Success starts with leadership. And to be a leader, according to Joe Birch, you have to have a plan.

Birch, Chief Operating Officer of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, gave a rousing presentation at TCS Live 2023 highlighting that an organization's success is about much more than wins on the ice.

Responsible for leading over 40 individuals composed of players, staff, volunteers, and interns, Birch has dedicated himself to serving his employees and doing whatever he can to help them reach their goals and get to the next level. The Rangers are one of the only publicly owned franchises in the CHL, challenging Birch with a unique mission also focused on making a positive impact in the community. The Rangers offer education, wellness surveys, leadership training, and other benefits to players and staff. The effect of this is that both players and staff members continually make jumps in their careers to the highest levels of hockey.

“I often get asked what I enjoy most about my job. What it really is, is working with my staff. I am most proud when people advance and I help them to achieve their goals. That makes me really excited.”

Birch played in the OHL with the Rangers and the London Knights before finishing his playing career at Western University. He then embarked on a coaching career where he was an Assistant Coach with the St. Thomas Stars and had the chance to work with San Jose Sharks captain Logan Couture. His next stop was working at the OHL Head Office for 12 years. There Birch created and developed the position of Director of Player Recruitment and Education Services, which then led to a Senior Director of Hockey Development and Special Events position and, lastly, he was Vice President of Hockey Development with the OHL.

Birch’s diverse background in hockey provides some great insights to applying the principles of leadership to non-coaching positions, as you’ll learn in this 21-minute presentation.

Noteworthy timestamps:

• 01:30 Joe Thornton story
• 03:45 Kitchener Organization Overview
• 07:05 Kitchener Development Model
• 10:40 Kitchener Programs to Build Character and Community
• 14:00 Taking Action
• 16:10 The Results
• 18:10 The Challenge