Chamber President David Haynes Announces Retirement
Terre Haute, IN – Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce President David Haynes announced during Tuesday’s Board of Director’s meeting his plans to retire as President of the Chamber, effective June 30.
Keeping his usual smile, but with an obvious heavy heart, Haynes delivered the news, during the regularly scheduled monthly Board meeting.
Recognizing past Board of Directors chairs that he’s worked alongside, including current Board Chair Brian Kooistra, Chief Operating Officer at Garmong Construction Services – Haynes said his time as the leader of the Chamber has been a “joy” and leaves him full of “pride”.
“It is with equal amounts of appreciation, pride and hope that I announce my retirement as president of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce,” he said in a statement. “I have great appreciation for this Board and its faith in a Terre Haute native to calm troubled waters and restore the confidence of our business community in this longstanding institution.”
Since being hired in 2014, Haynes has led the Chamber, its membership and staff through an uptick of overall members, an increase of Advocacy efforts, creation of the regional initiative West Central Indiana 2025, the implementation of casino legislation support with “Terre Haute Is All In” and the adoption of Downtown Terre Haute as a branch of the Chamber organization.
“To look back on what’s been accomplished since 2014 is extremely impressive,” Kooistra says. “David has been a great leader of the Chamber, he’s a Terre Haute native that has invested in his community and really made a difference.”
In his retirement Haynes says he plans to spend more time with his wife of 46 years, Nancy, their four sons and six grandchildren; four boys and two girls. A longtime attorney, Haynes will continue to practice law into retirement.
Not without a little humor, Haynes provided a “Toast”, a tradition he’s become known for during the Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting.
“I do believe the Chamber is on the right course,” he says. “I thank you, I hope you share my pride, and with confidence that it will continue well into my retirement, I simply say: “A Toast”.
Kooistra stated to the board that he would be convening the Personnel and Executive Committees in the coming weeks to create a plan on filling the position and a recommendation will be made to the Board in February for their approval.
