Our friend Chad brought a news item in today's Rochester Post Bulletin, Chamber president to leave, to our attention:
After more than six years on the job, John Wade is stepping down as president of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce.
"It is a good time to move on, hand the keys to a new person and let them take it to a level yet unknown," said Wade this morning before flying to Arizona from the Minneapolis airport for a previously scheduled stay. . .
. . . "I'm looking at a couple different opportunities. And I'm staying in Rochester, though these opportunities may take me out of Rochester from time to time," he said. . . .
. . .While he offered no more detail, Wade said his move is not due to personal or health issues.
With his experience and connections in politics, could this resignation be the first step toward a run for office?
"I'm flattered that many people regularly ask me about running for office. I am honored...I will keep all of my options open as I go forward," he said.
Wade was named as interim and eventually permanent president of the chamber in 2002 after former president Dennis Egan resigned after only seven months on the job. The chamber has more than 1,200 members.
His resume includes serving as a lobbyist for the city of Rochester fighting the Minnesota, Dakota & Eastern Railroad expansion project, and working for two years as chief of staff for former U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht of Rochester.
He also was vice president of Midwest development for Bresnan Communications, staying on with cable TV operator Charter Communications as a government relations executive until early 2001.
Wade is a respected member of the Rochester community and would be a serious contender against Walz, should he decide to go down this path. While his name was suggested as a possible candidate for the 2008 contest, he declined to run, set the stage for the Davis-Demmer-Day battle and Davis's debacle at the polls in November.
At 32.93 percent, Davis drew the lowest percentage of votes by any candidate from either of the two largest parties since the First was redistricted along its present lines. Would Wade have a broader appeal?
At this point, the FEC's web site doesn't list a congresional campaign committee for Wade in its electronic filing database.
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