Rick C. Wade is Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Outreach at the United States Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business organization which represents the interests of over 3 million companies. The Chamber's network includes over 2,000 state and local Chambers of Commerce, American Chambers of Commerce in 130 countries, and various trade associations to include the Motion Picture Association, Recording Industry Association of America, and the Entertainment Software Association. Wade provides counsel on policy issues and develops initiatives to help the business community expand its impact across diverse audiences, to include the sports and entertainment communities. He leads the Chamber's Equality of Opportunity Initiative to help close opportunity gaps in America and works closely with the Advance with Africa program to strengthen business relationships across the Diaspora.
Before joining the Chamber, Wade was President & CEO of The Wade Group, a communications and global business development firm. Previously, he was Senior Adviser and National Director of African American Vote for the 2008 Obama for America campaign where he developed the innovative barbershop outreach program and served as a liaison to athletes and entertainers. During the Obama Administration, he was Senior Adviser and Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and worked closely with Commerce's Economic Development Administration to foster regional economic development in distressed areas, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on expanding broadband to rural and urban America, and the Minority Business Development Agency to create jobs through the growth of minority-owned enterprises. He was a member of the White House Task Forces on Puerto Rico, Small Business Contracting, Automobile Recovery, Military Families, and Historically Black Colleges & Universities. He also served on the lnteragency Business Council and Vice President Joe Biden's Task Force on Middle Class America. He was instrumental in expanding opportunities for U.S. companies to sell their products in the global market. He represented the U.S. at international trade forums including the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation, African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum, and Conference on the Caribbean and Central America. He served as Special Envoy to the Caribbean, oversaw private sector initiatives in Haiti following the 2012 devastating earthquake, and led trade missions around the world.
A former executive at Hoffman-La Roche and Blue Cross Blue Shield, Wade was a member of the Democratic National Committee, Chief of Staff for S.C. Lt. Governor Nick Theodore, and member of the Cabinet of S.C. Governor Jim Hodges. He was a Research Analyst for the S.C. House Ways & Means Committee and Director of State Government & Community Relations at the University of South Carolina. Wade received his B.S. from the University of South Carolina and M.P.A. from Harvard University where he was a John F. Kennedy Fellow. He has served on the boards of the Columbia Urban League and Wilberforce University. He currently serves as a director at USA Track & Field, National Forest Foundation, and Urban Alliance. Wade was awarded honorary doctorates from Benedict College and S.C. State University and has received numerous awards for exemplary leadership and public service.
September 18 – Rick C. Wade
- Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances & Outreach, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Session Title: Building Bridges: Economic Power, Civic Engagement, and Inclusive Growth