Northland campus revamp requires multiple business plans

In last week’s column, Jeff Kahl, executive director of Northland Camp & Conference Center in Dunbar, talked about his decision to take the lead in saving Northland when operations were suspended in 2015.  It had been in operation since 1958, and although its mission remained strong, enrollments were diminishing to the point where it was no longer sustainable.

Kahl, who had been associated with Northland from 1984 to 2003, loved his experiences there, and had a vision for how the campus could diversify and thrive. 

“I already knew Northland from an operational standpoint,” Kahl said.  “But I also saw that it was no longer possible to see Northland as having one mission or cause. We are rebuilding with a new constituency who have an appreciation of the history of Northland and see the opportunity here.”

The vision includes a dramatic expansion in programming. Kahl contacted Green Bay SCORE and Paul Carron, who was assigned as mentor and expected to talk about Northland’s singular business plan. However, Carron found a much more complex situation. 

The new direction of the campus requires multiple business plans, and the board of directors and executive staff are putting together plans for camping, the Institute of Trades, rental opportunities, retreats and conferences, a leadership institute and the highly promoted Northland Scholars Academy.

 “I think the academy will have the best opportunity for growth,” Kahl said.

John Twohig, the director of the Scholars Academy, has been charged with overseeing that growth. With about 30 years of experience in marketing and education, he says the international academy will provide a rare opportunity for students.

“We are providing an opportunity for high school students to complete high school and earn an associate degree at the same time," Twohig said. "We just got back from a nine-country tour and see this as an opportunity to bring students together from around the globe. That is one of our biggest missions. There are so many areas of the world where education is horrible and there are parents who want to send their kids to America for education.”

The academy will allow students to have an international experience while boarding at the campus. Twohig said the cost is much lower than similar schools. The interest has been high with plans to welcome the first class this fall. 

There also will be an international English language camp to allow students a way to become immersed in the language. 

Other areas of Northland, such as camping, are showing incredible growth. In the past two years, the number of campers has grown to about 2,500. 

“We have an appeal because few camps in Wisconsin can accommodate the numbers like we can," Kahl said. "It takes about five years to develop a rental program and we’re seeing that come to bear.” 

Twohig, with his marketing background, has developed marketing plans that he says are comprehensive and include everything from digital marketing to onsite recruiting. He is building interest in the domestic and international summer camps, leadership institute, conference center and schools. 

“We are engaging the public school segment to use the facility for leadership and character training, and focusing on rental groups from Marinette to the Fox River Valley," Kahl said. "Homeschool networks also have an interest in using our facilities.”

As interest builds, so do the number of programs and ideas for maximizing use of the facility including the potential for adding a manufacturing facility. It’s hard to keep track of all of the elements that have been proposed going forward. Kahl says that he has the spirit of an entrepreneur, and if he was going to identify a shortcoming, it would be his tendency to work long hours. His wife, who he met at Northland when he was a student, works with him.

“The work isn’t an issue; it is juggling all of the elements that come to bear," Kahl said. "The reason we are here is to help people get to the next level, whatever it is. Money isn’t a driving factor, but success is.” 

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.