C-Level Awards 2026: Michael Emem, President & CEO, Emem Group

Michael Emem began his career in the built industry at age 20, designing and building his first house. More than 19 years later, he leads Emem Group, a Greater Milwaukee-based commercial real estate development and consulting firm he founded in December 2018.

Emem Group has managed more than $150 million in costs across a portfolio spanning single-family design-build, office, multifamily and institutional projects — both as developer and owner’s representative.

Emem has overseen the construction of more than 100 new and remodeled homes and more than 400 new multifamily apartment units. His project work includes Gallery 507 in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville neighborhood. He also serves as owner’s representative for the Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin, which will replace the Milwaukee Public Museum at West McKinley Avenue and North Sixth Street.

Before founding Emem Group, he held project management and construction leadership roles at Wangard Partners Inc., Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity and T.L. Reese Corporation.

Emem holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and real estate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an associate degree in architectural technology from Milwaukee Area Technical College. He was named valedictorian of Marquette University’s 2015 ACRE graduating class.

He serves as board president of We Got This Inc. and as a plan commissioner for the Village of Brown Deer. He is married and the father of four children.