Michael J. Quaranta, who has led the State Chamber since 2018, announced in January that he plans to retire by the end of 2026. The organization’s Board of Directors has appointed a search committee and retained executive search firm Korn Ferry to identify his successor. Photo created with AI on 7/11

Successor to Michael Quaranta will inherit a stronger organization — and a growing list of economic and political challenges

By George Rotsch, Editor of Delaware LIVE

WILMINGTON — The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce is searching for a new president who will be expected to do more than manage one of the state’s oldest business organizations.

The next leader will become a highly visible advocate for Delaware employers at a time when businesses are confronting rising operating costs, workforce shortages, housing pressures, energy concerns and an increasingly complicated political and regulatory environment.

Michael J. Quaranta, who has led the State Chamber since 2018, announced in January that he plans to retire by the end of 2026. The organization’s Board of Directors has appointed a search committee and retained executive search firm Korn Ferry to identify his successor.

“Serving as president of the Delaware State Chamber since 2018 has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” Quaranta said. “I am incredibly proud of everything we’ve accomplished on behalf of Delaware’s business community.”

Quaranta said he has confidence that the committee will find a leader capable of building on the organization’s momentum.

The position comes with a salary range of $240,000 to $260,000 a year, according to the job posting. The president will oversee a multimillion-dollar operating budget, manage the organization’s staff and serve as its chief executive, principal advocate and primary public spokesperson.

More than a management job

Founded in 1837 as the Wilmington Board of Trade, the State Chamber is one of the oldest continuously operating state chambers in the country. It represents businesses ranging from large corporations and financial institutions to manufacturers, professional firms and small employers.

The organization is supported by membership dues, sponsorships and events and operates as a nonprofit business association.

But the president’s most important responsibility may be maintaining the State Chamber’s position as a credible voice in Dover.

The job description calls for a leader who can represent business interests before the governor’s office, General Assembly, state agencies, news media and the public — sometimes responding to complicated policy questions in real time.

That requires political judgment as well as policy expertise.

Delaware’s business community is not always unified. Large employers, small businesses, manufacturers, banks, hospitals, developers and technology companies can have different priorities. The president will be expected to balance those interests while maintaining relationships with elected officials from both political parties.

The State Chamber described Delaware’s political environment as one in which governing depends heavily on negotiation, relationships and trust.

The next president will therefore need to be an advocate without becoming simply another partisan voice.

“During his tenure as president, Mike led the charge to reinvigorate the State Chamber, and it has truly been a pleasure working with him,” State Chamber Board Chair John C. Gooden said. “While he will be missed, I look forward to welcoming and supporting the State Chamber’s next president.”

An expanding competitiveness agenda

The incoming president will inherit a broad policy agenda that extends well beyond traditional debates over taxes and regulation.

The State Chamber’s current priorities include reducing the cost of doing business, accelerating permitting, expanding Delaware’s inventory of development-ready sites, improving housing affordability and investing in energy generation and the electric grid. It also supports efforts to strengthen the health care workforce and make state environmental policies practical and economically sustainable.

Workforce development is likely to remain one of the organization’s central concerns.

Delaware employers continue to report difficulty finding workers with the necessary technical, professional and workplace skills. The State Chamber has increasingly worked with schools, colleges, training organizations and employers to connect education programs with available careers.

At a workforce summit organized with several education and employment partners, Quaranta said building the workforce of the future requires coordinated participation from employers, schools, colleges, state agencies and elected officials.

The State Chamber’s competitiveness research also points to broader concerns, including Delaware’s aging workforce, housing affordability and the overall cost of doing business. At the same time, the organization identifies Delaware’s judiciary, research investment and technology workforce as significant economic strengths.

Those competing realities will shape the next president’s assignment: defending the advantages that have historically made Delaware attractive to employers while pressing policymakers to address weaknesses that could make the state less competitive.

A different business landscape

The organization’s next leader will also take office as Delaware’s economy continues to change geographically and structurally.

Wilmington remains the state’s center for financial services and corporate activity, while life sciences, advanced manufacturing and technology have become increasingly important. Agriculture continues to play a major role in Kent and Sussex counties, where population growth is also creating new demand for housing, health care, infrastructure and services.

The Chamber’s membership must reflect all of those sectors and regions.

The job description specifically calls for the next president to strengthen membership among small businesses, large employers and emerging industries. The leader will also be expected to use modern communications and digital platforms to expand the organization’s reach and demonstrate tangible value to dues-paying members.

That could require the Chamber to become more visible outside traditional business events and legislative hearings.

Its affiliated programs already include economic research, voter education, workforce initiatives, policy committees, industry programs and public events. The organization also operates the Delaware Manufacturing Association and promotes manufacturing through programs such as the annual Coolest Thing Made in Delaware competition.

The next president will have to decide how those programs fit together and which initiatives offer the greatest return for members.

What the board is seeking

The State Chamber says it is looking for an experienced, relationship-oriented executive with a background in public policy, business advocacy and organizational management.

Candidates could come from another chamber of commerce, a business association, economic development organization, government, the nonprofit sector or a regulated industry.

Experience in Delaware would be an advantage but is not required.

The organization said an outside candidate would need to quickly develop relationships within the state’s close-knit business, political and civic communities. The successful candidate will also need experience managing employees, budgets and board relationships.

The president will inherit an organization that the job description describes as financially stable, with healthy staff morale and a multiyear strategic plan already underway. The next phase is expected to focus on sharpening the Chamber’s advocacy, deepening its relationships and reinforcing its standing as the leading business voice in Dover.

The search is therefore not simply for a replacement for Quaranta.

It is a decision about how aggressively the State Chamber will engage in Delaware’s policy debates, how broadly it will represent the state’s changing business community and whether it can continue bringing competing interests together around a common economic agenda.

To Go Box

• What: Search for the next president of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce
• Position: President and chief executive of the statewide business advocacy organization
• Location: Wilmington
• Salary: $240,000 to $260,000 annually
• How to apply: Candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected].
• Additional information: The complete position description is available through Korn Ferry’s executive search website.

Delaware LIVE collaborates with a network of professional journalists to cover a diverse range of stories across various fields.  Staff Writers include experienced journalists and young professionals.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact [email protected] or our publisher, George D. Rotsch, at [email protected]