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Northwestern column: Leadership Oshkosh
Oshkosh to be featured on "The Economic Report"

Northwestern Column: Leadership Oshkosh
This column appeared in the December 21, 2008, issue of the Oshkosh Northwestern
By John Casper, president/CEO of the Oshkosh Chamber

Twenty years ago, the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce recognized that the current leaders in the community were winding down.  Both those who served in political roles, as well as those who served our non-profit organizations, were retiring to make way for the next generation of leaders.

However, finding people willing to serve was difficult.  Many people simply did not know how to become more involved in making Oshkosh a better place to live and work.  Thus was born the Oshkosh Chamber’s Leadership Oshkosh program.

Leadership Oshkosh is a nine-month program that provides current and emerging leaders with information about the community’s opportunities and challenges.  The program brings together a diverse group of individuals, who, at the end of the program, are better equipped to make key decisions affecting their own organizations, the community and themselves.

When we began the program 20 years ago, we needed a mechanism to identify and educate potential leaders about all aspects of our community.  The intent was to groom those with political aspirations and to help those willing to serve our community.  We developed the program around teaching people about every aspect of Oshkosh—government, schools, arts, health and human services and the like.  In the end, those who had political aspirations would be better able to lead and make sound decisions to move our community forward.  Those who wanted to serve would have a better idea of how they could use their talents to benefit one or more of our many community-based organizations.

The program has proved to be a phenomenal success.  To date, we have graduated more than 600 people.  And according to a recent survey, 40 percent of those graduates say they serve 239 different organizations and clubs throughout the Fox Valley.  Those organizations include church and school groups, civic groups, the Oshkosh Chamber, the Boys & Girls Club, United Way, Oshkosh Family, Grand Opera House, YMCA and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, to name a few.  An outstanding 61 percent of the respondents said they volunteer at least six hours per month, with more than 20 percent saying they dedicate more than 15 hours per month volunteering.

Many of our elected officials also are Leadership Oshkosh graduates.  We have three graduates serving our Oshkosh Common Council, including Mayor Frank Tower.  Two school board members are graduates, as well as Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris.

These elected officials were not groomed through the program to advance the Chamber’s agenda.  They were educated on what makes Oshkosh tick.  And, they met more than 30 new people in their class to add to their network of friends and associates.

Oshkosh will not continue to progress without the help of thoughtful leaders who educate themselves on the needs of this community.  Oshkosh’s current needs are many.  We need people to help advance economic development, sustain the arts, help the poor, ensure the best education for our children and so on.  Whether or not you become a future graduate of Leadership Oshkosh, our city needs your help.  Become familiar with the issues, consider how you can best serve and make the decision today to lend a hand.

Service and leadership are rewarding.  Our community needs you.


Oshkosh to be featured on "The Economic Report"
Oshkosh has been chosen by the producers of “The Economic Report” to be a featured community in an upcoming program.

Producers contacted the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce early this past summer regarding the possibility of being featured on the program. Leaders of the Oshkosh Chamber and the City of Oshkosh then went through a rigorous selection process. As of this publication, the preliminary taping in Oshkosh has been completed, but an air date has not been set. The program is expected to air sometime this fall.

“The Economic Report” is hosted by Greg Gumbel and seen on Fox News. The Oshkosh segment also will be aired as a feature on CNN Headline News in 15 select, major markets in the United States.

“We competed against several other Midwest cities,” said John Casper, president/CEO of the Oshkosh Chamber. “Oshkosh was selected because of its strong, concerted effort in economic development. This is a great opportunity to market Oshkosh throughout the country.”

The segment is designed to specifically to promote Oshkosh and its many attributes, and it will feature key organizations and businesses in the community. The Oshkosh Chamber also will have rights to use the segment in its marketing and business recruitment efforts.

The episode of “The Economic Report” was made possible by the following sponsors: Affinity Health System, Bemis Company Inc., Chamco, EAA, Fox Valley Technical College, Miles Kimball Company, Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau, Propel, US Bank, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, West Side Association and Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.