U.S. Chamber’s Stan Anderson to Step Down as Chairman of Campaign for Free Enterprise

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced today that Stan Anderson, senior counselor and advisor to President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue, will step down as chairman of the Campaign for Free Enterprise (CFE), effective in early September, 2011. Anderson is moving on to pursue business and political opportunities, but will continue to serve in his advisory role at the Chamber.

“In Stan’s tenure leading our Campaign for Free Enterprise, he built off an already strong foundation and brought important attention to critical issues affecting our economy and the all important issue of job creation,” said Donohue. “Stan had a clear vision on how to educate America on the benefits of free enterprise and he implemented that vision in a way that will leave a lasting impact on the Chamber.”

During his time as Chairman of the Campaign, Anderson helped lead the following projects:

• Hosted the Chamber’s Inaugural Jobs Summit – The now annual event brings together business leaders and top decision makers to discuss the policies needed to bolster economic growth and create jobs.
• Built and Strengthened Partnerships with Youth Organizations – The Campaign for Free Enterprise has partnered with Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour (EET), Junior Achievement (JA), Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), and the Kairos Society to help young people understand the benefits of free enterprise and give them the skills to start their own businesses.
• Expanded Campaign’s Online Efforts – In addition to launching the CFE website, which includes multiple daily posts, Anderson also led the development of the CFE Facebook page, expanding its community to more than 178,000 fans and counting.
• Created Center for Entrepreneurship – Serving as the voice for entrepreneurs in Washington, the Center helps entrepreneurs navigate the legislative and regulatory obstacles in order to get a business up and running.
• Introduced Model Legislation to Educate Youth on Free Enterprise – At the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the Campaign presented the “Free Enterprise Education Act,” which would require high school students to take and pass a free enterprise course to receive a high school diploma.

“The accomplishments of the Campaign have made a significant and positive impact on how the public views business and Stan has been the driving force behind it all,” said Donohue. “I look forward to Stan’s continued work as senior counselor and advisor and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”

The Campaign for Free Enterprise is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's comprehensive, multiyear campaign to support free enterprise and entrepreneurship through national advertising; grassroots advocacy; citizen, community, and youth engagement; and research and ideas leadership.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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