Founded in 1905, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce has long served as a voluntary, member‑supported organization dedicated to cultivating a strong and healthy economic climate for the Columbia, Missouri region. Today, the Chamber represents more than 1,000 member businesses of all sizes and supports a community of approximately 112,000 residents through its programs and advocacy efforts. As a nonprofit 501c6 organization, the Chamber continues to strengthen the local business environment by fostering growth, enhancing connectivity, and promoting a vibrant regional economy. Its long-standing presence and trusted role make it a central pillar of Columbia’s commercial and civic leadership.

The mission of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce is to lead the community, drive commerce in the region, and advance community and regional collaborations that improve the quality of where people live, learn, work, and play. In fulfilling this mission, the Chamber serves as a Convener of Inclusive Collaboration, a Champion for Business, and a Catalyst for a Thriving Community, working diligently to elevate diverse perspectives and ensure its work reflects the needs and strengths of the entire community. The organization places a strong emphasis on inclusion and aligns its efforts with the Principles of Community, nurturing an environment where all voices contribute to meaningful progress.

The Chamber’s impact is further amplified through its robust programs and strategic initiatives, including Leadership Columbia, a signature leadership development program that cultivates and prepares future community leaders to address local challenges and steward ongoing growth. With a dedicated professional staff, a stable financial foundation, and a reputation as a trusted convener across business, government, education, and nonprofit sectors, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce is well positioned for continued momentum. Its next President and CEO will have the opportunity to guide a deeply engaged organization that plays a vital role in shaping the economic and civic future of the Columbia region.

Columbia, Missouri is a fast‑growing and vibrant city positioned at the crossroads of Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 63, offering a blend of small‑town warmth and metropolitan amenities. As the largest city in Boone County, Columbia has a population of approximately 130,000 residents, reflecting steady growth over the past decade. Its central location—roughly midway between St. Louis and Kansas City—makes it an accessible and appealing hub for commerce, travel, and regional collaboration. The city is known for its livability, supported by a strong transportation network, an educated workforce, and an economy resilient to national fluctuations.

Anchored by the University of Missouri, Columbia has long been recognized as an educational and research center. The city is home to several higher‑education institutions, including Columbia College and Stephens College, which together contribute to a highly educated population where more than half of adults hold at least a bachelor’s degree. This concentration of learning institutions enriches the cultural fabric of the community and fuels key sectors such as healthcare, technology, and life sciences. Columbia’s economic landscape benefits from a diverse array of major employers in education, healthcare, research, and professional services, helping sustain a consistently strong job market.

Quality of life is a defining strength of Columbia. The city offers a dynamic arts and culture scene, expansive parks and trails—including the nationally recognized MKT Trail—and a steady calendar of festivals and community events. Its downtown district combines local businesses, restaurants, and entertainment venues, creating a walkable, energetic environment that attracts students, families, and professionals alike. Housing affordability, short commute times, and access to excellent healthcare further contribute to Columbia’s reputation as one of the most desirable mid‑sized cities in the country.

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce plays a central role in supporting the city’s economic vitality and fostering a collaborative business environment. With more than 1,000 member businesses across industries, the Chamber serves as a convener of local leaders, a champion for business growth, and a driver of regional partnerships. As a nonprofit 501c6 organization, it leads initiatives that strengthen the local economy, promote community engagement, and cultivate future leadership—most notably through programs like Leadership Columbia, which prepares emerging leaders to address community challenges and opportunities. Through advocacy, professional development, and strategic collaboration, the Chamber contributes significantly to Columbia’s reputation as a connected, forward‑looking, and business‑friendly city.

Together, these qualities make Columbia a thriving, well‑balanced community—one that attracts entrepreneurs, families, students, and innovators seeking a high quality of life paired with meaningful opportunities. Its blend of educational excellence, economic resilience, and collaborative civic culture define Columbia as a leading regional center poised for continued success.

Position: President & Chief Executive Officer

Location: Columbia, MO

Reporting Relationship: Board of Directors

The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce serves as the organization’s most senior staff executive, providing strategic leadership to advance the Chamber’s mission of driving commerce, strengthening regional collaboration, and supporting a thriving business community. Working under the direction of the Board of Directors, the CEO guides the development and execution of organizational goals, ensuring that programs, services, and advocacy efforts align with the economic priorities of Columbia and the broader Boone County region. In this leadership capacity, the CEO acts as both a steward of the Chamber’s longstanding commitment to inclusive collaboration and a catalyst for initiatives that position the community for long‑term prosperity.

