U.S. Chamber of Commerce Names New Chief

Thomas J. Donohue, president of the American Trucking Assn., was named president of the nation’s biggest business organization and said he hoped to meet soon with his counterpart in labor. Donohue, 58, will assume the top operating post at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 1, succeeding Richard L. Lesher, president since 1975. Lesher announced in February that he would leave to pursue other activities. Donohue is known as an advocate of regulatory reform and an opponent of government mandates and higher taxes on the private sector. Donohue said he hopes to expand the chamber’s financial and membership base. He also said he would like to meet soon with John Sweeney, the head of the AFL-CIO. Donohue also worked in several management positions for the U.S. Postal Service, and at age 28 was vice president of Fairfield University in Connecticut.