OSWEGO, N.Y. — After nearly 40 years of leading Operation Oswego County, Inc., L. Michael Treadwell plans to retire as of Dec. 31 of this year.
Treadwell joined Operation Oswego County (OOC) in 1983 and has served as executive director throughout his tenure, the economic-development organization said in a Wednesday announcement.
Besides leading Operation Oswego County, Treadwell also serves as the CEO of the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (COIDA). The IDA is a public-benefit corporation that the Oswego County Legislature established in 1976, which has functioned as a “major economic partnering agency in the county.”
Treadwell’s achievements along the way have included the Exceptional Commitment Award from the Greater Oswego Chamber of Commerce in 1996 and the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation from the International Economic Development Council in 1996. In addition, the New York State Economic Development Council named Treadwell the Economic Developer of the Year for New York State in 2004.
“It is my pleasure to have served on the board of Operation Oswego County and to have worked alongside Mike Treadwell,” Ellen Holst, president of the Operation Oswego County board of directors, said in a statement. “His goal has always been to assist, expand and support economic and business development across Oswego County. The knowledge and experience that he has brought has been invaluable to the growth and development of our county and our business partners. Although Mike will be missed, we wish him well in the next chapter of his life!”
Throughout his time at Operation Oswego County, Treadwell has been active on numerous boards and with organizations that impact the Oswego County and Central New York economies. They include Oswego County Workforce Development Board, New York State Economic Development Council, Northeastern Economic Developers Association, International Economic Development Council, Central New York Regional Planning & Development Board, and the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, co-chair of the Local Planning Committee for both the Oswego and Fulton Downtown Revitalization Initiatives, and SUNY Oswego Start-Up NY advisory council, per the Operation Oswego County announcement.
To select Treadwell’s successor, a committee is working with the St. Louis, Missouri–based Next Move Group and posted the opening for the position on June 21. The committee working on the national search includes members of the executive committee of the OOC board, the COIDA, legal representation, and the Oswego County Legislature, Operation Oswego County said.