About

For more than 20 years, Omar Shaikh has been one of Milwaukee’s leading business owners and community leaders. Known for high standards and exceptional service in the hospitality business, Omar leads the modern and sophisticated award-winning steakhouse Carnevor. As a well-rounded restaurateur and business operator, Omar joined the team that redeveloped downtown Milwaukee’s iconic Grand Avenue property and spearheaded the efforts of opening the 3rd St. Market Hall, which has brought energy and activity to an area of the mall and the city that was dormant for years. The food hall has become the place to be with creative restaurant operators, fun activities and an energy that draws in residents from throughout southeastern Wisconsin.

Omar remains committed to helping revitalize the historic downtown landmark with a strong focus on transformation and creating new experiences west of the Milwaukee River. Outside of hospitality and development, he is also a partner in O & B Consulting, and Tuk Tuk Chicago, a short-distance electric cab service.
Omar Shaikh’s passion for moving Milwaukee forward can be seen through his extensive list of community involvement and his leadership in getting major projects accomplished.

He served as the Board Chair for VISIT Milwaukee for seven years and is one of the leading advocates for increasing tourism in southeastern Wisconsin. He is also a member of the Wisconsin Center District board of directors and was one of the community leaders who worked tirelessly with state and local officials to develop a financing mechanism to move forward the long-awaited $456 million expansion of the city’s convention center. The expansion will allow Milwaukee to compete against other major cities for conventions and meetings that will bring in millions of dollars for Milwaukee-area hotels, restaurants and retailers.

Omar was chairman of the Home Crew Coalition, a community group, which played a key role in 2023 in helping broker a bipartisan solution through state legislation signed by Gov. Tony Evers to ensure American Family Field has the resources it needs to remain one of the best ballparks in all of baseball and to keep major league baseball in Wisconsin through 2050.

In addition, Omar served on the host committee that worked directly in securing the 2024 Republican National Convention and is now working with business and community leaders to ensure the largest economic impact possible for southeastern Wisconsin businesses from the mega event, which will bring up to 50,000 visitors to Milwaukee in July 2024.

Omar is a strong collaborator with city, civic and business leadership across industries and is dedicated and passionate about connecting people and opportunities that support a prosperous, growing Milwaukee. He was recently named one of Milwaukee’s top 20 power brokers by the Milwaukee Business Journal. He strongly believes in giving back to the community and is chairman of the Milwaukee Kitchen Cabinet, which has put together the ‘Three Days of Christmas’ initiative for the past several years to provide holiday meals and gifts for non-profit groups as well as the Do Good with Food program that raised over $41,000 to benefit Children’s Wisconsin.

Omar and his wife, Connie, have been leaders in raising money for the area’s nonprofits and community groups, serving as co-chairs for several record-breaking fundraisers, including the Harry & Rose Sampson Jewish Community Center’s KidShare and Sharp Literacy’s ‘A Novel Event.’ When Omar & Connie aren’t fundraising, they open their home to rescued dogs and puppies and are passionate about securing safe and loving homes for dogs through a foster care program.