Austin Chamber of Commerce CEO Laura Huffman to step down at the end of the year

Laura Huffman, who led the Austin Chamber of Commerce through the COVID-19 pandemic and a major wave of regional business expansion, is leaving her CEO role at the end of the year. Huffman, a long-time leader at the Nature Conservancy, became CEO of the chamber in April 2020, just as the pandemic was creating significant upheaval for the business community, which was facing layoffs, temporary shutdowns and permanent closures. The announcement did not give a reason for Huffman's departure. The chamber said it will announce an interim leader in coming days. After that, a national search will be conducted to find a permanent CEO.

“Laura took the reins of the chamber at an incredibly difficult time for our community and country,” said Ali Khataw, chair-elect of the chamber's board of directors. “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.” Austin also had a number of major economic development victories during Huffman's tenure. Central Texas saw a manufacturing boom, led by electric automaker Tesla, which has made Austin its headquarters. The company opened a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility in southeastern Travis County, where it is producing its Model Y electric SUVs. Meanwhile, tech giant Samsung is building a $17 billion semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor. According to documents filed with the state, Samsung also is considering building 11 chipmaking facilities in the Austin area over the next two decades, a move that could lead to nearly $200 billion in new investment and create more than 10,000 jobs for the technology giant.