President & CEO

The Organization

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is one of the nation's premier statewide business organizations, representing more than 6,300 companies employing over half a million Minnesotans. Highly respected and recognized as State Chamber of the Year, the Chamber serves as the leading voice for Minnesota's business community, advancing policies that strengthen economic competitiveness, foster innovation and improve the lives of all Minnesotans.

To fulfil the organizational mission, the Minnesota Chamber:

• Lobbies to improve Minnesota’s short-and long-term business climate and economic competitiveness.
• Leads a robust grassroots and coalition effort to engage business leaders in the policy process.
• Supports pro-business candidates.
• Hosts events that offer exclusive access to critical business topics, connecting high-level leaders within and across business sectors.
• Offers leadership programs for cohorts of established and developing business executives, touring the state to gain a greater understanding of policy’s impact on business and the economy.
• Gives businesses access to high-quality, low-cost business products.
• Works with businesses throughout the state to offer services that help them grow their supply chain, sustainability efforts, and access critical resources to grow their businesses in Minnesota.
• Provides statewide thought leadership through the Minnesota Chamber Foundation, by releasing credible, forward-looking economic research and workforce programming, offering solutions to business challenges.

Organizational Structure

Collectively, the Minnesota Chamber and its affiliates have a combined annual budget of approximately $12 million and a staff of 49 employees. The Chamber is governed by a highly engaged 50-member Board of Directors. Each of the Chamber's affiliate organizations are governed by a separate Board. These affiliates include the following:

• Minnesota Chamber Foundation: Confront the problems that Minnesota businesses face through research, workforce resources and its various programs and services which include Grow Minnesota! Leadership Minnesota; Leaders Lab and Business Education Network.
• Minnesota Chamber Environmental Sustainability Foundation: Provide environmental sustainability solutions to Minnesota businesses and organizations through several services including onsite waste and energy audits.
• Minnesota Chamber Business Services (MCBS) and ChamberHealth Consortium: Provide employee benefits and business products and resources to our member companies.

Direct Political Entities

• Minnesota Chamber Leadership Fund PAC and Pro Jobs Majority (a section 527 fund) : Charged with electing pro-business, pro-growth candidates to the Minnesota Legislature and statewide offices

Affiliate Organizations

• MN Chamber of Commerce Executives (MCCE): Provide career development, leadership, communications, and networking to chambers to ensure professional and organizational growth of chamber professionals.
• Jobs For Minnesotans: Serve as a coalition of organizations brought together and committed to advancing job creation in Minnesota
• United For Jobs: Serve as a coalition to educate and advance awareness of matters relating to taxation, state budgeting and government spending.

Position: President and Chief Executive Officer

Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota (with frequent travel across the state)

Reporting Relationship: The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

Website:

The Position

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead one of the nation's highest-performing state chambers at a pivotal moment. The Minnesota Chamber enters this leadership transition from a position of considerable strength, with a highly engaged board, outstanding financial health, exceptional member retention, a talented and effective leadership team, and a national reputation for innovation and impact.

The new President and Chief Executive Officer will succeed a successful retiring leader who has led the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce since 2015. Building on this strong foundation, the next President and CEO will have the opportunity to shape the Chamber's next era of influence by strengthening Minnesota's economic competitiveness, navigating an increasingly complex political environment, advancing data-driven public policy, and ensuring the Chamber remains the state's premier business convener and trusted voice for employers of every size.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Direction:

• Partner with the Board of Directors to establish and execute a bold strategic vision that advances the Chamber's mission, strengthens Minnesota's economic competitiveness and positions the organization for long-term success.
• Lead the successful implementation of the Chamber's strategic plan while continuously evaluating emerging political, economic, technological and workforce trends that will set the organization’s strategic direction for the next two to four years.
• Balance continuity with thoughtful innovation by building upon the Chamber's exceptional legacy while identifying new opportunities to enhance member value, organizational impact, communications and operational effectiveness.

Advocacy and Public Policy:

• Serve as the leading voice for Minnesota's business community, advancing a pro-business agenda while building credibility, trust and productive relationships across both political parties.
• Support and provide strategic leadership of the Chamber's public policy strategy, translating Board priorities into effective legislative, regulatory, political and grassroots advocacy initiatives.
• Build broad coalitions with local chambers, trade associations, business leaders, policymakers and community organizations to advance shared priorities that strengthen Minnesota's business climate.
• Champion a data-driven approach to advocacy, leveraging the Chamber Foundation's economic research and policy analysis to influence decision making and public policy.
• Provide strategic leadership for the Chamber's political engagement efforts, including oversight of advocacy strategies, political fundraising and collaboration with the Leadership Fund PAC.

