Joe Nguyen named Seattle Chamber president and CEO after leaving Washington state Commerce role

Joe Nguyen is the new president and chief executive officer of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, the organization announced Monday.

Less than a week after revealing that he was stepping down from his role as director of Washington state’s Department of Commerce, Nguyen was confirmed as the head of Seattle’s business advocacy organization.

A tech veteran who previously worked at Microsoft and Expedia, Nguyen previously served in the Washington State Senate representing Seattle’s 34th Legislative District. He said his focus as Chamber CEO will be on ensuring the region is an attractive place to do business, grow companies, and create jobs.

“The Chamber plays a critical role in advocating for policy outcomes that support businesses and our region’s economic stability,” Nguyen said in a news release. “My priority is to work closely with our members and policymakers to strengthen the business climate, ensure smart use of public resources, and advance solutions that support job creation, affordability, and a safe, thriving regional economy.”

The Chamber job has been open since Rachel Smith left as the organization’s president and CEO to become president of the Washington Roundtable. Nguyen succeeds interim Chamber President and CEO Gabriella Buono.

“He brings an incisive, results-oriented approach and the ability to work across sectors to advance a strong, competitive economy for the Seattle region,” Chamber Board Chair Teresa Hutson said in a statement.

Nguyen told Commerce employees last Tuesday that he was leaving after one year on the job, but he didn’t say where he was headed. Rumors began circulating online and among business lobbyists in recent days, according to the Washington State Standard, which noted that Nguyen is the first member of Gov. Bob Ferguson’s executive cabinet to quit, though others have retired.

At Commerce, Nguyen managed a budget of $7.9 billion and administered more than 100 programs in the areas of housing, energy, community and economic development, local government and business services.

The Seattle Chamber is an independent business organization with 2,600 members.

Nguyen, who will officially assume the Chamber role at the end of January, is a lifelong Washington resident and graduate of Seattle University, where he earned degrees in finance and humanities.

Previously:

• Can one agency reboot Washington state? Commerce chief brings tech to the task
• Techie-turned-lawmaker uses his Microsoft chops to challenge the status quo as a state senator