Additional Staffing and Restructuring to Advance the Florida Chamber Foundation Mission

The Executive Team at the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Florida Chamber Foundation continues to be strategic and intentional in our efforts to execute our 6-year, $105 million strategic plan. This involves continually keeping a pulse on the best way to approach our goals and aligning the right talent and programs along the way.

With that in mind, today, our Chamber Foundation is announcing the promotion of Kyle Baltuch to Executive Vice President and Rachel Ludwig to Vice President of Talent Development for the Future of Work. We are also adding even more expertise to our research team, with the addition of Dr. Keith Richard as our newly created Vice President of Research. Sheridan Meek, our Senior Research Economist, will work directly with Dr. Richard on our research team, which is already unparalleled in the southeast.

“These updates to our team are a big step in a larger strategy to restructure our Chamber Foundation to ensure adequate focus is given to achieving the 39 goals outlined in the Florida 2030 Blueprint’s Six Pillars Framework. We are excited about what this means for the future of our Foundation and for Florida,” said Don Kiselewski, Executive Director of External Affairs, Florida Power & Light Company, and Florida Chamber Foundation Board of Trustees Chair.

Kyle Baltuch is an economist and previously served as our Chamber Foundation’s Senior Vice President of Equality of Opportunity, focusing on uniting business and philanthropic leaders to improve early learning outcomes and eliminate the barriers to prosperity in Florida’s 983 zip codes.

In addition to maintaining this focus, Kyle will also be leading the charge in:

• Helping to secure Florida’s future by managing the efforts behind achieving all 39 goals of the Florida 2030 Blueprint.
• Coordinating with key stakeholders and partners aiming to grow Florida to a top 10 global economy by 2030.
• Overseeing the Chamber Foundation’s “research into results” approach, including our data tools, research reports, and the day-to-day focus of our team of researchers and economists.

“I am honored that the Florida Chamber Foundation Board of Trustees, Community Development Partners, Executive Team, and professional staff have entrusted me with this opportunity and the leadership of this incredible organization. I look forward to working with our great team to add to the Foundation’s legacy, working intentionally with the business community and our association partners to secure Florida’s future,” said Kyle Baltuch, Executive Vice President of the Florida Chamber Foundation.

Rachel Ludwig is a natural fit for her new role as Vice President of Talent Development for the Future of Work, helping us further amplify our work to secure Florida’s talent from cradle to career.

In addition to continuing to build the Future of Work Florida Initiative, Rachel will now also:

• Oversee our Florida Business Alliance for Early Learning Project’s efforts to ensure 100% of Florida’s kindergarteners are ready for kindergarten and 100% of our 3rd-graders are reading at grade level by 2030.
• Collaborate with our Talent Supply & Education pillar’s goal leaders and stakeholders to keep us on the right track in meeting the Pillar’s six goals.
• Develop and grow the Future of Work Florida’s Center for Workforce & Talent Development, as it works to unite key stakeholders in business, education, and workforce development to focus on talent development, retention, and recruitment from cradle to career. 

“I am honored to serve in this new role, providing additional thought leadership on the solutions to meet our Florida 2030 Blueprint’s six Talent Pillar goals,” said Rachel Ludwig, Florida Chamber Foundation Vice President of Talent Development for the Future of Work. “There is so much power in collaboration, and I am truly excited to expand our collaborative efforts with businesses and educators to ensure our current and future talent is prepared for high-demand career opportunities.”

Dr. Keith Richard brings additional horsepower to our Chamber Foundation with his extensive background in data analytics, research, and workforce development. In his previous role as the Vice Chancellor of Career & Technical Education at the Florida Department of Education, Dr. Richard led efforts to align career and technical education programs with industry needs, helping to ensure Florida’s talent is prepared for the future of work.

As Vice President of Research for the Florida Chamber Foundation, Dr. Richard will:

• Spearhead our research initiatives to broaden the understanding of the Florida 2030 Blueprint goals, collaborating with Chamber Foundation partners to deliver strategic analyses aimed at securing Florida’s future.
• Empower and support our 2030 Goal Leaders in their efforts to advance the 39 goals outlined in the Florida 2030 Blueprint.
• Deliver timely and actionable insights to business, policy, and philanthropic leaders on the dynamics of Florida’s communities, economy, and workforce development pipeline through blogs, editorial pieces, research reports, responding to legislative requests, speaking engagements, and more.

“I am eager to start this next chapter in my career, joining the Florida Chamber Foundation in uniting the business community for good to secure Florida’s future,” said Dr. Keith Richard, Vice President of Research for the Florida Chamber Foundation. “I look forward to engaging directly with Florida leaders to provide insight on the issues impacting our businesses, residents, and economy the most as we continue to chart the path toward achieving our Florida 2030 Blueprint’s mission of growing Florida to a top 10 global economy.”