Former central Illinois congressman Rodney Davis has been named Head of Government Affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber announced his hiring this week. It said Davis will lead the Chamber’s engagement on Capitol Hill and with the administration, "helping defend against the growing threats to the American free enterprise system and working to advance pro-growth policies."
Davis, from Taylorville, was first elected to Congress in 2012. He lost a primary to fellow Republican Mary Miller in 2022.
“As a five-term member of Congress, Rodney Davis earned a reputation as a champion of free enterprise and pro-growth policies and effective legislator who was deeply respected on both sides of the aisle,” said U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne P. Clark. “His deep relationships, policy expertise, and proven track record as a consensus builder around the toughest issues will be invaluable as the Chamber continues to advocate for businesses and for a growth and opportunity agenda that benefits all Americans.”
Most recently, Davis worked for Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies, where he provided strategic counsel to the firm's government relations clients. Davis graduated from Millikin University in 1992 with a degree in political science and served as a Fall 2023 Resident Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Institute of Politics.
“I am excited to join the U.S. Chamber at such a pivotal moment for the American business community and our nation,” said Davis. “Sound policies that allow businesses to grow and succeed have been foundational to America's economic success and our ability to lead the world in innovation for decades. The Chamber has long been at the forefront of developing and advocating for these policies, and I look forward to engaging with my former colleagues to advance this critical work on behalf of the millions of American businesses and workers they employ.”
“Anyone who has had the opportunity to work with Rodney knows him to be a tenacious advocate who cares deeply about advancing polices that make our country stronger and improve the quality of life for all Americans,” said Neil Bradley, the Chamber’s Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer. “We were pleased to work with Rodney when he served in Congress and are delighted that he is bringing his expertise and tenacity to our team.”
Davis was Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, and a Deputy Whip.
Before being elected, He served as projects director for Congressman John Shimkus for 16 years. He will join the Chamber in August, following the departure of Evan Jenkins from the post earlier this year.
This announcement comes on the heels of the launch of the Chamber’s Growth and Opportunity Imperative for America, which according to the group "calls on elected officials and candidates to secure a strong future for all Americans by pursuing policies that will achieve 3% economic growth annually over the next decade."
