Oshkosh Chamber continues accreditation-winning streak

Judith Munson

Contributor

June 29, 2026

OSHKOSH – The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce has once again earned the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 5-Star accreditation – the highest designation available – extending its streak to 34 consecutive years.

Oshkosh chamber President and CEO Rob Kleman said the accreditation process is conducted every five years and takes six to nine months to complete.

“Hundreds and hundreds of hours go into the reaccreditation application,” he said. “It is a rigorous process that requires a deep level of analysis and reporting.”

Kleman said only 195 chambers of commerce out of more than 7,000 nationwide achieve 5-Star status.

He said Oshkosh is one of only two Wisconsin chambers to receive the designation this year, alongside the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce.

Approximately 1,000 chambers participated in the program, per uschamber.com, which assigns 3-, 4- and 5-Star rankings based on total points earned.

During the accreditation application process, Kleman said each chamber is evaluated on its work regarding economic development, workforce and talent development, advocacy and programs that boost member networking, communications, marketing and technology.

“We receive pages and pages of feedback that really show us the things we need to be doing to be a successful chamber,” he said. “They tell you all the good things you’re doing, but they also give you a list of things where you can improve or sustain success by taking something to the next level – whether it’s facilities, communication technology or even benchmarking yourself against other chambers our size across the country.”

Kleman said that’s why the chamber invests significant time in the accreditation process, noting it helps keep the organization sharp.

He said the chamber also strengthens its work by collaborating with other chambers and organizations, such as the American Chamber of Commerce Executives and the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives.

“We share a lot of best practices amongst ourselves, too,” he said. “First at a regional level with our partners in the Fox River Valley/ Northeast Wisconsin area via the Northeast Wisconsin Chambers Coalition and also statewide with Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce.”

Teamwork makes the accreditation process work

Kleman said the designation reflects the dedication of staff, volunteers, board members and chamber members who work daily to strengthen the Oshkosh community.

“Advocating for businesses, supporting economic development and creating opportunities for education, networking and talent and leadership growth are at the heart of what we do,” he said. “Everything we do is focused on helping make Oshkosh a place where people and businesses can live, work and grow.”

Kleman said volunteers who worked on the reaccreditation include chamber committee members and board members.

“We have a very dedicated board of directors,” he said. “A lot of the detail work is done at the staff level, but when it comes to advice, program direction and strategic planning, we rely on our board for leadership in those areas.”

Kleman said a rigorous strategic planning approach is key to achieving 5-Star status.

He said the chamber launches a new strategic plan each year, while also taking a deeper look at the organization’s operations every three to five years.

All of this time and effort, Kleman said, is worth it, because a strong chamber of commerce is important to helping create a secure future for Oshkosh.

“Our members and our board are very interested in supporting pro-growth policies and advancing the community they really care about and are passionate about,” he said.

For more than three decades, Board Chair Chris Nimis said the Oshkosh chamber has maintained the “highest standards of excellence” while remaining focused on what matters most – “supporting local businesses, fostering economic growth and creating opportunities that strengthen our entire community.”

Continuous improvement

Kleman said the accreditation is more than a marketing tool, noting that the U.S. Chamber’s review process delivers meaningful insights that enhance organizational effectiveness.

The process, he said, pushes the chamber to take an internal look and benchmark against best practices nationwide. 

“That’s where the U.S. Chamber comes in,” he said. “They will make a series of recommendations for us over the next five years, whether it’s from a membership perspective or a financing perspective or how our goals should look from an advocacy perspective.”

Kleman said this may include recommendations on strengthening advocacy efforts through dedicated staff or improving legislative scorecards to better track how local, state and national elected officials support business growth.

Continued investment of time and resources in the chamber’s young professional program, he said, was vital to maintaining their 5-Star status – and was a key recommendation from the accreditation process.

“The program is called Propel, and it basically came out of our strategic planning efforts which determined the chamber should invest in the development of our young professionals, which is honestly the future of our community and our business community,” he said.

Kleman said the chamber has grown its Propel program to nearly 200 members in just more than a year.

He said the chamber has also added a full-time staff position focused on young professional development.

“We want to show them the chamber is something a young person can also enjoy being a part of and benefit from,” he said.

Kleman said the accreditation process has also reinforced the importance of investing in aspiring community leaders as a priority for chamber time and resources.

He said the Leadership Oshkosh program is a strong example of those efforts, serving more than 45 students each year.

The purpose of the program – according to the chamber’s website – is to prepare individuals for leadership roles and help make them “better equipped to make key decisions affecting their organizations, the community and themselves.” 

“We have also re-engaged, since COVID-19, the Youth Leadership Oshkosh program, which graduates 24 high school juniors every year,” Kleman said. “We think this program is critical to engaging young people as early as high school to learn about our community and start thinking about future leadership roles in it.”

Kleman said the accreditation process and its best-practices requirements also inspired the launch of Mindset Leadership – another chamber program that provides skills training for mid-level managers.

“Another topic we’ve been motivated to prioritize throughout this process is AI,” he said. “We just received a $10,000 grant from the U.S. Chamber to implement AI training for small businesses over the next 18 months. We want to help our members understand what’s happening in the marketplace regarding AI. The course will be available for all businesses in the area, not just members.”

Kleman said the chamber’s continued 5-Star accreditation since 1992 reflects its commitment to moving the Oshkosh business community forward.

“By going through this process, they can be confident their chamber is delivering measurable value at the highest level to the community,” he said. “They’re part of an organization that’s recognized as only a few in the nation are when it comes to best practices and staying current on things that ultimately can benefit their business. It’s really about the members.”