The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today issued the following statement on the October 14, 2024, passing of former Chamber CEO Thomas J. Donohue: 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American business community, and our nation mourn the passing of Thomas J. Donohue. Throughout his extraordinary life, Tom was many things—friend, mentor, statesman, storyteller, fighter, advocate, and patriot. Above all else, he was a dedicated family man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.   

As a business leader, 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.  

In 1997, after 13 years leading the American Trucking Associations, Tom took the wheel of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 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. He never backed down from a fight that was necessary for a cause he believed in, leading the American business community and building the Chamber into the largest and most effective business organization in the world. He did it with high energy and absolute integrity, always keeping his promises and keeping his word. Tom’s mantra was simple: ‘If you can, you must.’   

By his own admission, ‘retirement’ was never a word in Tom’s lexicon, and even after he stepped down from his storied career as CEO of the Chamber, he continued to be driven by intellectual curiosity and patriotic duty. Through the work of The Donohue Group, Tom remained engaged on the topics he thought most important to the future of our nation. He generously gave his time and service to the boards of the U.S. Chamber, the Hudson Institute, the Center for International Private Enterprise, and Marymount University.    

Tom would often say that to serve the business community was to serve our country, and he did it with distinction. Like Tom himself, the spirit of enterprise is strong, it is fearless, and it is enduring—bigger than any of us, and yet a reflection of the best in all of us. Tom Donohue will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on as we carry that spirit forward. 

About Thomas J. Donohue: Donohue took the helm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1997, after 13 years leading the American Trucking Associations. He retired in 2021 but continued to serve on the U.S. Chamber Board of Directors.  Earlier in his career, he was deputy assistant postmaster general of the United States and vice president of development at Fairfield University in Connecticut. 

Born in New York City, Donohue earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University and a master’s degree in business administration from Adelphi University.