Title: President
Company: Valpo Chamber
Location: Valparaiso, Indiana, United States
Rex G. Richards, President at Valpo Chamber, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in the Nonprofit Sector.
Mr. Richards, president of the Valpo Chamber in Valparaiso, Indiana, since 2006, has been instrumental in the vitalization of the community for over 15 years. His role encompasses acquiring new businesses in town, overseeing government affairs with elected officials, advocating for positions before local, state and national government on issues that benefit the business community, and collaborating with the state government, which refers businesses to the Valparaiso community. Among other tasks, Mr. Richards hosts sales presentations to companies that have expressed an interest in coming to Indiana and is involved in all advertising to recruit such businesses.
Having been in the chamber industry for over 50 years, Mr. Richards has operated seven chambers across three states, all at the president’s level. Among numerous accomplishments, he ran the Kansas City Chamber and recruited a General Motors assembly plant that employed approximately 3,000 residents. The investment amounted to $1.5 billion. Mr. Richards was also instrumental in Sarasota, Florida, between 2000 and 2003, where the town successfully converted its local university, New College, into a state-supported university. Furthermore, he was credited with building three new chamber headquarters buildings during his tenure in this sector.
In support of his success, Mr. Richards holds a bachelor’s degree. He also engages with various professional and civic organizations, having served as the president of the Regional Development Company in Northwest Indiana and as the board chair for Florida Hospital. He is also active in Rotary International. In light of his hard work, Mr. Richards received Outstanding Chamber of the Year in Kansas and Outstanding Chamber in Indiana three times. He was also named President of the Year by the Indiana Chamber, Second Best Chamber in America by Valpo Chamber, and was recently inducted into the Indiana Business Hall of Fame by the Governor of Indiana in 2024. Mr. Richards attributes his success to his persistence in leading with excellence.
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