William Benedict Uihlein was born in Milwaukee on January 18, 1880. His father, Alfred, was one of the four Uihlein brothers (the others were August, Henry and Edward), who had taken over management of the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company when Joseph Schlitz died in 1875. In 1904, William was graduated from the University of Wisconsin as a mechanical engineer. He married Melitta Kuhlmey and they had three children.
After his graduation, William entered the production phase of the brewery operation. In 1933, he was elected a vice-president and later that year succeeded his father, Alfred, as a chairman of the board in charge of production. He resigned as board chairman in 1936 and retired from active participation in the business although he remained a director and stockholder.
William was a former director of the First Wisconsin National Bank and was a director of the Albert Trostel & Sons Co., tanners, and the Fiduciary Counsel of New York, and investment counseling firm. He also served on the committees and boards of many civic organizations, including chairman of the United Community and War Funds which solicited money for war relief and civilian welfare in World War II, an active member of the Elks Club, and a member of the citizen group who raised money to finance the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center, Inc.
On July 28, 1953, he was found dead at his Milwaukee home, presumably of a heart attack.
