Message from Jim Macy, Chairman of the Board, 2009-2010

For three months, the Oshkosh Chamber’s Strategic Planning Committee, led by Chairman-elect Ron Johnson, worked diligently to develop a new updated plan to lead the organization into 2011 and beyond. The plan was adopted by the full Board of Directors at its May meeting.

The committee sought input from the Board of Directors and you, our members, to help develop the plan that is sure to strengthen the Chamber’s leadership role in the community, advance business and ensure our members are reaping a return on their investment. I appreciate the many suggestions made by many of you.

The final plan, adopted by the Board of Directors at the end of May, includes three core strategies:

• Economic and Community Development
• Public Advocacy to Advance Business Interests
• Member Services, Programs and Events

Through the strategic planning process, the Chamber recognized that more focus and more resources need to and will be dedicated to economic development efforts. That is the Chamber’s key core business competency and one that the Board as a whole has determined must be maintained.

We recognize the need to enhance our economic development efforts through a unified and concerted approach not only with organizations like the Oshkosh Area Economic Development Corp., Chamco and the City of Oshkosh, but also with Winnebago County, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Fox Valley Technical College. Those coordinated efforts have been strong, but we know they can be stronger. The strength of an even more coordinated business community with a unified focus on economic development will mean good things for the future of Oshkosh.

We will continue our role as a business advocate. We already have in place ways for members to easily correspond with our state legislators and federal representatives regarding bills currently being debated. Members can simply log on to the Chamber’s website at www.oshkoshchamber.com to visit the Wisconsin Manufacturer’s & Commerce Wisconsin Prosperity Project or Oshkosh Business Voice, developed with help from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

But, we know our efforts are just as important locally, here in Oshkosh. We will continue our efforts to provide information and candidate forums so our members can get full information on the positions of various candidates running for office. Our Leadership Oshkosh program encourages people to take leadership roles in local, state and national races. To date, more than 500 individuals have graduated from that program with a waiting list existing for next year’s class. 

We cannot fulfill this mission, however, without proper funding. We also must evaluate how we fund the organization and continue to provide you, its members, with a high level of service. We will evaluate our portfolio of programs and services to ensure your membership and investment in the Chamber is valuable so that we can retain and attract members. We are keeping a cautious eye on the national health care reform law and how it will impact our partnership with Network Health Plan (NHP). Without the NHP partnership, we stand to lose revenue and members who rely on the health plan’s cost-effective quality products and services.

As the Chamber heads into the final quarter of its fiscal year, we also are keeping a close eye on the fall elections. We are thrilled that two of our very own—two Chamber Executive Committee members—have stepped forward to run for state and federal office. We are proud to support Michelle Litjens as she runs for state Assembly and Ron Johnson in his quest for U.S. Senate. While we have appropriately stepped back years ago from making endorsements, you can anticipate many of us individually supporting Ron and Michelle, knowing the quality people they are, and knowing their commitment to our community and the State of Wisconsin. Stayed tuned. Oshkosh will be front and center along with them over the next several months.