US ACC picks Democrat congressman as new boss

09 July 2008 17:05  [Source: ICIS news]

WASHINGTON (ICIS news)--The American Chemistry Council (ACC) on Wednesday named Cal Dooley as its new president, picking the former Democrat congressman to lead the group as the US Congress appears poised for greater Democrat control in 2009.

 

Council board chairman Bob Wood said that Dooley, who served 14 years in the US House and has a strong pro-trade record, “brings a breadth of experience and leadership skills that are critical to the challenges and opportunities we face”.

 

Dooley has been president of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and its predecessor group since 2005. He will replace outgoing ACC president Jack Gerard who is moving to the American Petroleum Institute on 1 September.

 

Before heading the grocery manufacturers’ group, Dooley served seven two-year terms in the House representing the San Joaquin Valley area of California. While in Congress, he helped found the New Democrat Coalition, an organisation of centrist, pro-growth members of the House.

 

The council said that Dooley “was a leader in advancing a pro-trade agenda, fostering new growth and high-tech initiatives”.  Free trade, growth and high-tech approaches to policy issues - such as climate change, site security and energy - are key issues for the council and its some 140 member firms.

 

“He is also committed to grassroots activism and has enhanced political engagement activities among members,” the council said of Dooley. The council is in the third year of a $20m/year activist campaign that focuses in large part on energizing industry employees at local levels to help influence congressional and administration policymaking.

 

As a Democrat in Congress, Dooley also earned strong credibility with Republicans on The Hill and in the Bush administration.  In 2005, President George Bush named Dooley to his advisory committee on trade policy.

 

“Cal’s knowledge of industry, his excellent bipartisan reputation on Capitol Hill, his savvy business sense and his political acumen make him a great choice to lead our association,” Wood said.

 

In US national elections to be held on 4 November, Democrats are widely expected to expand their existing majority positions in both the House and Senate.

 

“As I’ve done in my previous positions, I will approach advocacy with a business perspective and look forward to building broad-based coalitions with industry partners and stakeholders,” Dooley said.

 

Dooley will begin work at the council on 8 September, Wood said.

 

($1 = €.64)

 

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By: Joe Kamalick
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