Central to this role is the responsibility for planning, coordinating, and directing the Chamber’s operational and programmatic activities. This includes overseeing staff development, fostering a high‑performing organizational culture, and ensuring the effective deployment of volunteer leadership across committees and initiatives. The CEO is accountable for operational excellence—managing income and expenditures, maintaining organizational infrastructure, and supporting high‑quality delivery of services that strengthen the business environment. In doing so, the CEO ensures that the Chamber remains responsive to member needs and adaptive to emerging trends affecting economic development, workforce readiness, and community vitality.

The CEO also serves as the Chamber’s primary spokesperson and public champion, building and sustaining relationships with business leaders, elected officials, educational institutions, community organizations, and regional partners. In line with the national role of chambers of commerce, the CEO advocates for policies that support business competitiveness, fosters collaboration among diverse stakeholders, and elevates the Chamber’s visibility as the leading voice for the local business community. Through strategic communication and engagement, the CEO represents the collective interests of the membership while reinforcing the Chamber’s role as a trusted convener and thought leader.

Finally, the CEO is responsible for driving initiatives that enhance Columbia’s economic health and workforce pipeline. This includes guiding programs that support entrepreneurial development, talent attraction and retention, leadership cultivation, and community‑wide problem-solving. The CEO ensures that these efforts are carried out in accordance with the Chamber’s organizational values and strategic objectives, positioning the Chamber as an essential partner in shaping Columbia’s future. By stewarding these responsibilities, the CEO plays a pivotal role in advancing a vibrant, resilient, and collaborative local economy.

• Develop, relaunch, and execute a multi‑year strategic plan that clarifies purpose, priorities, measurable outcomes, and annual operating goals; ensure visible alignment across staff, board, and programs.

• Partner with the Board of Directors on governance, agenda‑setting, risk management, and organizational performance; deliver timely, transparent reports and recommendations.

• Continuously evaluate and refine the Chamber’s portfolio (programs, services, and initiatives) against data and member feedback; sunset or redesign offerings to maintain relevance and impact.

• Position the Chamber as a trusted regional convener and thought leader, advancing inclusive collaboration across sectors to address community priorities.

• Drive execution discipline and follow‑through on strategic initiatives to shift stakeholder perception from “listening” to consistent delivery and results.

• Serve as the Chamber’s primary spokesperson and advocate, developing well‑reasoned policy positions and representing the business community with city, county, and state officials.

• Strengthen government and education relationships (City/Mayor/City Manager, REDI, University of Missouri, public schools, regional colleges) to coordinate civic priorities and policy messaging.

• Increase the Chamber’s influence on key policy topics—public safety, homelessness, housing, and regulatory issues—through informed positions, coalition‑building, and proactive communication.

• Mobilize member leadership for advocacy, equipping boards/committees/volunteers to engage in briefings, testimony, and advocacy days consistent with 501c6 guidelines.

• Oversee finance and operations—annual budgeting, monthly financials, expense control, audits, and asset stewardship—to ensure sound, compliant management.

• Stabilize and develop a high‑performing staff team by clarifying roles, setting expectations, coaching performance, supporting professional development, and improving morale/retention.

• Strengthen core systems and processes (program planning, event execution, communications, scheduling, CRM/membership ops) to reduce administrative burden and improve delivery quality.

• Activate and support volunteer leadership (committees, ambassadors, task forces) with clear goals and accountability to extend the Chamber’s reach and execution capacity.

• Maintain a professional, welcoming headquarters and infrastructure that supports modern membership operations and staff productivity.

• Grow, retain, and re‑engage membership—with special attention to small businesses—by delivering a clear value proposition, targeted services, and consistent member communications.

• Modernize and diversify revenue (dues, sponsorships, events, and new offerings) to enhance financial resilience and align pricing/benefits with market needs.

• Ensure program excellence and strategic relevance across flagship offerings (e.g., leadership development, policy forums, business services), with defined objectives and measurable outcomes.

• Use data and member feedback to evaluate impact, discontinue low‑ROI activities, and pilot innovations that meet evolving member needs.

 

• Lead and coordinate regional economic development partnerships—especially with REDI, major employers, and education partners—to support business retention, expansion, and attraction.

• Advance workforce development initiatives that align employer needs with K–12, higher‑education, and training pipelines, addressing the region’s open‑jobs demand with measurable outcomes.

• Identify and address long‑range economic challenges (e.g., housing constraints, talent shortages, sector needs) and advise the Board and partners on strategies to improve competitiveness.

• Support entrepreneurship, small-business growth, and innovation through programming and partnerships that strengthen the startup ecosystem and under‑represented enterprises.

