AACCNJ’s John E. Harmon, Sr. Appointed to US Chamber Board of Directors

On Nov 17, 2020

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has appointed John E. Harmon, Sr., IOM, founder, president, and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) to its board of directors. AACCNJ is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African American communities and businesses throughout New Jersey.

“The AACCNJ team is excited about deepening our engagement with the U.S. Chamber,” said Harmon. “The key to creating opportunity and inclusive growth across the country is to increase the dialogue between the communities we serve, the federal government, and other stakeholders. The U.S. Chamber has a unique and critically important role in that dialogue as the voice for a unified, diverse American business community.”

Before his roles at the AACCNJ, Harmon served as president and CEO of the Metropolitan Trenton African American Chamber of Commerce. Under his guidance, MTAACC grew its membership substantially, forged alliances with business associations and government, and created strategic partnerships in the public and private sectors to benefit African American businesses throughout New Jersey. ​Harmon is also the former board chair for the National Black Chamber of Commerce, which has 150 affiliate chapters and over 15 international affiliates. He is also founder and chair of the New York State Black Chamber of Commerce.

Harmon was appointed to the U.S. Chamber’s Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, a group of the leading chamber executives from around the country. He also serves on the Steering Committee of the U.S. Chamber’s Equality of Opportunity Initiative, dedicated to addressing racial equity gaps in critical areas including education, employment, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice.

“His strong leadership and support of African American businesses will add to the Chamber’s work to promote the role of business and free enterprise. Policy solutions can bridge existing opportunity gaps and ensure that Black Americans and people of color have greater opportunities to succeed,” said Tom Donohue, CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Harmon holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Fairleigh Dickinson University and is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management, a four-year professional development program for association, chamber, and other nonprofit executives. Mr. Harmon also successfully completed a one-year Fellowship on Regionalism and Sustainability sponsored by The Ford Foundation and completed the Minority Business Management Seminar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in 2009.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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