Wally Lee, former president of JAX Chamber, died Friday evening. He was 69.
“He was passionate about growing Jacksonville and pushing our city forward. He leaves a lasting impact on our community and our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time,” said JAX Chamber President and CEO Daniel Davis in a statement Saturday morning.
A friend, Debbie Brigman, announced on Lee’s Facebook page July 23 that he had emergency surgery July 21 for a spinal epidermal cyst and then had a blood infection.
Brigman, the wife of Beaver Street Fisheries General Manager Lathun Brigman, posted that Lee died Friday about 6 p.m. from the infection.
Lee is survived by his wife, Alyson Shutts Lee.
Condolences are posted on his Facebook page.
“He was a force to be reckoned with in our business community for many years,” wrote Kimberly Waterhouse, a business development executive with First Coast News.
UNF President and former Mayor John Delaney said Lee was fun to be with as they spent many hours working on Touchdown Jacksonville and other deals.
Touchdown Jacksonville was the group formed to recruit an NFL team to Jacksonville.
"It was a particularly strong chamber during his tenure," said Delaney, who served two terms as mayor from 1995 to 2003.
“A strength was his skill in hiring sharp people. He had a singular focus on job growth and economic development,” Delaney said.
Davis said Lee’s leadership to focus on regional economic development was central to much of the chamber’s success in attracting jobs and investment to the area.
Lee joined the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce in 1989 and announced his retirement as president and CEO in December 2012.
He was succeeded by Davis, a former state representative and City Council member. The organization was rebranded JAX Chamber.
Davis said Lee led the effort to develop what is now JAXUSA Partnership, a seven-county regional economic development organization designed to attract jobs and capital investment to Northeast Florida.
Davis said Lee also helped to develop entrepreneurial programs such as the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center, and he advocated for a thriving Downtown and championed civil rights.
Lee began his chamber career as head of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce in South Carolina. He then served as president of the Spartanburg chamber in South Carolina and the Mobile chamber in Alabama.
His 23 years leading the Jacksonville chamber included the timeframe of the city’s recruitment of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The franchise was announced in 1993 and the team began play in 1995.
Lee is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and Leadership Florida and has served on the boards of HabiJax, the Jacksonville University Public Policy Institute, Edwards Waters College, the Florida State College at Jacksonville Foundation, the University of North Florida Coggin College of Business and many other organizations.
Lee is a fourth-generation graduate of Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, with a bachelor’s degree in history.
He also studied theology at Southeastern Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
After retirement, his endeavors include creating the LeeValent Group with former chamber vice president of operations Anna Valent. Alyson Lee is vice president of client relations.
"Wally's big personality filled the room," Valent said. "He was a loyal friend and amazing mentor. His booming laughter, corny jokes and charismatic presence will be deeply missed,” Valent said Saturday.
LeeValent Group describes itself as an HR enhancement company that provides services for relocating professionals and their families.
Services were not announced.
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