Richard C.D. Fleming is leaving his post as Regional Chamber and Growth Association president and CEO in the near future.
Most people know him as Dick Fleming, but for those of us who worked at the RCGA (then known as the Regional Commerce and Growth Association) you knew his official "real" name.
After years of working with the Gannett newspaper chain throughout America, I returned to St. Louis in early 1995. In search of a job, I got a tip that the new president of the RCGA was looking for an assistant. I'm as non-corporate as it gets, but when a guy needs a job in a new place he isn't picky.
Dick hired me. I was assistant to the president of one of St. Louis' leading organizations. I still giggle at that notion.
I hadn't worked for the RCGA for two months before I knew it wouldn't be a long relationship. It wasn't Fleming's fault. He has his detractors and some of his actions led to deserved criticism, such as hiring a psychic as a consultant. And people complained about his salary and his abundant willingness to appear on television, especially early in his tenure. But I'll always give Fleming credit for a couple of things.
I knew I would not like the RCGA gig because it didn't take long for me to figure out that I wasn't working for the betterment of the St. Louis region. No, instead I was working for the betterment of some of the St. Louis region's top civic and business leaders. In turn, THEY made St. Louis better.
I think Dick learned this lesson early in his time here, and he made the best of it. He reportedly made more than $600,000 last year. I ran like hell from RCGA. Fleming cashed in.
I also give Fleming credit for realizing that St. Louis really is a great place to raise your kids. I had no children when I arrived back in St. Louis. Now I have two young daughters. Fleming had two daughters when he arrived in 1994 and he watched them grow from little girls to young women. I'm sure he could have left for smoother waters and just as many dollars. Yet he stayed.
I doubt St. Louis will miss Fleming. But I do think he'll miss it.
