INDA appoints new directors in charge of government relations

17 Jan '09

3 min read

With “change” at the forefront of the new administration about to take office in Washington, D.C., INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, is making some changes of its own, naming Rick Mann and Jessica Franken as the new Directors of Government Relations in our Nation's Capital.

Franken will serve as INDA's Director of Government Affairs working out of the newly established Franken & Associates, LLC offices in Washington, DC. She previously worked with Mayberry & Associates, the association's former government relations' representative.

Rick Mann of Keller & Heckman has been INDA's counsel of record and will take on added duties associated with INDA's Washington program. They will be supported by Adam Bloedorn, also of Keller & Heckman, who will monitor general regulatory and legislative matters.

“With the challenging economic environment and evolving policy agenda, it is vital that INDA's Washington, DC program both represent the nonwoven fabrics industry in legislative and regulatory matters and keep its members informed on issues that impact them,” says INDA President Rory Holmes.

“We will now have three people available to represent INDA and its members in Washington DC. We will draw on Jessica, Rick and Adam's unique talents and backgrounds to provide a well rounded and capable unit.”

Effective this month, Rick Mann and Jessica Franken will focus their efforts on three key areas:
* Informing INDA members of important regulatory and legislative developments that specifically impact their businesses. This will include the publication of a bi-weekly newsletter to keep member companies abreast of policy issues that affect them.
* Responding to member inquires regarding regulatory or legislative issues. In this effort, Franken & Associates will serve as the information resource on all policy issues and liaise with the members' elected officials.
* Advocating the interests of the industry before regulatory and legislative bodies in Washington. This will entail continuing education on Capitol Hill to keep government officials and their staffs informed of our industry and the role it plays.

“We are not immune to the challenges impacting the rest of the nation, but there are also countless opportunities in the days moving forward. As an association, INDA will need to choose its policy priorities carefully, and focus attention where member companies have a unique interest and where we can make a difference,” says Jessica Franken. “Franken & Associates looks forward to representing the policy perspective of INDA and its member companies during these transformational times.”

“The INDA membership cuts across a broad spectrum of industries in the United States and globally,” says Rick Mann. “We're excited about the opportunity to assist this unique group of companies understand and work with the complexities of a changing government.”

Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry

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