SAN ANGELO, Texas — The San Angelo Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that Steve Ahlenius has been named as its new president/CEO.
“Steve brings a wealth of experience, a strong track record of leadership, and a forward-thinking vision that aligns perfectly with our Chamber’s goals. His dedication to fostering partnerships and his innovative approach make him an outstanding fit for this role,” Chris Evatt, Chamber board chairman, said. “We are confident that Steve will lead us into an exciting new chapter of growth and opportunity, and we look forward to supporting his initiatives and seeing his impact on our business community."
Ahlenius has an undergraduate history and political science degree from Wayland Baptist University and a master’s degree in public administration from Texas Tech University. He is a certified economic developer (CEcD), recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma.
In 2015, he was awarded the Marvin Hurley Award, the highest honor a chamber executive can receive, from the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives for exemplary leadership and service to the chamber of commerce profession. In 2017, he received the distinguished service award from the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives. He served as TCCE Chairman in 2021.
Ahlenius has led the way in developing 17 different innovation and start-up programs and helped launch more than 200 start-ups. Additionally, he renovated an old church in downtown McAllen into an event center and transformed a 60,000-square-foot space in McAllen, which was an old library, into a creative incubator, tech space and co-working space.
He also established the first-ever food truck park in South Texas and has led numerous business retention and development programs and community development programs throughout his career. Ahlenius led efforts recognized for creating an “eco-system” and a business model for innovation and inclusion for women-led micro-businesses by IEDC.
