Tucson Metro Chamber Names Amber Smith
New President and CEO

Tucson, AZ (January 23, 2018) – The Tucson Metro Chamber Board of Directors is pleased to announce that it has selected Amber Smith to be its new president and CEO succeeding Michael Varney, who is retiring after serving nearly seven years.  She will begin her duties on February 1.

Amber Smith has served as the CEO of the Metropolitan Pima Alliance (MPA), an association that works to create a prosperous community by promoting collaborative real estate development policies, building partnerships and finding common ground since 2009.

“The Tucson Metro Chamber Board of Directors unanimously supported Amber as our next president and CEO due to her track record at MPA and the depth of her relationships in our community.  We trust that Amber will continue the growth of the Chamber’s impact and influence as an organization that promotes economic expansion and job creation in Southern Arizona,” states 2017-18 Chairman Larry Lucero of Tucson Electric Power.  “In 2017 the U.S. Chamber bestowed five-star accreditation on the Chamber, making it one of the top one percent of chambers of commerce nationally.  That’s a great foundation for Amber to work from.”

“I am excited to build on Mike Varney’s strong foundation and team with the Tucson Metro Chamber’s stellar staff. The Chamber will continue advocating for the region’s businesses of all sizes while advancing workforce development, talent attraction and the infrastructure needs of our community,” said incoming President and CEO Amber Smith.

“I have worked with Amber on some local business and community initiatives for several years and have seen the influence and leadership that she can bring to an issue.  She has great talent in finding common ground when diverse groups come together in problem-solving situations,” says outgoing President and CEO Mike Varney.  “The Chamber will be in very good hands with Amber as its next leader.”

About the Tucson Metro Chamber

The mission of the Tucson Metro Chamber is to lead and advocate for a successful community.  The Chamber is an investor-based business advocacy and economic expansion organization that represents more than 1,500 businesses, employing more than 160,000 employees in the greater Tucson area.

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