OSWEGO, N.Y. — The board of trustees of Operation Oswego County (OOC) Inc. has named Austin Wheelock as its new executive director, effective Jan. 1, 2023.
Wheelock has served as OOC’s deputy director for five years and has worked for organization in progressively responsible roles since 2006. He will succeed L. Michael Treadwell, who in July announced his pending Dec. 31 retirement after nearly 40 years of leading OOC.
The nonprofit believes Wheelock’s 16 years of experience in economic development, “combined with a deep passion for promoting Oswego County businesses and investments, will help to further advance the mission of the organization,” per its Tuesday announcement.
“We are thrilled to welcome Austin as our new executive director,” Ellen Holst, president of the board of trustees of Operation Oswego County, said. “He will bring experience, enthusiasm, great communication skills and a new vision to our organization. After an exhaustive search, the search committee and OOC board unanimously decided he was the right person to assume the role of executive director.”
When Wheelock steps into the role on Jan. 1, he will manage all of OOC’s day-to-day operations. Duties include business attraction and retention; administration of economic-incentive programs; and communication with key partners and stakeholders. As part of his role, he will also serve as the CEO of the Oswego County Industrial Development Agency (IDA).
“As a native of upstate New York, who has called Oswego County home for almost 20 years, I’m thrilled to use the experience, skills and relationships cultivated here to lead this great organization forward,” Wheelock said.
OOC chose Wheelock following a national search that the Next Move Group conducted earlier this year in collaboration with a search committee made up of representatives of the OOC board, the Oswego County Industrial Development Agency, and Oswego County Legislature
The nonprofit OOC, which observed its 70th anniversary this year, serves as Oswego County’s designated economic-development organization.
