MANUFACTURING
AAFA Chief Stepping Down After More Than One Year on the Job
The American Apparel & Footwear Association is looking for a new president and chief executive to take over for Juanita Duggan, who is leaving.
Duggan, who came on board in the summer of 2014, is leaving after being named the new president and chief executive of theNational Federation of Independent Business, a position she will assume in February.
The AAFA hired Duggan after a long and extensive executive search following the departure of Kevin Burke in January 2014. He headed the AAFA for nearly 13 years.
Duggan, who has a long history as a lobbyist, was brought on board as AAFA’s president and CEO on July 1, 2014. Previously, she had worked for three years as the policy director at Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Shreck, the fourth-ranked lobbying firm in Washington, representing a diverse set of clients, including the retail sector.
Prior to working for the lobbying firm, Duggan was president and CEO of Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America from 1998 to 2006.
During her time at the AAFA, she oversaw the selection and design of a new office in Washington, D.C., near the Capitol, to replace the trade organization’s offices in Arlington, Va.
“When we brought Juanita on, we knew that she was a dynamic leader with deep Washington insight, which is why we selected her to chart a new course for AAFA, and that’s what she has done,” said Rick Helfenbein, the AAFA’s chairman. “Under her leadership, we have garnered important legislative wins in trade, raised the profile of the organization and put a new architecture in place that sets AAFA up for future success.”
The AAFA is a trade group that represents more than 1,000 clothing and footwear brands.
