ST. LOUIS — Ron Kitchens, who grew up in rural Missouri and has spent decades working in economic development around the country, will take the helm as the next director of the region's main business lobby, Greater St. Louis Inc., the organization announced Thursday.

Kitchens, 62, spent the last three years as CEO of the Chamber of Commerce in Wichita Falls, Texas, a city of about 100,000 people 100 miles northwest of Dallas. Before that he spent two years leading a similar organization in Birmingham, Alabama, and 15 years leading Southwest Michigan First, an economic development agency based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He also has operated an economic development consulting business, run training companies, and authored books on leadership.

He is a graduate of Missouri State University in S

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