President & Chief Executive Officer

The Chamber
Founded in 1870, the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce (“DACC” or the “Chamber”), representing approximately 950 members and operating with a $1.5 million budget, serves as a business resource and advocate for the Duluth area. The Chamber brings together leaders from business, government, education, labor, and the broader community to support its members and advance economic opportunities.
 
The Chamber’s strategic work centers on three areas:

• Business conditions: Researching, monitoring, and improving economic drivers that impact business operations.
• Economic development: Creating pathways and seeking solutions to attract and retain business and development.
• Community progress: Driving efforts that advance regional livability, workforce participation, and population growth.

• Leadership Duluth: A ten-month program, running annually September through June that develops leadership skills, introduces participants to regional employers and community organizations, and examines local challenges. More than 1,500 professionals have completed the program since its first graduating class in 1988.
• Fuse Duluth: The Chamber’s young professionals program provides professional development, networking, and community involvement opportunities, connects employers with local talent, and encourages collaboration across generations.
• Business connections and education: More than 100 annual events, including networking gatherings, educational sessions, the Annual Meeting & Dinner Celebration (1,300 attendees), and Duluth & St. Louis County Days at the Capitol, which brings regional priorities to state lawmakers
• Women in Leadership Conference: Career workshops, speakers, and networking for women at different career stages. The fourth annual conference was scheduled for September 14, 2026, with proceeds supporting Fuse Duluth.
• Duluth Area Chamber Foundation: Established in 2022, with federal tax-exempt status received in 2023, the Foundation supports workforce development, research, aviation careers, and military advocacy. Its workforce development grant program offers eligible individuals grants of up to $1,000 to help remove employment barriers.

• Support Duluth’s efforts to ensure the 148^th Fighter Wing of the Minnesota Air National Guard, based in Duluth, succeeds in its competition with other sites around the country for a major base upgrade.
• Supporting the proposed Google data center in neighboring Hermantown. The Chamber reiterated its support for the project in September.  The Board of Directors has embarked on a national search to recruit a new President & Chief Executive Officer to guide Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and its prominent business, advocacy, and leadership activities.

Duluth, Minnesota and surrounding region

•  https://visitduluth.com/
•  https://www.stlouiscountymn.gov/
•  https://duluthchamber.com/resources/relocation-resources/

The President & CEO is the chief executive and administrative officer of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce and the leading voice for the area’s business community. In partnership with the Board of Directors, the CEO develops and executes strategic priorities that support business success, advance economic growth, and enhance quality of life, while overseeing Chamber operations, policy, and membership.

As the Chamber’s principal spokesperson and ambassador, the CEO builds strong relationships across business, government, higher education, and civic sectors. The role balances leadership on regional initiatives with responsiveness to small and mid-sized businesses, strengthens membership engagement, organizational growth and community impact.

• Provide clear strategic vision for DACC and guide long-term priorities in partnership with the Board of Directors.
• Lead initiatives that strengthen the regional economy, advance workforce development, and promote a competitive business climate.
• Serve as a trusted advocate for the business community on key issues at the local, state, and federal levels.
• Identify emerging economic opportunities and position DACC to respond strategically and effectively.
• Balance bold, forward-thinking leadership with thoughtful, disciplined decision-making.

• Champion DACC’s role as a member-driven organization, ensuring programs, advocacy, and initiatives reflect the needs of businesses of all sizes.
• Strengthen relationships with existing members and key investors while expanding the organization’s reach and value proposition.
• Oversee membership development, retention, engagement, and investor relations to drive sustainable growth.
• Ensure DACC remains a vital convener, connecting business leaders and fostering collaboration across sectors.

• Lead, mentor, and support a high-performing professional staff.
• Foster a collaborative, empowered workplace culture with clear expectations, accountability, and alignment.
• Develop emerging leaders and promote succession planning across key functions.
• Provide decisive leadership and direction when organizational priorities require clarity and focus.
• Maintain a positive, high-trust environment that encourages innovation, teamwork, respect, and professional growth.

• Serve as the chief spokesperson and public representative of DACC, articulating the Chamber’s positions on various public policy issues, political initiatives, and community developments.
• Build and sustain trusted relationships with business leaders, elected officials, higher education institutions, and civic organizations.
• Act as a skilled convener who brings diverse stakeholders together around shared regional priorities.
• Maintain a strong and visible presence throughout the Duluth region, representing the Chamber in public forums, media, and community initiatives.
• Lead advocacy and public policy efforts on behalf of the membership by monitoring legislative activity, developing positions on key issues, and building strong relationships with elected officials at all levels.

• Ensure effective management of all DACC operations, programs, and initiatives.
• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and resource allocation to ensure long-term sustainability.
• Maintain strong, timely financial discipline, ensuring decisions reflect enterprise-wide priorities.
• Partner with the Board to develop and execute revenue strategies that support mission and growth.

