Karen Monfre (BBA ’86) has been named as one of the 2025 recipients of the Distinguished Business Alumni Award from the Wisconsin School of Business.
This award honors individuals with exceptional careers who have made far-reaching impacts in their community, their industry, and at UW–Madison.
Monfre has spent more than 30 years assisting clients across the fields of accounting, valuation, and investment banking. After graduating from UW–Madison with a double major in accounting and computer information systems, she joined accounting firm Wipfli LLP in 1987, working with financial statement audits and corporate tax returns before moving to the firm’s consulting division in 1992. She’d go on to develop Wipfli’s valuation litigation and transaction support practice, and in 2012, she started and grew the company’s investment banking practice, Wipfli Corporate Finance Advisors, LLC.
“In our 25 years of working together, what always stood out to me about Karen was her passion and dedication—not just for driving our valuation and transactions team, but for people,” says Kurt Gresens (BBA ’91), managing partner at Wipfli. “She led clients through pivotal business transitions with deep care and expertise, and always prioritized helping her team grow and thrive. She brings that same passion and dedication to her community and her family. Karen is a trusted, driven, and grounded leader whose impact remains part of Wipfli’s foundation today.”
After retiring from Wipfli and Wipfli Corporate Finance Advisors in 2020, Monfre launched her own business, Monfre Consulting, where she provides consultation and support in the topics of acquisition, divestiture, and business transition.
“What always stood out to me about Karen was her
—Kurt Gresens (BBA ’91), managing partner, Wipfli
passion and dedication—not just for driving our
valuation and transactions team, but for people.”
Through her career, she’s served on the boards for over a dozen local organizations, businesses, and nonprofits, including the University of Wisconsin Foundation and UW–Madison Alumni Club of Brown County. In July, she began a term on the Wisconsin Alumni Association Alumni Advisory Council.
Along with her husband, William, Monfre helped establish a named professorship at WSB. The Karen A. and William S. Monfre Professorship in Business is currently held by Min-Seok Pang, a professor of information systems and analytics. They also endowed a professorship at the College of Engineering.
Read about the other 2025 WSB Alumni Award recipients.
From the Dean
“For more than 30 years, Karen has been a force on the UW–Madison campus, and she was among the first alumni I met when I became dean. On top of her immensely impressive career, she’s been a key driver of progress at WSB, advancing the school’s research mission while also providing critical industry perspectives. I am beyond grateful to have her as part of the Business Badger community.”