Has served for nearly 40 years OSWEGO, N.Y. — He’s been a voice and advocate for economic development since joining Operation Oswego County in 1983, and executive director L. Michael Treadwell is in his final months in that role. Treadwell plans to retire at the end of this […]
Has served for nearly 40 years
OSWEGO, N.Y. — He’s been a voice and advocate for economic development since joining Operation Oswego County in 1983, and executive director L. Michael Treadwell is in his final months in that role.
Treadwell plans to retire at the end of this year, the economic-development organization said in a July 6 announcement.
Besides leading Operation Oswego County, Treadwell also serves as the CEO of the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency (IDA). 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. “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.”
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.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve alongside Michael Treadwell on the County of Oswego IDA and Operation Oswego County boards. Michael has admirably served Oswego County, our business community and the region’s economic development organizations for nearly four decades and his knowledge and experience will be profoundly missed,” Gary Toth, chair of the County of Oswego IDA and former member of the Operation Oswego County board, said.
Prior to joining Operation Oswego County, Treadwell worked for the South Carolina State Development Board from 1973-1983. In that time, he served as a research and marketing analyst in the planning and research division between 1973 and 1979. Then, between 1979 and 1981, he served as the administrator of economic-development research for the planning and research division; and from 1981 to 1983, he served as an industrial representative in the economic-development division.
Treadwell graduated from the University of Georgia in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in geography, the University of South Carolina in 1973 with a master’s degree in geography, and the University of South Carolina in 1981 with an MBA.
He also graduated from the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute in 1977, Operation Oswego County said.
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 Operation Oswego County board, the County of Oswego IDA, legal representation, and the Oswego County Legislature, Operation Oswego County said.