We are delighted to welcome Doug Oberhelman to our National Leadership Council. Doug has been a supporter of AWI since our inception. In fact, while CEO of Caterpillar, Doug spearheaded a large gift for globally significant rivers, such as the Mississippi. This gift led to the creation of AWI under the umbrella of The Nature Conservancy.
Doug had a celebrated 41-year career with Caterpillar. During his tenure as chairperson and CEO, Oberhelman led Caterpillar through accelerated business cycles, implementing cost-efficiencies and Lean manufacturing to simplify and improve global manufacturing and operations. He also led the company to renew its focus on customers, and reinforced its dedication to quality, sustainability, and innovations critical to the success of Caterpillar employees, customers, and dealers.
With a strong commitment to giving back both to his industry and to the community, Doug has served a leadership role on many boards including the Business Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Wetlands America Trust, Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, Intersect Illinois, and the Easter Seals Foundation of Central Illinois.
Doug and his wife, Diane Oberhelman, chairperson of Cullinan Properties Ltd., one of Peoria’s most leading developers, live on a farm outside Peoria, Illinois. They have four grown children and 13 grandchildren.
Doug joins Dr. Craig Philip, Former President/CEO of Ingram Barge Company, and current Research Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and former Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Transportation and Operational Resiliency, and Dr. Norma Jean Mattei, Professor and Past Chair at the University of New Orleans’ (UNO) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a former member of the Mississippi River Commission, to AWI’s National Leadership Council. Members of the Council are prominent, well-respected, forward-thinking people who are recognized as leaders in the Watershed, Watershed state, or nationally who can provide guidance and insights to AWI on key issues facing the watershed.