Jim Neill joined IFRA North America’s staff as vice president, government affairs.
Neill has more than 18 years of experience in executing government affairs initiatives in support of the retail and manufacturing sectors in addition to his years of government service. As vice president, government affairs, Neill will lead IFRANA’s state, federal, and Canadian legislative and regulatory programs and will assist in building strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including customer industries and NGO communities.
Neill most recently served as vice president, product safety for the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), where he led federal legislative and regulatory government affairs activities surrounding all aspects of consumer product safety. RILA’s partnership with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to develop a factory manufacturing audit program featuring a harmonized set of global retail requirements to ensure consistency in factory assessments and eliminate redundant costs.
Prior to joining RILA, Neill was assistant vice president of corporate relations for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). In this role, he led the manufacturers and retailers of the NAM CPSC Coalition during the high-profile consumer product recalls of 2007-2008.
Neill also served as director and then senior director and Senate lobbyist, the main contact with the U.S. Senate leadership, staff, and relevant Committee Members. His government and political experience includes serving in key leadership roles on the GOP platform committee in 2000 and 2004 for the Republican National Convention. He also served as Senate Liaison for then Governor Tommy Thompson (R), helping to navigate his nomination and confirmation to Secretary of Health and Human Services in 2000.
In addition, he was on senior staff for Senator Bill Frist’s (R-TN) Chairmanship of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2002 election cycle. Neill arrived in Washington from Michigan in 1995, working on Capitol Hill for Senator Spence Abraham (R-MI) until 2000.
