Webinar | 2025 Regulatory and Trade Update & Advocacy Days Discussion

Webinar | 2025 Regulatory and Trade Update & Advocacy Days Discussion

Virtual
January 29, 2025 1-2 pm EST

Member Pricing: Free

Non-Member Pricing: $39

From PFAS to tariffs to defense spending, there are plenty of trade and regulatory challenges facing the textile industry. The best way for textile companies to affect those issues is to participate in ATA’s advocacy efforts.

Sara Beatty and Auggie Tantillo serve as government relations consultants to USINFI. Sara and Auggie will discuss the top issues facing the industry, provide an overview of the format and objectives related to this year’s Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C., and take your questions.

Advocacy Days, March 4-5, are designed to allow USINFI members to interact directly with federal government officials and congressional members and staff that represent their domestic production facilities. In addition, meetings with relevant congressional committees are routinely arranged.

Organizer:

Tara Houston

tara.houston@textiles.org

Event Speakers

Augie Tantillo

Auggie Tantillo, SRG & Associates

Augustine "Auggie" Tantillo has worked within the federal policy arena for over forty years. He currently serves as President of SRG & Associates, a federal government affairs consulting firm he originally founded in 1993.

Over his career he has represented the domestic textile sector in Washington, D.C. in various capacities, including as President & CEO of the National Council of Textile Organizations, and Executive Director of the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition. Mr. Tantillo was appointed by President George H. W. Bush in 1989 to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles, Apparel and Consumer Goods. Prior to that appointment, he served as Chief-of-Staff to United States Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

Sara Beatty

Sara Beatty, USINFI Consultant

Sara Beatty has worked in government relations since 2003 advocating on behalf of U.S. manufacturers and the domestic textile industry specifically. In 2013, she formed Whitehaven Trade Advisors, which provides government affairs consulting services and trade analysis to U.S. manufacturers and associations. Sara represents the United States Industrial and Narrow Fabrics Institute, a division of the Advanced Textiles Association, and the National Council of Textile Organizations. She also serves on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Textiles and Clothing administered by the Commerce Department and United States Trade Representative. A native of Monroe, NC, Sara graduated with a B.A. degree in English and Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mark Harries

Mark Harries, President of Bally Ribbon Mills

Mark Harries is the President of Bally Ribbon Mills, a company with over 100 years of experience in designing and manufacturing specialized woven webbing, tapes, and fabrics. With 21 years at the company, Mark oversees its strategic direction and manages its growth. He focuses on ensuring Bally Ribbon Mills delivers high-quality, custom-engineered textile solutions to meet the needs of its customers. Under his leadership, the company continues to expand its capabilities and serve critical industries like aerospace and medical. He is committed to ensuring the company adapts to changing industry demands while staying true to its core values.