Joseph Henning will leave the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce in May after about 14 years as president and chief executive officer.
He is taking a similar job with the Henry County Chamber of Commerce in Georgia. Henning was recruited for the job. He will replace a former CEO who retired.
“It was a great offer, and the winters are getting harder and harder,” the 52-year-old Henning said this week.
He said the Henry County organization is a little bigger than Aurora’s, but that the proximity of Henry County to Atlanta is similar to Aurora’s proximity to Chicago.
He said he feels he is leaving the Aurora Chamber in a solid position.
“It’s a great organization, five-star,” he said.
In fact, officials in Georgia cited Henning’s leadership in Aurora as a reason he was chosen for the Henry County position. They pointed out that the Aurora Regional Chamber got a five-star accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the highest award in the industry, in 2012 and 2017.
Henning also was chairman of the National Board of Trustees for the U.S. Chamber Institute for Organization Management in 2016-17 and continues as an instructor for classes throughout the country.
Henning said he will stay on through May 24, and is likely to be replaced by an interim leader. That would give chamber officials about three or four months to search for a permanent replacement.
Before taking the chamber job, Henning worked as a public relations associate for the Paramount Arts Centre. He left the city for a while to work for the not-for-profit Summit School Inc. in Elgin, where he served as chief development officer.
Henning said while he looks forward to the new job and the warmer climate, it will be tough “to leave friends here in Aurora.”