Huffman to leave the Chamber

Laura Huffman, who has led the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce since April 2020, will be leaving her post at the end of this year. “I am proud of the Chamber’s accomplishments over the last three years. Importantly, none of the success we celebrate would have been possible without the talented staff we have. From the moment I began at the Chamber at the beginning of the pandemic shutdown, I was enormously impressed by the team’s professionalism and commitment to doing great work. Together, we navigated through the depths of the pandemic and the unemployment and uncertainty that came with it. Today, Austin continues to be one of the strongest economic performers in the country,” Huffman said in a statement to the press. Before joining the chamber, Huffman served as the Texas executive director at the Nature Conservancy and held positions with the cities of Austin and San Marcos. The Austin Chamber is expected to announce information on an interim director and launch a national search for a permanent replacement soon. “Laura took the reins of the Chamber at an incredibly difficult time for our community and country,” Ali Khataw, chair-elect of the Austin Chamber Board of Directors, said in a statement. “She provided key direction on issues including the Covid-19 pandemic, homelessness, public safety, talent, and workforce development. Her engagement helped businesses and the community navigate turbulent times and find solutions to these pressing challenges.”