External Leadership and Member Engagement:

• Serve as the Chamber's chief ambassador, elevating its influence, visibility and reputation as Minnesota's leading business organization and the preeminent voice of the state's business community.
• Build authentic relationships with CEOs, entrepreneurs, small business owners, policymakers, local chambers, trade associations, community leaders and media in the Twin Cities and across Minnesota.
• Deepen engagement with both the state's largest employers and small and mid-sized businesses, ensuring the Chamber continues to deliver meaningful value across its diverse membership.
• Serve in the statutory seat on the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council (WCAC), as the business caucus lead.
• Inspire confidence through compelling communication that clearly articulates the Chamber's vision, priorities, and impact to members, policymakers and the public.
• Serve as the Chamber’s representative on key local, state and national boards and commissions.

Board Leadership and Governance:

• Build a trusted partnership with the Board of Directors, providing strategic counsel, transparent communication and timely information to support effective governance.
• Foster a highly engaged and effective Board of Directors by partnering closely with volunteer leaders and supporting the strategic work of key committees, including Strategy, Compensation, Finance and Board Development.
• Ensure strong governance practices across the Chamber and its affiliated organizations.

Organizational and Enterprise Leadership:

• Lead a high-performing, mission-driven organization by empowering, developing and retaining an exceptional leadership team while fostering a culture across the Chamber of accountability, collaboration, innovation and transparency.
• Ensure the long-term strength and sustainability of the Chamber and its affiliated organizations through disciplined financial stewardship, strategic resource allocation, revenue growth and diversification and operational excellence.
• Provide enterprise leadership across the Chamber and its affiliated organizations, ensuring alignment of strategy, operations and governance while preserving the organization's strong culture and preparing the next generation of leadership through thoughtful succession planning.
• Continuously strengthen organizational capabilities by embracing innovation, modernizing operations, leveraging emerging technologies, and driving continuous improvement to enhance member value and organizational impact.

The Candidate

The successful candidate will be a trusted, authentic, and highly respected executive who combines strategic vision with operational excellence, political sophistication with diplomacy, and confidence with humility. They will build upon an exceptionally strong foundation while thoughtfully positioning the Minnesota Chamber for its next chapter of growth, influence, and impact.

Experience and Professional Qualifications

• Proven executive leadership experience leading a complex, multi-stakeholder organization, preferably with an understanding of both business and nonprofit activities.
• Broad understanding of the intersection of business, economic competitiveness, and public policy at national, state and local levels; demonstrated passion for advancing initiatives that strengthen Minnesota's business climate.
• Board relations experience with an ability to forge trusting, collaborative and transparent relationships.
• Record of accomplishment for developing and implementing strategic plans in partnership with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success leading and empowering high-performing teams, preserving and evolving a collaborative culture, driving operational excellence, managing organizational change, and developing future leaders through thoughtful succession planning.
• Strong business and financial acumen with experience overseeing organizational performance, financial sustainability, resource allocation, and long-term growth. Brings ability and willingness to fundraise.
• Politically sophisticated leader with demonstrated success navigating complex public policy, governmental, regulatory, or advocacy environments, exercising sound judgment and building credibility across diverse stakeholders and on a bi-partisan basis.
• Exceptional relationship builder and coalition leader who quickly earns trust and effectively engages Fortune 500 CEOs, entrepreneurs, small business owners, policymakers, board members, local chambers, trade associations, and community partners to advance shared priorities.
• Compelling spokesperson and communicator who inspires confidence, articulates a clear vision, effectively represents an organization’s interests with credibility and authenticity and brings people along to advance an agenda. An ability to mobilize grassroots advocacy through effective communications and persuasion skills.
• Strategic, forward-looking executive who anticipates emerging trends, embraces innovation and technology, and thoughtfully balances continuity with evolution to position the organization for long-term success.
• Values data-driven decision making and leverages research, analytics, and evidence to strengthen strategy, advocacy, organizational performance, and member impact.
• Authentic, humble, and approachable leader who builds trust through integrity, transparency, sound judgment, and a collaborative, people-centered leadership style.
• Demonstrated ability to unite diverse stakeholders, value differing perspectives, and build consensus around common goals while leading with courage, resilience, and diplomacy.
• Deep commitment to advancing Minnesota's business community with credibility, loyalty, and an unwavering focus on creating long-term value for members and the state.

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration, public policy or related experience required; advanced degree preferred.

Location

The President & CEO will be based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and will travel extensively throughout the state. A meaningful connection to Minnesota-through current residence, prior experience, or demonstrated understanding of the state's business, political, and civic landscape is strongly preferred.

Compensation

The anticipated salary range for this position is $325,000–$375,000, plus eligibility for an annual incentive bonus. Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with the selected candidate's qualifications, experience, and demonstrated ability to meet the leadership requirements of the role.

Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis. Artificial Intelligence tools may be used in connection with the recruitment process for this position.