C. PAUL OBERG has been elected president of the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island for 2020. He is co-founder and principal of The Copley Consulting Group Inc. Oberg became involved with BBBSRI in 1978, caring for and mentoring an 8-year-old boy with kidney disease. Oberg said this story can be found in the books “Big Impact: Big Brothers Making a Difference,” by Richard Greif, and “Little Moments Big Magic: Inspirational Stories of Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Magic They Create,” published by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in celebration of its 100 years of service.
What was your chief motivation for getting involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island? After hearing a PSA [public service announcement] on the radio looking for Big Brothers and wanting to make a difference, I answered the call and became a Big Brother to an awesome boy. That was over 40 years ago, and I have been involved ever since. Experiencing firsthand the impact that this program can have on a child’s life is beyond words and provides the inspiration and motivation to encourage others to get involved.
What part of your business background do you think will be beneficial to serving in your role as board president? In my career as a management consultant and a business owner, I believe that my experience in working with many entities to define and achieve their goals will bring value to Big Brothers Big Sisters of R.I.
Are there any innovative ideas or strategies that you plan on or hope to implement to evolve or improve the organization’s day-to-day operation? As we grow, I feel that our current facility may be taxed, which presents an opportunity to consider the need of providing a safe space for our mentees and growth for additional support staff, as well as the donation center. Reflected in the [strategic] plan is not only increasing the number of mentors but ... sustaining long-term relationships. My many years as a Big Brother taught me that building trusting relationships takes time but the results can be life changing for both the “Little” and the “Big.”
What is your main goal, and what do you hope to accomplish during your tenure as board president? In short, to increase the number and length of matches while ensuring the quality of those matches. The organization is well-positioned to accomplish this with an outstanding management team, staff and board of directors, which makes my job easy. I see my main goal is to work with the management team and the board to achieve or exceed the objectives of the first year of the strategic plan and position the agency for year two.
In addition to my fiduciary responsibility, my role as president is to foster collaboration, focus on our mission and ensure the growth and sustainability of BBBSRI. As I mentioned earlier, I am fortunate that we have such a talented and capable board and an exceptional leadership team as evidenced by BBBSRI being [named] one of PBN’s Best Places to Work in 2019!
