Bay Area Chamber of Commerce President Ryan Tarrant Resigns

Bay Area Chamber of Commerce President & CEO, Ryan Tarrant, resigned earlier this morning, reflecting on his nearly 5 years in the role.

In 2019, the bay area chamber was named Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals Large Chamber of the Year under Tarrant’s watch, advocating on behalf of its members for state and federal funding, and numerous resources throughout the COVID-19 pandemic- including more than $300,000 in direct sales for area businesses.

In the statement released announcing his resignation, Tarrant said:

“First, I would like to thank you all for the opportunity to lead this amazing organization. As I mentioned in my first remarks at the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, one of the things I learned from my father was to leave something better than you found it. Today, after offering my resignation as President & CEO of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce to our Board of Directors, effective March 18, 2022, I believe we have accomplished that goal.

As a Bay City native, I am thankful for the opportunity the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce provided me to return home and affect positive change in both the business community and community at large. In the past four years alone, we have seen nearly $750 million in new investment, millions in state and federal funding following the Chamber’s leading role in advocacy, direct impacts through our joint Buy BC venture with Bay Future throughout the pandemic, and secured funding and laid the groundwork for the Chamber’s largest program investment in its 139-year history – a three-year, $1.2 million workforce, talent and attraction initiative, which is likely the largest community investment of its kind, per capita, in the nation.

Here in the Bay Area, we are resourceful. We have created a collaborative effort in building our community that will benefit businesses, employees and residents in the years and decades to come. I have every expectation that the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is a destination job for a new, talented leader to continue our growth and lead the organization to new heights.

It is with mixed emotions that I will continue working for our area businesses and the community through my final day leading the Chamber. Thank you again, for your engagement, leadership and, most of all, friendship.”

Under Tarrant’s leadership, the chamber saw gains in membership numbers not seen in more than a decade, a return to profitability, and secured more than $1 million in funding for a talent attraction and retention initiative- something he says will be the single largest program undertaking ever for the BACC.

For the full news release made by the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Click Here.