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Business Journal Power Breakfast with Briggs & Stratton CEO Kristina Cerniglia
The Pfister Hotel, 424 E Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Thursday, August 13, 2026 (7:30 AM) - Thursday, August 13, 2026 (9:00 AM)
Join us for the August 13th Power Breakfast with Briggs & Stratton CEO Kristina Cerniglia.
North Shore Bank is proud to present this business information and networking series where CEOs and other top business headline makers in Southeast Wisconsin offer an exclusive Q&A with Milwaukee Business Journal Editor-in-Chief Timothy Gibbons.
The August Power Breakfast features Briggs & Stratton, one of Milwaukee's most storied manufacturers, with products from the company used on the front lines in World War II and its lightweight aluminum engines all but creating the modern small-appliance sector. In recent years, though, the company's story was one of challenges, including going through multiple leaders after emerging from bankruptcy in 2020.
Things have changed under the leadership of Kristina Cerniglia, who was named CEO in 2024. Coming to Briggs & Stratton with three decades of manufacturing experience, Cerniglia - who had joined the company as CFO two years earlier - has increased profits, improved product quality, and boosted employee morale.
So what's next? Join us as we sit down for a wide-ranging conversation with Cerniglia about her approach to leadership, the challenges of running a global manufacturer in today's environment, why community involvement is a company imperative, and how she's setting the stage for the future of the 118-year-old business.