MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC

EIN 39-6023436 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A690)

What they do

THE MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INC. ("MSO") REACHES OUT to DIVERSE AUDIENCES THROUGH CONCERT PERFORMANCES and NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED EDUCATION and OUTREACH PROGRAMS. ALL PROGRAMS ARE GUIDED BY THE MSO FAMILY SHARED VISION WHICH STATES THAT THE MSO EXISTS for THREE PURPOSES: to COMFORT, EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN and EXHILARATE THE HUMAN SOUL THROUGH EVENTS of CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, RELEVANCE and ARTISTIC CHALLENGE; to EMBRACE, PRESERVE and FOSTER OUR MUSICAL HERITAGE; and to ENHANCE THE VIBRANCY of OUR COMMUNITY.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $77.80 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders47 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

92.29%of revenue went to mission work77.8% of expenses · Program services

6.03%of revenue went to fundraising5.1% of expenses

$118.59spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

20.28%of revenue went to management and office costs17.1% of expenses

$6.18in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

71.4%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $3,681,876 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $398,522 for MARK NIEHAUS (PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$19,800,512

Mission workProgram services$18,273,59392.29% of revenue77.8% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$4,014,83420.28% of revenue17.1% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,193,9616.03% of revenue5.1% of expenses

Total expenses$23,482,388118.59% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 77.8% mission · 17.1% management · 5.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 118.59% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 76.1% mission · 18.0% management · 5.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 116.08% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 74.0% mission · 19.8% management · 6.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 125.98% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 73.3% mission · 19.4% management · 7.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.02% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 61.9% mission · 26.9% management · 11.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 41.88% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 78.5% mission · 7.6% management · 13.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 46.81% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 81.3% mission · 6.7% management · 12.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.24% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 68.1% mission · 20.0% management · 11.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 36.78% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$19,800,512

Expenses$23,482,388

Annual shortfall $3,681,876 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$18,273,593 · 77.8% of expenses

Management and office costs$4,014,834 · 17.1% of expenses

Fundraising$1,193,961 · 5.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$19,800,512

Expenses$23,482,388

Assets$145,170,901

Income$19,905,537

Contributions$14,137,955

Mission work (program services)$18,273,593

Fundraising$1,193,961

Management and general$4,014,834

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

MARK NIEHAUSPRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $398,522Base $386,665 · Other $11,857

KEN-DAVID MASURMUSIC DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $338,312Base $329,617 · Other $8,695

TOM LINDOWVP AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $198,805Base $190,264 · Other $8,541

JINWOO LEEMUSICIAN · 40 hrs/week $194,288Base $191,627 · Other $2,661

MONICA KRISTINE MEYER BEALEVP OF ADVANCEMENT (THRU 4/5/25) · 40 hrs/week $158,746Base $151,970 · Other $6,776

BRET DORHOUTVP OF ARTISTIC · 40 hrs/week $149,397Base $143,495 · Other $5,902

SUSAN BABINIMUSICIAN · 40 hrs/week $133,950Base $109,402 · Other $24,548

ILANA SETAPENMUSICIAN · 40 hrs/week $120,273Base $118,546 · Other $1,727

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (47)

MARK NIEHAUSPRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

KEN-DAVID MASURMUSIC DIRECTOR

TOM LINDOWVP AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

JINWOO LEEMUSICIAN

MONICA KRISTINE MEYER BEALEVP OF ADVANCEMENT (THRU 4/5/25)

BRET DORHOUTVP OF ARTISTIC

SUSAN BABINIMUSICIAN

ILANA SETAPENMUSICIAN

RENE IZQUIERDOCOUNTY APPOINTED DIRECTOR

MAURA PACKHAMBOARD DIRECTOR (THRU 12/12/2024)

MICHAEL J SCHMITZBOARD DIRECTOR

NIKO RUUDCOUNTY APPOINTED DIRECTOR

PAM STAMPENBOARD DIRECTOR

PATRICK MURPHYTREASURER

PEGGE SYTKOWSKICOUNTY APPOINTED DIRECTOR

PETER MAHLERBOARD DIRECTOR

TRACY TAVOLIERBOARD DIRECTOR

RENEE HERZINGBOARD DIRECTOR

ROBERT MONNATBOARD DIRECTOR

SACHIN CHHEDACOUNTY APPOINTED DIRECTOR

STEVE HANCOCKBOARD DIRECTOR

SUSAN MARTINBOARD CHAIRMAN

TERESA MOGENSENBOARD DIRECTOR

THEODORE PERLICK MOLINARICITY APPOINTED DIRECTOR

TOM ZALEBOARD DIRECTOR

ALYCE COYNE KATAYAMABOARD SECRETARY

GARREN RANDOLPHCITY APPOINTED DIRECTOR

ANDY NUNEMAKERIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR(THRU12/12/2024)

CHARLOTTE HAYSLETTBOARD DIRECTOR (THRU 12/12/2024)

CHRISTIAN MITCHELLBOARD DIRECTOR

CRAIG SCHMUTZERBOARD DIRECTOR

DALE SMITHBOARD DIRECTOR

DAN BYRNEBOARD DIRECTOR

DAVID UIHLEINHONORARY CO-CHAIR

DOUGLAS HAGERMANBOARD DIRECTOR

ERIC HOBBSBOARD DIRECTOR

FIESHA LYNN BELLCITY APPOINTED DIRECTOR

MARK METZENDORFBOARD DIRECTOR

GREGORY SMITHBOARD DIRECTOR

HARUKI TOYAMABOARD DIRECTOR

HERB ZIENBOARD DIRECTOR

JAY SCHWISTERBOARD DIRECTOR

JEFF COSTAKOSBOARD DIRECTOR

JENNIFER DIRKSBOARD DIRECTOR

JULIE UIHLEINHONORARY CO-CHAIR

KATE BREWERBOARD DIRECTOR (THRU 12/12/2024)

LESLIE PLAMANNBOARD DIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1959
Location: 212 W WISCONSIN AVE, MILWAUKEE, WI 53203
County: Milwaukee
In care of: MARK NIEHAUS
Primary officer: MARK NIEHAUS, PRESIDENT

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@mso.org Phone(414) 291-6010

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: September 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: SIKICH LLC
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A690)