NRF partners Walmart for 'US Manufacturing Summit'

“This summit is testament to the importance the retail industry plays in America,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

“By leveraging our resources and applying our expertise, we can help re-build American manufacturing, create new jobs and opportunities, and spur economic growth across the country.”

“Domestic sourcing creates good paying careers for American workers who will spend more in our stores, benefiting retailers large and small,” Shay said. “By bringing together retailers, suppliers, manufacturers and key government officials, we can jointly identify areas of opportunity that will help to drive a renewal of American manufacturing. It’s already happening, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

Shay will host a morning discussion with U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt and other executives. Shay will also moderate an afternoon panel, featuring Governors Butch Otter, R-Idaho; Paul LePage; R-Maine.; and Earl Ray Tomblin, D-W.Va., and the CEOs of Chobani, and Hampton Products International. The summit is being hosted by Walmart and NRF.

“The NRF board and our members are pleased to be a partner in this summit,” NRF Chairman Stephen I. Sadove said. “There is no mystery behind the logic and intent of this event. This is a much needed cooperative effort to build a strong, competitive and thriving manufacturing industry sector for the U.S. economy.”

“We applaud Walmart, the suppliers, retailers, government officials and manufacturers for capitalizing on this shared commitment to continued job growth and economic opportunity for the people who live and work in the communities we serve,” Sadove said.

As the world’s largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF represents retailers of all types and sizes, including chain restaurants and industry partners, from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad. Retailers operate more than 3.6 million U.S. establishments that support one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans.

National Retail Federation