General

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) announced a sixth wave of staff hires, continuing its ambitious organizational growth to seize manufacturing’s moment and deliver even more results for manufacturers and manufacturing workers in America.

Over the last year, the NAM has added dozens of new staff and committed more resources to its communications and advocacy divisions to bolster the voice of manufacturers in Washington. This latest wave of new hires includes key additions to the policy, communications and membership divisions of the organization.

The collective talent, experience and expertise of the NAM team has never been stronger, and America’s manufacturing workers have an accomplished group of advocates and communicators on their side, said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. Our expanding team achieved significant policy victories over the last year, which has taken manufacturers’ optimism to record highs, according to our Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey. Our latest new hires will help us defend that progress and further advance a robust manufacturing agenda on issues ranging from immigration and infrastructure to trade and workforce development.

New members of the NAM’s communications, policy and membership divisions include:

• Claire Jurkiewicz, Digital Managing Editor. Claire comes to the NAM with 10 years of digital marketing and content experience. In her role, she will serve as the organization’s lead digital strategist, with responsibility for the NAM’s web presence, social media platforms and data and analytics program. Prior to joining the NAM, Claire was a content marketing manager for the National Restaurant Association. Previously, she worked as a senior communications specialist for Moroch Partners, an editor for ClubCorp and a reporter for The Dallas Morning News and AAA.
• Charles Crain, Director of Tax and Domestic Economic Policy. Prior to joining the NAM, Charles was Director of Tax and Financial Services Policy at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).
• Stephanie Hall, Director of Innovation Policy. Prior to joining the NAM, Stephanie was Senior Counsel for the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations for Chairman Rob Portman. She previously served as Counsel to Senator John McCain, advising him on cybersecurity, technology, telecommunications, immigration and homeland security issues.
• Callie Harman, Director of Labor and Employment Policy. Callie comes to the NAM after extensive work on labor and employment issues on Capitol Hill. Prior to the NAM, Callie worked her way through the ranks on the Education and the Workforce Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, most recently as a professional staff member, serving under committee chairs Virginia Foxx and John Kline.
• Jessica McBroom, Director of Trade Facilitation Policy. Jessica comes to the NAM with significant experience in a range of export control, sanctions and related issues. Prior to joining the NAM, Jessica was Vice President and Compliance Manager at JP Morgan Chase & Co. in New York, where she specialized in AML/OFAC risk assessment. She previously served as a senior advisor in the Office of Sanctions and Counter-Threat Finance, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and has experience as a legal and legislative assistant at Utrecht, Kleinfeld, Fiori, Partners.
• Kirk Fordham, Director of Member and Board Relations. Prior to joining the NAM, Kirk spent 18 years working on Capitol Hill and led two non-profit organizations, the Everglades Foundation and Gill Action. Kirk will be based in Pittsburgh and his region will include Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, western Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
• Patrick Smith, Director of Member and Board Relations. Prior to joining the NAM, Patrick was Managing Director at DCI Group for more than a decade. Patrick will be based in Minneapolis and his region will include Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

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The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) 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 more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters 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 Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the announcement that Mike Sommers will become the next President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute (API):

Mike Sommers is absolutely the perfect person to lead the oil and gas industry and the American Petroleum Institute to the next historic chapter. Mike is a highly respected public policy professional and successful association leader, and he has earned the respect of elected officials, business leaders and his colleagues because of his commitment to bipartisanship, solutions and integrity.

As the nation’s largest consumer of energy, manufacturers care deeply about secure, affordable and reliable energy supplies. And those who manufacture energy products are proud of the jobs they create. Mike’s years of experience, including service on Capitol Hill and in the White House, will provide him the vision for the next generation of innovation and job creation in this critical industry.

Having worked with Mike and seen him in action for many years, I appreciate his unwavering commitment to advancing not just the business agenda, but also the values that keep America exceptional—free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity. I look forward to his leadership at API, and manufacturers are thrilled to welcome him as the newest CEO member of the NAM’s Council of Manufacturing Associations.

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The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) 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 more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters 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 Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – BTE Technologies President, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Executive Committee member and Small and Medium Manufacturers (SMM) Group Vice Chair Chuck Wetherington testified on behalf of the NAM at today’s House Small Business Committee hearing on the state of trade for the United States. Wetherington’s testimony called for negotiating and implementing market-opening, high-standard and enforceable trade agreements, restoring the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank to full functionality and improving U.S. market and export promotion assistance.

Any outcomes from the ongoing NAFTA modernization negotiations must sustain and grow higher-paying American jobs and fuel U.S. manufacturing production, exports and competitiveness, Wetherington said in his written testimony. To be successful, a renegotiated NAFTA must also be fully consistent with the substantive Trade Promotion Authority trade-negotiating objectives contained in the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015. At the same time, it is vital to ensure that any renegotiation does not set back U.S. manufacturing or manufacturing jobs. Changes to NAFTA that would increase red tape and complexity, substitute government decision-making for the free market or raise taxes, tariffs, merchandise processing fees and other cost barriers—including with respect to rules of origin or concerning restricted access to foreign procurement markets—will undermine, rather than incentivize, manufacturing in the United States and North America more broadly.

Click here to read Wetherington’s full written testimony.

Wetherington’s testimony at the Small Business Committee comes the same day as NAM Chief Economist Chad Moutray testifies at a Joint Economic Committee hearing on unleashing America’s economic potential and NAM Vice President of International Economic Affairs Linda Dempsey testifies at a Senate Finance Trade subcommittee hearing on market access challenges in China.

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The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) 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 more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters 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 Manufacturers or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.