Mike Micallef Named Fort Worth Chamber Chair
January 29,2026
See full Fort Worth Magazine article by FWTX Staff here.
Mike Micallef, president of Reata Restaurant, has been named chair of the Fort Worth Chamber, leading the organization in 2026 as it sharpens its focus on engagement and advocacy for employers of all sizes and begins development of a new three-year strategic plan to address workforce, talent, and education challenges across the community.
Micallef previously served as vice chair in 2025 and has been involved with the chamber over multiple periods. Reata has been a chamber member since the restaurant opened in Fort Worth in 1996. He said his focus as chair will be on strengthening member engagement and business advocacy across the full business community.
“Running a restaurant keeps you grounded in what it means to be a small business,” Micallef said. “You have to earn trust — and re-earn it every day — one customer at a time. That perspective matters for the Chamber because as important as our largest employers are, our city’s strength also comes from the small businesses that build the day-to-day Fort Worth economy.”
The announcement came as part of the Fort Worth Chamber’s broader release of its 2026 board of directors, which includes executive board officers, a new slate of executive board and at-large members, and committee and area board leadership for the year ahead.
“We’re the advocates for the companies that call Fort Worth home,” said Steve Montgomery, president and CEO of the chamber. “That means being a cheerleader for our community, but it also means rolling up our sleeves and helping solve problems for the employers operating here and now.”
Montgomery said the chamber has launched development of a new three-year strategic plan designed to clarify priorities and align resources around member needs.
“The purpose is to ask ourselves some fundamental questions,” Montgomery said. “What is our value proposition, is it still valid, and what is it we’re doing that resonates with our members? The goal is a clear, member-informed roadmap for how the chamber will focus its work and measure progress over the next three years — and beyond.”
The plan will be developed through a stakeholder-driven research process that includes a member survey, focus groups representing businesses of different sizes and sectors, and one-on-one interviews with key community partners. A midpoint update will be shared at the chamber’s annual meeting on March 25, with the final strategic plan expected to be presented in June 2026.
Montgomery said funding for the planning process is supported by a grant from Sid Richardson Foundation and a contribution from Texas Health Resources.
Location Mentioned: Reata Restaurant