New Phillips chamber executive director settling into role

Rachel Kroeger

Staff

May 12, 2025

PHILLIPS – A Northwoods chamber of commerce is welcoming its new executive director with the recent hiring of a former tech professional: Johnathan McArthur.

Encompassing “a few of the other areas nearby,” McArthur said the Phillips Area Chamber of Commerce serves the business needs and interests of the city and its surrounding communities.

Having just moved to the region from Florida in October for his new job, McArthur said not only has the weather taken a 180-degree turn but his career has as well.

“I’m pretty new in this kind of role as a whole,” he said. “In my previous roles, I’ve (worked in) biotech, I went to school for science studies and my last role was stocks and bonds. Before that, I worked in technology at Apple.”

As a former Northeast Wisconsin resident who has family in Green Bay, McArthur said when he began looking for his next career journey, moving back to the dairy state felt like a natural progression toward familial closeness.

“My wife and I have family in Green Bay, we’ve had houses in Green Bay (and) in Neenah, so we’re actually familiar with the Fox Cities,” he said. “I went to college in Oshkosh, and then we took a little bit of a gap – went down to Florida and enjoyed some of the ocean weather. Then we wanted to get back close to home, but we wanted to keep our family a phone call (and a short drive) distance, as opposed to a flight distance.”

In search of the perfect distance from family and a new career opportunity, McArthur said he and his family landed in the Northwoods.

Tech-savvy, community-oriented

Without a directly related background in economic development, McArthur said he believes his “outside perspective” is what made him a stand-out candidate for the chamber’s executive director position.

“I think sometimes when things get done the same way for so long, things can get a little stagnant,” he said. “Not that that’s always a bad thing, but I like to think I’m going to bring in a new energy – a new perspective – and I’ve got a staff here of three amazing women that are keeping my head above water in all the other areas that I might be weak in.”

McArthur said he was drawn to a new career in economic development – specifically with a chamber of commerce – because of the impact it can have on local business.
“I think sometimes if you want to make change or you want to see growth occur, it’s a lot better to get in the trenches,” he said. “I think the (Phillips) chamber is such a good connector to our community, and I felt called to help grow that impact for our local businesses, our events and our sense of pride.”

Home to “some of the best areas for hunting and snowmobiling” in Wisconsin – as well as plenty of other recreational activities – McArthur said he thinks businesses in the Northwoods “get the best of both worlds.”

“When the weather is hostile, we actually get people that come here for just that, (and) when the weather is docile, I think we have people that are excited about that as well,” he said. “So, I think we are very fortunate to be in the Northwoods where we can kind of take advantage of the good and the bad.”

Drawing on his experience in tech-related fields, McArthur said he’s looking forward to creating additional value for the chamber’s member businesses and the Northwoods’ greater economy.

“I think something I’ll be very good at is increasing visibility, creating more value for each of the members that are a part of the chamber and maybe even finding some new ways to draw more visitors and energy into the area,” he said. “We’ve got some pretty good momentum, and I’m excited to build it out with some fresh ideas and collaborative efforts.”

McArthur said he aims to have the chamber put a stronger focus on digital.

“(We’re) starting to see some of the transitions going toward that digital media – use of the QR code, use of social media (and) websites,” he said, “I think to get ahead of that – especially for a (chamber of commerce) – trying to get ahead of the curve with some of the newer technologies is going to be somewhere I’ll be able to bring a little bit of strength.”

As a way to drive Northwoods tourism, McArthur said the chamber is currently building out a new website – pricecounty.com.

“It’s going to be a new, centralized hub that will (feature) all the businesses for lodging, for food, for travel and events,” he said. “It’s also going to be a central hub for our Price County guide and a lot of our future marketing (and) advertising.”

That website – which was only recently launched – McArthur said, will also feature community and chamber events, such as the Philips On Tap festival, set for Aug. 16.

“I think last year we had 2,600 people in attendance,” he said. “This year we’re expecting to have a much larger (crowd). It’s a really good way to feature some of the wineries (and) some of the breweries in the area – have them be spotlighted.”

Another large event coming up this summer, McArthur said, is the chamber’s Fourth of July event.

“There (will be) a parade, food and craft vendors, and we’re working with the fairgrounds – they’re having a rodeo on the same day (and on) July 5 as well,” he said.

Northwoods harmony

As the Northwoods business community continues to grow, McArthur said he sees it as his job to further the region’s progress and keep it moving forward despite the challenges it faces.

“I think anytime something new happens, there’s always going to be a little bit of resistance,” he said. “I will say, (however), that this community is resilient, and they are absolutely amazing when it comes to wanting things to improve… When you go at something with that angle – that it is something that’s going to improve (the region, and) make it better – you can show people how that’s done (and) I think the resistance walls start to break down a little bit.”

Though a newcomer to the Northwoods, McArthur said his new job and new home have revitalized his “belief in humanity.”

“I have been exposed to so many more businesses and so many more people than I think I’ve been exposed to in the last year, and…every single person I’ve come across (has been) absolutely fantastic,” he said.

With each individual offering their own strengths, McArthur said he likens the harmonious nature of the Phillips and surrounding communities to an orchestra.

“It’s something that’s inspiring me to do better, because every single person I’m coming across, I see the strengths that they’re offering, what they do, and everybody’s different,” he said. “I’ve referred to it as like different instruments (playing) in an orchestra. Before, I hadn’t always seen the value in the guitar or the drums, but up here, I’m really starting to see the strength, and it’s becoming harmony.”