The Chamber continues to invest and grow to advance its mission of advocating for policies that support American businesses of all sizes around the globe.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Against the backdrop of a growing membership across all business sectors, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced key leadership hires and newly created roles along with the planned opening of new offices on Capitol Hill.
Elizabeth Baker Keffer is joining the U.S. Chamber as its first Chief Relationship Officer and Executive Vice President. In this position she will elevate the Chamber’s member services programs to further support new and existing members.
Melissa Lentz will join as the new Head of Member Marketing, where she will oversee a strategy to package the Chamber’s work in new and compelling ways to maximize member value.
Additionally, the Chamber’s Government Affairs team will move to a new, larger location at 25 Massachusetts Ave, NW, to share a building with top corporate partners. This will further the Chamber's engagement with Members of Congress and their staffs and highlight the Chamber’s priority of ensuring its members’ voices are heard on Capitol Hill.
“The challenges confronting American businesses and the threats against free enterprise are complex and growing. More than ever, our members rely on the U.S. Chamber to give them a voice in the debate and a seat at the table,” said Suzanne P. Clark, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been a powerhouse for 110 years because—like our members—we are continually innovating, improving, and growing. These investments in our future will help us serve American businesses with even greater impact and influence.”
In the past few years, the Chamber has helped secure historic legislative wins, most notably the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the historic infrastructure law, and record-setting achievements in the courts. These victories, coupled with the Chamber’s expertise and leadership across 300+ business priorities, have resulted in a 93% retention rate of its largest members and the addition of members from across industries, with significant growth in the technology industry and emerging sectors. The Chamber is now in its strongest financial position in more than a decade because of smart investments in its future, including digital, brand, talent, and advocacy.
Building Pro-Business Champions, Strengthening the Chamber’s Policy Advocacy & Expanding Global Influence
The Chamber announced new roles to ensure its advocacy, influence, and impact are even stronger in the years ahead, including:
- Jack Howard will take on a new role as Senior Vice President of Strategic Advocacy. Howard will be responsible for helping maximize the Chamber’s advocacy tools—including lobbying, regional operations, and voter education efforts—to grow the number of pro-business champions on Capitol Hill and beyond.
- Vice President Ken Johnson and Vice President and Chief of Staff Ron Eidshaug will both continue their leadership roles within the Government Affairs team.Johnson will remain as the Chamber’s Democratic outreachprincipal and serve as a senior leader in the Government Affairs program. Eidshaug willcontinue aligning the Chamber’s advocacy with its public policy work and act as interim head of the Congressional team.
- To round out these roles, the Chamber is launching an immediate search for a senior GOP lobbyist to lead our Hill advocacy team and a new General Counsel.
- Harold Kim is promoted to Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President, overseeing the strategically aligned Institute for Legal Reform and Chamber Litigation Center as well as the Office of the General Counsel.
- Agnes Warfield will take on a new role as Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives. Warfield will help create new programs, continue to lead the Chamber’s Capital Campaign, maintain key relationships with members, and provide insights into how to best serve them.
To enhance the Chamber’s role in global markets, the organization will incorporate key policy areas into its Strategic Advocacy Group. Led by Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley and Senior Vice President for Policy Marty Durbin, this includes antitrust, defense, and aerospace and the Sustainability Working Group. Under the guidance of Executive Vice President Myron Brilliant, the Chamber will seamlessly implement its united policy framework across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas.
Elizabeth Baker Keffer, Chief Relationship Officer and Executive Vice President
In this new role, Baker Keffer will amplify the member experience, using a data-driven approach to elevate member service and support. She will oversee the membership team and structure the Chamber’s focus on demonstrating lifetime value for members, deepening outreach efforts to attract new and emerging industries, and growing a robust account management team.
Baker Keffer’s impressive career has included leading revenue operations at both the Advisory Board and Corporate Executive Board, overseeing a period of rapid growth and expansion while servicing the Fortune 1000. After the successful IPO of these business information companies, Baker Keffer joined The Atlantic as Chief Revenue Officer, forging C-suite partnerships and creating pre-eminent gatherings for the business community, such as the Aspen Ideas Festival. Most recently, she was a Partner and Chief Network Officer for BDT & Company, a merchant bank that works with family-owned and founder-led businesses to pursue their strategic and financial objectives.
“Elizabeth Baker Keffer brings three decades of experience in the business-to-business space and growing relationships and revenue to the Chamber at a time of financial strength and record growth,” said Clark.
Melissa Lentz, Head of Member Marketing
Melissa Lentz has a deep background in serving and marketing to the business community. Lentz has worked across multinational holding companies WPP, Omnicom, and Publicis, and collaborated with the world’s leading global marketers and independent advertising agencies. She has been a partner to the Chamber through her own marketing consulting practice, helping with many of its recent digital and brand initiatives.
About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization. Our members range from the small businesses and chambers of commerce across the country that support their communities, to the leading industry associations and global corporations that innovate and solve the world’s problems, to the emerging and fast-growing industries that are shaping the future. For all of the businesses we represent, the Chamber is an advocate, partner, and network, helping them improve society and people’s lives.
