After being sworn in as the new Oswego village president on Tuesday, Ryan Kauffman tried to take the spotlight off himself.

“I want to emphasize that this is not about me,” said Kauffman, who served on the Oswego Village Board from 2015 to 2019. “This is about all of us. Our village is only as strong as the collective efforts that we put into it. We have challenges ahead, but with the collaboration of our community, we can continue to achieve greatness.”

“Together, we can continue to build a brighter future for Oswego.”

—  New Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman

Kauffman said one of the key areas he wants to focus on is economic development.

“We need to create an environment that encourages businesses to invest in Oswego,” he said.

Infrastructure is another area that is critical to Oswego’s success, Kauffman said.

“Our roads and our water supply are the backbone of our community,” he said.

Ensuring public safety also is a priority.

“We are fortunate to have dedicated police and fire departments that work tirelessly to keep us safe,” Kauffman said. “We need to make sure that they have the resources they need to do their jobs effectively and that we are providing them with the support that they need to serve our community with continued excellence.”

Kauffman himself said he is committed to working tirelessly “on behalf of our exceptional community.”

“Together, we can continue to build a brighter future for Oswego,” he said.

Also sworn in were incoming Village Board trustees Karin McCarthy-Lange, Luis Perez and Andrew Torres. McCarthy-Lange and Perez both had previously served on the Oswego Village Board.

Among those attending the ceremony was U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, whose district includes Oswego. Underwood, who has known Kauffman for the past few years, is confident in his ability to lead the village.

“Ryan is experienced, he is prepared and he is definitely ready to serve the village,” Underwood said after the ceremony. “I’m excited about the future of this community. We’ve been working with the village of Oswego on so many great projects as it has continued to grow.”

Last month, she joined village officials in breaking ground on the first phase of a project to widen Wolf’s Crossing Road in the village.