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For 25 years, Bob Quick has been Lexington's go-to guy for business blueprints. Now he's stepping away

Commerce Lexington

Longtime Commerce Lexington President and CEO Bob Quick has announced he plans to retire July 31.

Quick took over the top post at the then-Greater Lexington Chamber of Commerce in 2001, guided it through a merger of three organizations that would become Commerce Lexington, and has since overseen countless economic development efforts.

During a month of last year's 250Lex celebration focused on business, Quick told WUKY it's been an honor to be instrumental in keeping a tradition alive.

"We do a lot of different things. To me, it's one of the richest opportunities of a lifetime and especially to be in Lexington Kentucky, one of the most revered communities," he said.

And it's a community Quick said has thrived in part because of an ability to adapt to an ever-changing landscape, balancing the need to foster signature industries with modern demands created by new pressures, such as the current housing crunch or emerging technologies.

Hear more about the deep roots of Lexington's chamber of commerce

"The chamber has always played a huge role in the business community. It knows that we can make the quality of life better," Quick said. "But we've got to keep evolving."

Under Quick's leadership, Commerce Lexington has launched programs ranging from the nine-county Regional Competitiveness Initiative to Greater Lexington’s Washington D.C. Fly-In.

The chamber is set to announce details regarding a national search for Quick's replacement in the coming weeks.