Departure of a Community Mainstay: Janet Tressler-Davis Honored at City Council
After more than four decades serving business and civic interests in her hometown, Janet Tressler-Davis announced in July 2025 that she would retire from the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce. Her decision, effective October 30, was publicly recognized tonight with a formal proclamation from the Westerville City Council.
Tressler-Davis, a lifelong resident of Westerville and Otterbein University graduate, has been the President and CEO of the Chamber since 1992. Her involvement with the organization started nearly ten years earlier when she volunteered at the Westerville Music & Arts Festival in 1983 and later served as the event's chair in 1988.
Under her leadership, Chamber membership more than doubled, programming grew to 44 annual networking and educational events, and the organization received multiple honors, including the Torch Award for Ethics and Chamber of the Year.
During Tuesday’s Council meeting, city leaders praised Tressler-Davis for her influence and impact on the community.
Mayor Kenneth Wright told her she was the reason he decided to run for City Council. “You are a force to be reckoned with,” he said. “You are a giant among leaders. You are the heart and soul of this community.”
Council member Aaron Glasgow added, “When you go around Westerville, you look around and you realize it would not be the city that it is without you.”
The Council’s resolution commended Tressler-Davis for her “extraordinary contributions to the City of Westerville and the greater community,” citing her professionalism, integrity, and commitment to public service.
Tressler-Davis comes from a family with strong civic roots. Her father was Westerville’s longest-serving mayor, and she carried that legacy of public service into her career. Over the years, she helped guide the Chamber through growth, modernization, and partnerships that strengthened the city’s business environment.
Her July announcement to Chamber members reflected both gratitude and reflection: “This work has never felt like a job. It has felt like purpose.”
The Chamber’s Board of Trustees has named Matt Lofi, the current President and CEO of the Worthington Area Chamber, as her successor. Lofi previously worked for the Westerville Chamber starting in 2012, making his return a full-circle moment for the organization.
As Westerville prepares for this leadership change, the city acknowledges Janet Tressler-Davis’s steadfast leadership, community involvement, and 40-year legacy of service that has helped shape Westerville’s civic and business identity.
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