Block builds bridges to get deals done

Listen to this article

An interest in architecture and history drew Bruce Block to the law, but it’s his ability to broker public and private sector deals that has kept him in practice for nearly 35 years.

“He’s able to come up with innovative solutions,” Milwaukee developer Gary Grunau said. “I remember one of our earliest projects: Milwaukee Public Schools was in need of some middle schools.

“Bruce came up with the idea of housing the middle schools in nonprofits and leasing them back to MPS. He’s just excellent.”

Block started as a summer associate at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren SC in 1978. Though the firm’s CEO Jerry Janzer said he’s now known as a “go-to guy” in the real estate development community, Block jokes that he’s simply outlasted everyone else.

After Block formally joined the firm in 1979, Janzer said, he began building a network of contacts in government and business that eventually would allow the firm to broker deals for the development of the downtown river walk system in Milwaukee, Pabst Farms in Oconomowoc and Bayshore Town Center in Glendale.

Today, Block is not only a shareholder and board member, but also co-chairman of the real estate practice group and a leader on the Northwestern Mutual project in Milwaukee.

And he has done it all while working pro bono for the Turner Ballroom Preservation Trust, Froedtert Hospital Foundation, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Greater Milwaukee Committee.

“He does more than just show up,” Janzer said. “He is a leader on every one of those boards. He doesn’t do it to add to his resume.”

Block shares the credit for what he’s been able to accomplish.

“I think Milwaukee is a very open community,” he said. “The opportunity to become engaged and part of stuff is there.”

People looking to get involved “just need to roll up their sleeves,” Block said.

Where Block really thrives is in bringing people together.

“The public sector is responsive to very different things than the private sector,” he said, “so trying to coordinate, anticipate and align all the competing interests and cross-currents can be both frustrating and rewarding.”