Former American Trucking Associations CEO and President Thomas J. Donohue, hailed as “a powerful voice for all businesses, employers and their employees,” died Monday. He was 86 years old.
Donohue served as the ATA leader from 1984 through 1997, when he left the role for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Donohue was remembered for his role as a passionate advocate for business and an esteemed mentor.
“Tom was a powerful voice for all businesses, employers and their employees,” ATA President and CEO Chris Spear said in a statement.
“His time as President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations cemented his unyielding commitment to our industry. He was a persuasive leader, a personal mentor to me and a dear friend. Tom leaves the world better than when he entered it.”
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced Donohue’s death on Monday.
Donohue joined the Chamber in 1997 as leader of the organization, a role he held until his retirement in 2021. He was credited with transforming the world’s largest business organization.
“It is no exaggeration to say he resurrected the Chamber, taking the institution from good to great and from productive to powerful — and standing up for business from the nation’s capital to every corner of the globe,” the Chamber said.
Donohue was born in New York City and received his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University in Queens and his master’s from Adelphi University on Long Island.
He served on boards for the Chamber, the Hudson Institute, the Center for International Private Enterprise and Marymount University, the Chamber said. He previously worked as the deputy assistant postmaster general of the United States and vice president of development at Fairfield University in Connecticut.
“Tom Donohue did more than change this world for the better,” Jay Timmons, National Association of Manufacturers president and CEO, said in a statement. “Today, there are millions of Americans who enjoy meaningful employment and economic security because of the work that Tom undertook, most notably during his storied leadership of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.”