Ike McLeese, longtime Chamber chief, dead at 69

I ran into Bobby Hitt this morning. I had last seen him at Lee Bandy’s funeral Saturday.

I asked Bobby how he was doing, and he said he hesitated to say for sure. After all, about five people he knew had died in the last week or so. We then chatted a bit about Steve Morrison, that having been the latest shock at the time we spoke.

Now, there’s another:

Ike McLeese, the President & CEO of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, passed away Tuesday.

McLeese led the Chamber for 19 years. He announced earlier this month that he would step down from his duties as CEO at the end of this year.

McLeese suffered a heart attack in September. When he announced plans to retire, McLeese said he would still work with military installations in the Midlands to help them through any future base realignment processes.

Many in the Midlands know McLeese for his leadership helping Midlands military bases avoid cuts in the 2005 rounds of base closings….

There was so much more that Ike led the way on — most recently last year’s penny tax referendum for transportation, and the current campaign for a strong-mayor system for Columbia.

Ike was everywhere, leading on everything, for almost two decades. We already knew we were losing that leadership, but we didn’t know we’d lose him, personally, so soon after the announcement of his retirement.

My greatest sympathy goes to his wife, Sue, and all his many friends.

3 thoughts on “Ike McLeese, longtime Chamber chief, dead at 69”

  1. Brad Warthen Post author

    People in business and political leadership in the community are sort of reeling at all of this. Everywhere I go, these three deaths are what is being talked about.

    I had a meeting today with John Durst, former head of PRT and current head of the SC Restaurant and Lodging Association (formerly the SC Hospitality Association; John is Tom Sponseller’s successor), who was one of Ike’s closest friends since their school days. While I was talking with John, a reporter for WACHFox was waiting to interview me — they’re doing a story about the triple whammy of losing Bandy, Morrison and McLeese — about Bandy. I hope I did him justice in the interview…

  3. Kathryn Fenner

    And Robert Pruzin, longtime French horn player with the SCPhil and member of the School pf Musoc faculty….

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