Tom Donohue, titan of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, dies at 86
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Tom Donohue on the roof of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building near the White House. Photo: U.S. Chamber
Thomas J. Donohue — a booming Beltway voice for business who vastly expanded the clout and wealth of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — died Monday at age 86, the chamber announced.
- Donohue died at home in northern Virginia, surrounded by loved ones, after a brief illness.
Why he mattered: Donohue, a sought-after voice for business on TV and Capitol Hill, jetted the country, using his fundraising prowess to enlarge the U.S. Chamber as a formidable voice for Main Street.
- The chamber's imposing, Corinthian-columned headquarters, across Lafayette Park from the White House, has long symbolized American business as a Washington power center.
What they're saying: Suzanne P. Clark, U.S. Chamber president and CEO, who was Donohue's hand-picked successor, said in a statement to Axios that he was "always optimistic."
- "The country lost a great patriot. The business community lost a powerful champion. And I lost my mentor and one of my best friends," Clark said.
- "For friends and family, colleagues and neighbors, businesses and charities, Tom was their 'phone-a-friend.' If you needed something, he would help you, connect you, or advise you."
Between the lines: Clark, a former small business owner and CEO, is focused on bringing the chamber into the future and running it like a business.
The backstory: Donohue took over the U.S. Chamber in 1997 after 13 years of leading the American Trucking Associations.
- A statement from the chamber says: "Tom was a towering figure, and across his decades-long career, his Irish toughness, combined with his genuine compassion, made him a unique and impactful voice in Washington and around the world. He gave business a seat at the table and a voice in the debate in a way it never had before.
- "It is no exaggeration to say he resurrected the Chamber, taking the institution from good to great and from productive to powerful — and standing up for business from the nation's capital to every corner of the globe," the statement adds.
After retiring from the chamber in 2021, he remained on the board and stayed active in business through The Donohue Group.
- At his death, he was listed as a member of boards of the Hudson Institute, the Center for International Private Enterprise (president emeritus) and Marymount University.
Donohue, a New York City native, earlier was deputy assistant postmaster general, and vice president of development at Fairfield University in Connecticut.
- He had a bachelor's degree from St. John's University and an MBA from Adelphi University.
Go deeper: Full bio.
