Retired businessperson and city council member Tom Lederer was honored with a 2024 Community Hero Award from our Clintonville Area Foundation affiliate partner. Lederer moved to Clintonville in 1982, and the award recognizes his highly visible, longtime commitment to community service. 

In his role with the city council, Lederer is an active member of several committees or commissions including Clintonville Area Waste Service, Ambulance Commission, Municipal Court, Airport, Citizen Participation, Plan Commission and Redevelopment Authority. He is a member of the local Lions Club, Moose Lodge, and Masons.  

Lederer has served on the boards and been president of the Clintonville Area Chamber of Commerce and Wisconsin Main Street Program. Lederer has given his time as a Chamber Ambassador, board member with the Clintonville Area Historical Society, and volunteered with Growing Together Wisconsin and the Pigeon River Protection and Rehabilitation District. Currently he serves as president of Onward Clintonville, which is dedicated to promotion and revitalization of the downtown area.

Award presenter and former Clintonville resident Dan Olk said, “Anytime there is an event in Clintonville, you will see him there, taking pictures and videos and sharing with all his followers on Facebook. He truly lives, breathes, and sleeps Clintonville. He consistently donates to area fundraisers as an unknown source.” Olk added, “Because of his dedication, service, and kindness, I am inspired to continue to help move Clintonville forward. And I know I am not the only one!” 

Working together with the Clintonville Area Foundation, Olk created the Community Hero Award in 2011 to recognize and celebrate outstanding local volunteer service. Olk established a charitable fund with the Foundation to provide $3,000 for each year’s award recipient to direct to a Clintonville charity or charities of their choice. Lederer chose Down with Mylestones, a local non-profit organization founded in 2022 to enlighten, empower and educate people about Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21). 

“The Foundation gives expats like me a chance to stay involved locally, to share with the next generations our good fortune of growing up in this beautiful area,” Olk said. 

The Clintonville Area Foundation is one of five geographic affiliates we partner with in the Fox Valley. Our other partners include Brillion Area Family of Funds, Chilton Area Community Foundation, Shawano Area Community Foundation and Waupaca Area Community Foundation.