SEL’s David Whitehead Named to Manufacturers Association Board of Directors
Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers announced that David E. Whitehead, CEO of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, has been named to the NAM Board of Directors. Whitehead will join the NAM Board to bolster the association’s leadership in policy advocacy, workforce solutions, legal action, operational excellence and news and insights. He will help the industry advance an agenda that promotes opportunity and prosperity for all Americans.
Founded in 1895, the NAM, guided by its Board of Directors, is the largest industrial trade association in the United States, with more than 14,000 members. The NAM is the nation’s most influential manufacturing advocate, and its membership includes some of the world’s most iconic brands and many of the small manufacturers that power the U.S. economy. 90% of the NAM’s members are small and medium-sized businesses.
The NAM is a one-stop shop for manufacturers, telling the stories of manufacturers and equipping manufacturers with invaluable resources through our news and insights channels and partnerships with the Manufacturing Leadership Council and The Manufacturing Institute.
The NAM and its members are at the forefront of every important policy debate for manufacturers and have led the nation’s response to COVID-19. Manufacturers are also leading by example with campaigns encouraging Americans to get vaccinated. Executives on the NAM Board, which comprises leaders representing companies of all sizes in every industrial sector, are the driving force behind the NAM’s efforts.
“I am honored to join the NAM Board and excited to expand upon the work we do every day at SEL to invent the future of manufacturing,” said Whitehead. “I am also humbled to represent the more than 5300 employee owners of SEL in this way. I look forward to sharing their stories and experiences to help promote a clearer understanding of the challenges, opportunities and importance of U.S. manufacturing.”
Board members play a key role in the NAM’s “Creators Wanted” campaign, a member-driven initiative to inspire, educate and empower more Americans to pursue careers in modern manufacturing—and to shift perceptions about careers in the industry. The campaign, which supports MI programs for students, women, veterans and other underrepresented communities and features a first-of-its-kind mobile experience and tour, seeks to cut the skills gap by 600,000 workers by 2025 and increase the number of students enrolling in technical schools, vocational schools and apprenticeships by 25%, as well as the number of parents who would encourage their children to pursue a career in modern manufacturing to 50% from 27%.
“Dave is a recognized leader in our industry, and the NAM will be stronger thanks to his service on our Board of Directors,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “Manufacturers are the driving force behind our economic recovery and our fight to defeat COVID-19—with a commitment to getting Americans vaccinated. We are working with lawmakers to ensure they deliver the long-term policy work on issues like infrastructure investment, immigration reform, trade expansion and workforce development. We will also defend the progress we’ve made on tax reform and regulatory certainty to ensure we can keep our promises to invest in our people and communities and build the strongest economy possible. The NAM’s mission is to ensure we always keep moving forward, and Dave will bring invaluable insights as we advocate for the men and women of our industry and advance the values that have made America exceptional and our industry strong—free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.”
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SEL invents designs and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world. This technology prevents blackouts and enables customers to improve power system reliability, safety and cost. SEL, a 100 percent employee-owned company that is headquartered in Pullman, Washington, has manufactured products in the United States since 1984 and now serves customers in 168 countries. SEL provides unmatched technical support, customer service and a 10-year worldwide warranty. For more information about the SEL, please visit www.selinc.com.
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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 more than 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.35 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% 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.