Effective Wednesday, Justin Groenert has joined the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce as vice president, Public Policy.
“Justin brings a wide breadth and depth of public policy experience that will advance the Chattanooga Chamber’s advocacy initiatives. He has led transformative chamber and community policy work and we are excited to welcome him to our innovative team,” said Christy Gillenwater, Chattanooga Chamber president and CEO.
Since July 2018, Mr. Groenert has served as chief of staff for Kelly Mitchell, Indiana State Treasurer. He oversaw office staff and six quasi-governmental organizations and served as legislative director for the Treasurer’s office. Previously he served as Government Relations and Public Policy Director, Southwest Indiana Chamber, where he managed advocacy and lobbying at federal, state and local levels.
He successfully lobbied on multiple projects in the Indiana General Assembly including advocating for:
· a long-term $1.2 billion comprehensive road funding program
· $126 million in state funding for quality of place and economic development efforts,including $42 million for Southwest Indiana
· $44 million in additional funding and programmatic changes for Indiana’s pre-kindergarten pilot program
· $19 million for a downtown Evansville medical education campus, land bank authorization and funding legislation, among other major policies
Mr. Groenert has worked for two Congress members and managed several congressional campaigns.
An Evansville, In. native, Mr. Groenert studied political science and political communications at Western Kentucky University and holds a master’s of public administration from the University of Southern Indiana.