Anne Gill is stepping down after five years leading the Tempe Chamber of Commerce as president and chief executive officer.
Gill said she plans to return to her home state of Michigan to enjoy time with her family and plan for her upcoming wedding to her childhood sweetheart.
The Tempe Chamber Board of Directors said it will immediately launch a search for Gill’s successor.
“Looking back on the past five years, I am proud of the work we have done with the Tempe business community,” Gill said. “I have been fortunate to have worked with outstanding business and community leaders, as well as an exceptional Chamber team. I’ll miss the people I work with every day, but I know that with our strong Board and support from the community the Tempe Chamber will continue to innovate and meet the changing needs of the businesses it serves.”
Before coming to Tempe, Gill was executive director of the WellCare Foundation and then president and CEO of the Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce for five years. She has more than 30 years of business-administration experience. She has served on the Arizona Chamber Executives Board of Directors as its legislative chair, the South Mountain Community College President’s Community Advisory Council, co-chair of the Tempe Kyrene Business Advisory Council, and the Western Association of Chamber Executives. She holds a B.A. in International Business from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Gill led the Tempe Chamber’s refocus on its mission to serve as the voice for business, a catalyst for economic growth and a champion for a strong community. From the launch of the Business Academy to the introduction of the annual Sustainability Summit, Gill is credited with leaving a lasting impact on Tempe’s business community.
During Gill’s tenure, the Tempe Chamber, representing more than 650 businesses, experienced significant growth that resulted in an increased net revenue of more than 350 percent. She was instrumental in implementing the Career Ready Tempe youth workforce program, a partnership with the Chamber Foundation and the city’s Economic Development and Human Services Departments. The program seeks to strengthen Tempe’s future workforce, in turn strengthening the Chamber’s connections with the business and education communities.
“I have been blessed to work with Anne over the last several years,” said Raveen Arora, Tempe Chamber Board Chair. “She has been the bedrock and face of the Chamber, a steward with vision, humility, patience and insight; a real leader, who, with her team, helped the Chamber navigate the turbulence of COVID 19 and the minefields of the pandemic. Anne leaves behind a void that will be hard to fill. Her leadership and legacy are enshrined in her team. The Board of Directors consider her a superstar. Stars always shine in the darkness. She has been our brightest light.”
More information on the Tempe Chamber of Commerce: www.tempechamber.org or 480-967-7897.
