Keith Lake, Vice President, Government Affairs
Keith Lake is the veteran member of our government affairs team. After working in Washington D.C. including serving in the George H.W. Bush White House, Keith started at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce in 1998 as our assistant director of what was then called our P.a.C.E. program – Political and Candidate Education. He then was named the director of that program before stepping away for several years to work for one of our member companies. He returned to us in 2012 to head-up our government affairs team while also specializing in health care policy.
Keith is our in-house Cincinnati Reds and University of Illinois fan. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He and his wife, Julie, live in Westerville with their three teenaged daughters Elizabeth, Jenna and Mary and their seven month year old foster daughter.
Get to know Keith in the third installment of our Employee Spotlight.
10 Random Questions for Keith
- Where did you grow up? Rockford, Illinois, a blue-collar city in northern Illinois and the hometown of 2016 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Cheap Trick!
- Favorite part of your current job? The constant variety of interesting issues that impact Ohio employers.
- What do you do when you are not working? Most of my spare time is spent supporting my daughters at their sporting events or school activities, taking care of my foster daughter, and keeping in shape by lifting weights.
- What is your favorite quote? I have many, so it’s difficult to call just one my favorite. One of them, though, is from former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, who said, “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” And, since former college football coach Lou Holtz is the Ohio Chamber’s featured Annual Meeting speaker this year, I also have a favorite from him: “Don’t be surprised when all is said and done, if more is said than done.”
- What do you think has been the most significant change in society during your lifetime? The decline of the traditional family.
- What (2) books do you consider a MUST READ for everyone? The Bible and Washington: The Indispensable Man, by James Thomas Flexner
- Where is your favorite place to dine out? Ringside Cafe
- Name (3) of your favorite sports teams. Cincinnati Reds, University of Illinois Fighting Illini basketball & football. Whatever teams my daughters are currently playing on.
- Career Highlight? Perhaps it’s yet to come, but so far it’s probably getting the opportunity to meet Pres. Bush 41 in the Oval Office. (There’s more to this story, including a photo – ask me about it sometime!)
- Are you afraid of anything? I’m afraid of having any of my children not turn out to be self-sufficient, productive members of society.