• Advocacy/Public Affairs (experience in the process of local, state, regional, and national government, and government organizations; has developed effective working relationships with elected/appointed officials).
• Board Relationships (significant involvement with Board development and recruitment, governance issues, and Board of Director interactions).
• Business Savvy/Varied Industries (programmatic success of serving businesses of all sizes from small enterprises and working with entrepreneurs to large global companies; interactions with executives and owners of diverse industries).
• Collaborative Relationships (demonstrated track record of developing effective partnerships among all sectors, from large companies to entrepreneurs, from city to state governments, from related business organizations to higher education).
• Communication/Media/Public Relations (strong communicator with internal and external audiences including business members and prospects, Board of Directors, government representatives, staff, members of the media and the public; ability to effectively articulate goals, objectives, and policy positions of  DACC to the media and the community at large).
• Diversity (inclusive; has experience working with diverse groups; promotes diversity programmatically).
• Economic Development (able to identify both local and regional issues and effectively manage interactions with regional organizations to achieve common goals; has worked collaboratively with established public sector delivery systems and private sector resources to effectively promote the business growth of a community, county, or region).
• Established Contacts (has developed and maintained regional and national connections with business, government, and other public sector organizations).
• Executive Leadership Experience (strong staff leadership and human resource development; has effectively led a complex organization).
• Fiscal management (demonstrated ability to manage financial affairs of an organization; i.e., develop revenue sources and control expenditures to preserve and enhance financial stability).
• Membership Development/Sales Orientation (has actively promoted a membership-based organization; track record of membership development, retention, increased value, and appropriate expansion; ability to market and promote the organization).
• Planning (has successfully developed and implemented both operational and strategic plans).
• Resource Development (experience with varied successful funding activities including development programs, publications and advertising, special events, dues, and non-dues revenue campaigns).

• Business Champion (personal belief in the free enterprise system and the role of private sector business in serving the economic and community development needs of society).
• Change Agent (able to set forth a vision based on collaboration and communication; willing to take calculated risks to push the envelope and challenge traditional thinking for positive change).
• Collaborative/Teamwork (sees value in working with others to achieve positive results for the community; demonstrates a willingness and ability to work with and through others; recognizes that many parties are necessary to accomplish big things; speaks of “we” first, not “I;” relishes in sharing credit with others).
• Communication/Interpersonal Skills (good listener; excellent written and oral communication skills; personable; relates well to diverse population and at all levels; builds constructive and effective relationships; socially adept and a good conversationalist).
• Credibility/Integrity/Genuine (can command respect of Board, members, staff, business, and regional leaders; honest; possesses the highest ethical and moral standards; sincere; authentic; trustworthy; transparent).
• Empowering Management Style (encourages staff; inclusive while providing basic direction and allowing staff team to execute; holds staff accountable; serves as a mentor for staff in their own professional development).
• Energetic/Positive Attitude (genuinely enthusiastic; strong personal work ethic; genuinely light-hearted; able to enjoy life and see the humor in sometimes difficult situations).
• Executive Presence (polished; self-confident; has political savvy necessary to maneuver through complex situations effectively and quietly).
• Leadership (Sound judgment and the ability to take calculated risks when appropriate; a take charge individual; can manage, motivate, challenge and delegate to others; proactive versus reactive; looks for and fosters “win-win” results).
• Humility (Practices and exhibits humility; regularly and naturally shares credit with others).
• Organizational Skills (results oriented; meets established goals and objectives).
• Persuasive (able to synthesize various viewpoints and convince disparate groups to come to a logical resolution).
• Political Acumen (demonstrated ability to strategically navigate among local, county, state, and federal leaders).
• Strategic Thinker/Visionary (can plan for the future and also brings innovative ideas; a forward thinker and able to envision “the big picture” beyond daily operations and lead an organization and community toward strategic goals and ideas).
• Visibility (highly visible to staff, members, and leaders in the community; active in the region and community).

• Establish presence as CEO and become completely familiar with all operating aspects of the organization including staff, finances, program of work, Board members, volunteers, and the communities it serves.
• Build and sustain strong, trust-based relationships with key business leaders, elected officials, community stakeholders, and educational partners by proactively initiating formal and informal connections and developing a deep understanding of the individuals and organizations driving regional influence and impact.
• Work with the Board and staff to evaluate and refine DACC’s strategic direction through the development and execution of strategic and operational plans while continuing to strengthen and align the organization’s mission and vision as a chamber of commerce, building trust through transparency.  
• Continue building a robust military advocacy program to support the Minnesota Air National Guard’s 148th Fighter Wing along with other local military branches.
• Evaluate the organization’s financial position budgetary plans, working closely with staff and the Board to strengthen both near and long-term financial health, with a clear focus on expanding and diversifying funding streams.
• Become actively involved in the community, attending multiple chamber and non-chamber events; become known as “the face” of the organization within the community.