SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch died Thursday at the age of 57.

Maisch joined the Chamber in 1994 and served as President and CEO of the Chamber since 2014, according to his biography on the Chamber’s website.

According to an online obituary for him, Maisch was a Champaign native and lived in Springfield. He attended both University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for his bachelor’s degree and Illinois State University for his MBA.

Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued a statement, sending his sympathies to his family and friends.

“Todd Maisch was a statehouse fixture and synonymous with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce,” Harmon said. “A fierce defender of and astute negotiator for the business community, Todd was also a genuinely likable person who could find the path forward among adversaries.”

Some government officials appreciated his work in finding bipartisanship in legislation affecting businesses.

“He worked so hard to find bipartisan approaches to grow Illinois businesses,” Susana Mendoza, the Democratic Illinois comptroller, said Thursday. “He understood we are all in this together. I treasure the time I spent with him, listening to him, speaking to his board.”

“Todd Maisch was a champion for the business community in Illinois and will be deeply missed,” Illinois Republican Party chair Don Tracy said. “He devoted his career working to building up small businesses, enact sound policy that energized local communities, and reduce the undue burdens that Illinois businesses and employers face.”

Maisch is survived by his wife and his two sons.