For nearly three decades, Spring Valley resident Earle Chico Horton has balanced three passions: business, real estate and public service. A Cleveland native who came to Washington in 1994 to attend Howard University School of Law from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, he has built a distinguished legal career while becoming one of the city's leading voices for economic development and small business growth.

Since moving to Spring Valley in 2006, Chico has seen Washington evolve through economic booms, housing shortages, and changing political priorities. During undergrad, he interned with Congressman Lewis Stokes and in 1996, volunteered with the Clinton/Gore campaign. Today, as chair of the board of the DC Chamber of Commerce, founding partner of the nationally-recognized law firm Tiber Hudson LLC, and managing partner of luxury condo development company Blue Sky Housing, he finds himself at the center of many of the conversations shaping the city's future.

Professionally, his areas of expertise are in finance, real estate and energy, including the financing of apartment and condominium projects, office buildings, hotels, retail, mixed use projects, and energy projects. This summer, he and a partner are opening Hazel's True Value Hardware Store at The Parks at Walter Reed Buidling 12, a building they purchased last year. The 10,000-square-foot, owner-operated store is named after General Hazel Johnson-Brown, the first African American female general in the U.S. Army.

Opening the hardware store "brings home the entrepreneurial side of what I do," he says. "I've worked with businesses of every size, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, and now I have decided to take the plunge again and start another business, this time in the retail area.”

That entrepreneurial drive, he says, is rooted in something even more important: family. He says how fortunate he is to have deep roots in Cleveland, where much of his family still resides, including his parents, brother, and nephews. Their unwavering support and encouragement have been a constant source of strength throughout his life.

He has also been blessed with an extraordinary family of his own. His beautiful wife of 25 years, Karen Adams Horton, is a distinguished financial services marketing and branding executive who currently leads Global Marketing and Partnerships for the Institute of International Finance (IIF). Together, they have raised two remarkable children whose accomplishments continue to be a source of pride and inspiration.

Raised in Spring Valley, both daughter Sahara, and son Earle attended Beauvoir. Sahara continued her education at the National Cathedral School, while Earle attended St. Albans School. Sahara graduated from Spelman College and is pursuing a career in dentistry and oral surgery. She currently works at a DC hospital, gaining valuable experience as she prepares for the next stage of her professional journey. Earle recently graduated from Morehouse College and will begin his career as an investment banking analyst in New York City. The Horton family’s dedication to education, professional achievement, and service to others reflects the values that guide them. Their love, resilience, and accomplishments inspire him every day and motivate him to approach each new challenge with purpose, determination, and gratitude.

As chair of the board of the DC Chamber of Commerce, Chico oversees an organization that serves businesses ranging from major corporations such as Verizon, Comcast, Bank of America and Amazon to neighborhood restaurants, retailers, technology startups and professional practices. The Chamber's work includes business advocacy, business development, educational seminars, mentoring programs, networking opportunities, procurement guidance and workshops on topics such as State of the District’s Economy, Small Business Administration loans, Energy Finance, etc. The organization also helps connect businesses with potential employees, local universities and workforce resources.

In partnership with the DC Chamber's President and CEO, the group has added more than 300 new members in the past 18 months. He believes small businesses remain the backbone of Washington's economy but says they face growing challenges, from rising costs to regulatory hurdles.

"Most businesses in D.C. are small businesses. We need to make sure we're creating an environment where they can thrive,” he says.

Looking ahead, Chico sees both challenges and opportunities for Washington.

Among his chief concerns is the city's housing market. Through his legal practice, he works on multifamily housing developments and adaptive reuse projects that convert vacant office buildings into residential communities. One recent project involved what he describes as the largest Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing transaction in U.S. history, helping transform two office buildings near Connecticut Avenue into hundreds of residential units.

He believes such projects will play an important role in addressing Washington's housing needs while breathing new life into underused commercial properties.

At the same time, he believes that attracting investment and encouraging development will require policies that make the city more competitive. "We have to create an environment where people want to bring their business to DC," he says. "That means finding the right balance between supporting residents and encouraging economic growth."

He notes that Virginia has attracted the bulk of technology, financial services, and insurance services in part because of their business-friendly laws. “At a time when business is more portable than ever, there are fewer reasons for businesses to set up shop in DC,” he says. 

“We want to make sure we have great social services, no one's against that, but we just can't have the number one most innovative social service programs in the country without the money to pay for them. So we have to make sure that we have an environment that we can generate revenue through the business community, and that's done by making sure we can attract and grow business.”

Despite current challenges, he remains optimistic. "There are people working hard to generate business activity, create jobs and move the city in the right direction. If we can continue attracting investment and supporting our business community, DC has tremendous potential."

For Spring Valley residents, Chico message is that engagement matters. Whether through civic organizations, local businesses, or community leadership, he believes residents can help shape the city's future. He also encourages business owners to become involved with organizations such as the DC Chamber of Commerce, where businesses large and small work together to address common challenges.

"It's an honor and a privilege to serve," he says. "At the Chamber, we're all under one tent trying to make sure D.C. remains a great place to live, work, and do business."