Recognizing Good Works
On October 13, I received a personal phone call from Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, thanking the AAFA and its membership for its tremendous generosity towards the hurricane victims in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
October 2005 article

You’ve Just Passed CAFTA-DR. What Are You Going To Do Now?
This past week, I had the privilege of addressing the attendees of a trade show/forum in Honduras called El Foro. The purpose of El Foro was for members of the apparel and textile industries to discuss ongoing opportunities in Honduras and the rest of Central America in the post CAFTA-DR world.
August 2005 article

One Final Push
I have devoted a considerable amount of time on this column talking about the urgent need for the U.S. Congress to pass CAFTA-DR. We have talked about the benefits of CAFTA-DR to the future of the U.S textile industry, to the U.S. apparel companies who source in Central America and to the Central American region in its entirety.
June 2005 article

State of the U.S. Apparel & Footwear Industry
I was honored to speak on behalf of the U.S. apparel and footwear industries at the World Footwear Congress in Brussels, Belgium on April 14, 2005. I share with you highlights of that presentation.
April 2005 article

CAFTA - The Time Is Now!
2005 is the year that the U.S. Congress will approve the Dominican Republic/Central America Free Trade Agreement. You might ask, “How does the President of the AAFA know that DR/CAFTA will pass in 2005? In all honesty, I don’t know for certain but I can feel it in my bones! The stars are beginning to align but the real hard work is about to begin. March 2005 article

ClothesPAC - An Essential Tool For AAFA Members
For a politically active trade association like the AAFA, there are three essential tools. Stong lobbying presence on Capitol Hill, strong grassroots support among the members of the association and a strong and vibrant political action committee, otherwise known as a PAC.
January 2005 article