Dec. 9, 2019

A chamber of commerce leader from Illinois will be the next leader of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.

Jeffrey Griffin was selected as president and CEO following a national search.

“I am honored to be named president of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “Sioux Falls and all of South Dakota are in such an advantageous position with pro-business initiatives, and I am excited to be a part of it.”

Sioux Falls Chamber board chair Bobbi Thury, co-founder of Legacy Law Firm, said the search committee reviewed an excellent pool of candidates.

“We had a number of very talented individuals interested in the position,” she said. “Jeff demonstrated excellent leadership skills, the ability to foster strong relationships with businesses of all sizes and a heart for helping others succeed, all of which made him a great match for our chamber.”

Griffin has served as the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce and the CEO Council in Peoria since 2014. During his tenure, he led the chamber to double its membership and turned around worrisome financial trends. He is experienced in nonprofit and business development leadership. Griffin holds a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organizational Management. In 2018, he was named the Distinguished Illinois Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year.

“My wife, Rosy, and I were overwhelmed with the warm welcome we received from the community, and we are looking forward to moving our family to Sioux Falls,” Griffin said.

Griffin will assume his new role Jan. 20. Interim president Dr. Dave Kapaska will remain with the chamber through Jan. 25.

“We are excited to welcome the Griffins to Sioux Falls,” Thury said. “We expect that the chamber, under Jeff’s leadership, will continue to be a successful advocate for our businesses and community for years to come.”