in the middle of spring training. I actually was able to talk with Mark (Brewers principal owner Mark Attanansio), and when Mark heard about it, he was like, ‘Yeah, we’ll be part of that.’”

And just like that, American Family, drawn into another Milwaukee sponsorship opportunity, worked with Kellner and the Milwaukee Brewers to save the fireworks. Read the full story here.