Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the recent passing of John Luke, chair of the NAM Board of Directors (2005–2006) and member of the NAM Board (2001–2016):

“John Luke was a titan for manufacturers, a pillar in the communities he served and a champion for the people who make things in America.

“As our board chair, John’s passion for the strength and success of manufacturing was matched only by his steady focus on credible and durable solutions. Thoughtful and considerate, he knew how to ask the right questions—and hard questions—of policymakers. Grounded in his credibility, John earned the respect of lawmakers from both parties, business leaders across industries and partners not only in the United States but around the globe—bolstering the NAM’s reach on behalf of the manufacturers powering America’s prosperity.

“That focus on sustainable success, on intentional leadership, on meaningful change defined every step of John’s life and career—in his dedication to his country as an officer in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service; through his decades of leadership at the global packaging giant Smurfit WestRock and its predecessors, MeadWestvaco and Westvaco; and in his service on the boards of major institutions spanning industry, education and public policy, including the American Enterprise Institute, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the commercial property insurance company FM Global and Virginia Commonwealth University, among many others.

“John’s tireless advocacy for our industry and our workforce was rooted in the fact that his family’s story is a manufacturing story.

“In the 1880s, John’s family founded the Piedmont Pulp & Paper Company in Piedmont, West Virginia. That company evolved over the decades to become Westvaco, where John took the helm as CEO and chairman in 1992. Shortly after John joined the NAM Board of Directors in 2001, Westvaco merged with the Mead Paper Company—a company close to my heart, where my grandfather worked in the Chillicothe, Ohio, plant for over 40 years.

“Nearly two decades ago, in an interview at the Wharton School of Business—where he had earned his M.B.A.—John said that ‘It is imperative for all aspiring leaders to determine answers to the critical questions of ‘What change?,’ ‘Why change?’ and ‘How change?’ if meaningful sustainable success is to be achieved from your efforts.’

“In his life, John asked what must change, why and how—and answered each question with conviction. Manufacturing in the United States, the people we hire and the communities we serve are all stronger as a result.

“The NAM today reflects John’s legacy: an institution with a steady focus on sustainable solutions. We send our deepest sympathies to Kathleen and the entire Luke family.”

-NAM- 

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.95 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org. 

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