• Represent the Chamber in regional/state economic forums, advocating for investments and policies that enhance the business climate and quality of place.

• Cultivate working relationships with economic development organizations to ensure seamless coordination and a unified message about Columbia’s strengths and opportunities.

The President & CEO directly oversees the following executive leaders:

• Vice President of External Affairs

• Vice President of Workforce Development

• Senior Director of Operations

• Director of Membership

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce seeks an experienced, forward‑looking, and community‑rooted executive who embodies its mission to lead the community, drive regional commerce, and advance inclusive collaboration across Columbia and Boone County. The ideal candidate will bring the strategic clarity, operational discipline, and public leadership needed to guide a historic, member‑driven organization representing more than 1,000 businesses and serving a regional population of over 112,000 residents. This is a pivotal moment marked by strong economic momentum, evolving workforce needs, and a desire for renewed vision, advocacy, and organizational alignment.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic, community‑minded executive with leadership experience in complex membership organizations, chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, government entities, business associations, or similarly multifaceted nonprofit or public‑sector environments. They should have demonstrated success stabilizing teams, rebuilding processes, strengthening culture, and restoring trust—critical capabilities for an organization emerging from operational strain and leadership transition. A strong understanding of board governance, member engagement, and cross‑sector collaboration is essential.

The next President & CEO will also be a visible civic leader and compelling advocate, able to navigate Columbia’s politically diverse environment and serve as a principled, solutions‑oriented voice for the business community. They will bring experience in public policy, government affairs, or regulated‑industry leadership, with the ability to build trusted relationships across city and county leaders, higher‑education institutions, K–12 partners, and regional economic development organizations such as REDI. They will be adept at representing business interests on issues such as workforce development, public safety, housing, and economic competitiveness.

Finally, the Chamber seeks a leader with strong operational, financial, and business acumen, including experience managing budgets, diversifying revenue streams, overseeing program portfolios, and stewarding membership models within lean organizational environments. This individual will thrive at the intersection of vision and execution—able to modernize membership value, enhance program impact, and lead economic and workforce development initiatives consistent with the Chamber’s role as a Convener of Inclusive Collaboration, Champion for Business, and Catalyst for a Thriving Community. They will inspire confidence among staff, members, and community partners through integrity, presence, and a collaborative leadership style that positions the Chamber for long‑term success.

• At least ten years of senior leadership experience overseeing multiple functional areas within a chamber of commerce, economic development organization, membership association, public agency, or similarly complex nonprofit.

• Demonstrated success stabilizing teams, improving operations, and rebuilding culture following periods of turnover, fragmentation, or strategic drift.

• Proven ability to work effectively with a Board of Directors, providing strong governance partnership, transparent communication, and disciplined execution of strategic priorities.

• Experience leading or partnering in economic and workforce development, including business retention/expansion, employer engagement, small‑business support, and collaboration with REDI and education partners.

• Strong background in public policy, government affairs, or government relations, with the ability to navigate Columbia’s politically diverse environment and represent business interests on key issues such as public safety, housing, and workforce readiness.

• Ability to build trusted relationships across the community, including with city and county officials, higher‑education institutions (especially the University of Missouri), K–12 schools, and major employers.

• Demonstrated expertise in membership value creation, revenue model innovation, and modernizing programs to strengthen retention, growth, and member satisfaction.

• Strong financial management acumen, including budget development, fiscal oversight, revenue diversification, and stewardship of lean organizational resources.

• Exceptional communication and public‑facing skills, with the ability to serve as a visible civic leader, credible spokesperson, and effective convener for diverse stakeholder groups.

• A leadership style marked by integrity, humility, and inclusiveness, aligned with the Chamber’s role as a Convener of Inclusive Collaboration, Champion for Business, and Catalyst for a Thriving Community.

• Strategic thinker capable of translating vision into action, implementing measurable priorities, and driving execution across staff, volunteers, committees, and partners.

• A high‑trust, relationship‑driven leader with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement—qualities essential for restoring credibility and building long‑term organizational stability.

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in public policy, community development, social work, nonprofit management, or a related field preferred.

• Columbia Chamber of Commerce offers a competitive, mission-aligned compensation package including salary, health benefits, retirement plan, paid time off, professional development, and other benefits. The anticipated salary range for this role is $120,000 - $180,000, commensurate with experience.

• Applications should direct a resume/CV to:

o ColumbiaChamberofCommercePresidentandCEO@KornFerry.com.

• Nominations and confidential inquiries are welcome.