Wally Lee has spent the past 23 years serving as president of the JAX Chamber, but will step down from that role at the end of the month.
He'll serve the chamber in an advisory role through March, when he'll turn 65, while a committee led by former chamber Chair Kelly Madden, North Florida wholesale regional president of Wells Fargo, finds his replacement.
JAXUSA Partnership President Jerry Mallot, who serves as the chamber's second-in-command, will fill Lee's role in the interim.
Lee said his plan to "downsize" his career has been in the works for several years, but it wasn't until he bought a condominium six months ago at Old San Jose that his plan began to gain traction.
About a month ago when they moved in, he and his wife, Alyson, decided the time was right.
"I'm going to be turning 65 in March and that is typically a traditional retirement point in one's life. I want to retire before I don't have good health or energy, so I can do some things," Lee said.
He wasn't ready to say what those plans are, but did say he will remain active in business and the community.
Lee said he does know what his retirement will not be: sleeping in every day, playing cards and not taking on challenges.
Lee joined the chamber as president in 1989 after serving as president of the Mobile, Ala., and Spartanburg, S.C., chambers of commerce. He also spent time at the Greenville, S.C., chamber.
Madden will chair the search committee for his successor with Ed Burr, GreenPointe Holdings president and CEO, serving as vice chair. Lee will not participate in the search.
"It would not be appropriate," he said. "The chamber of commerce doesn't belong to me, it doesn't belong to staff. It belongs to members and the members should be the ones that drive the process."
If asked, he said he would offer advice.
In response to the question of what qualities the chamber's leader should have, Lee said the most important is to be a good listener — to staff, peers and members throughout the community.
The leader should be "someone who can work with people to make a difference in the community," he said.
The JAX Chamber has a $7 million annual budget, about 3,000 members and more than 50 employees and is considered one of the largest local chambers in the country.
Lee said he looks forward to his post-leadership role beginning in April, even with the level of activity he is planning.
"I intend to remain almost as active as I am now, but on my own terms," he said.
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