CITIZENS TRADE CAMPAIGN HIRES NEW DIRECTOR
Andy Gussert to Oversee Operations at
National Trade Advocacy Organization
Washington D.C. - Today, the Executive Committee of Citizen Trade Campaign
(CTC) announced the appointment of Andy Gussert as their new National
Director. In this role, Gussert will work with a coalition of
environmental, labor, consumer, family farm, and religious groups to
advocate for fairer trade agreements that benefit a majority of the world's
people. Gussert most recently served as President and C.E.O. of a state
labor federation, and before that as Director of the Wisconsin Fair Trade
Coalition.
"The diverse experience Andy brings to this issue will help CTC in our fight
for a new trade model as we head into an election year," said Yvette Pena
Lopes, Legislative Representative for the Teamsters Union. "We've all had
enough of the recycled NAFTA-CAFTA model, and we look forward to pushing for
new globalization policies that will benefit all workers and their
families."
"It is terrific to have the strong new leadership Andy Gussert brings to the
Citizens Trade Campaign," said Brent Blackwelder, President of Friends of
the Earth. "Andy knows that trade agreements since NAFTA have exacerbated
environmental problems and social justice issues instead of solving them,
and he is ready to confront this challenge." In 2001-03, Gussert served as
Director for the State Environmental Resource Center, a national
clearinghouse for model environmental legislation.
"We are excited to have somebody with Andy's broad background and focused
commitment to fair trade leading Citizens Trade Campaign," said Holly Hart,
Legislative Director for the United Steelworkers. "Andy understands we need
to broaden the debate on trade and enact trade policies that reverse the
decline in domestic manufacturing, that address the skyrocketing trade
deficit and promote a high and rising standard of living for working
Americans."
"Gussert's fifteen years of advocacy work will help spotlight trade as key
campaign issue in the 2008 presidential and congressional elections," said
Amy Isaacs, National Director of Americans for Democratic Action (ADA). In
2004, Gussert worked with ADA to start the group Stop Outsourcing Wisconsin
to highlight the problems of job loss during the presidential campaign
cycle. "His remarkable skills displayed both then and since then prove he
will be a true asset to the Citizens Trade Campaign. We look forward to his
leadership," added Isaacs.
"Trade exists to help people, not the other way around," added Andy Gussert.
"People understand international trade is not an end in itself, but can
provide a means for achieving other societal goals such as economic justice,
worker rights, healthy communities, and a sound environment. We just need
more members of Congress to listen."
Gussert has a wide range of government experience, working in politics,
elections and advocacy for 17 years, starting with service to Senator Paul
Simon in 1990. A veteran of two dozen campaigns spanning 15 years, Gussert
wrote Pollie Award winning television ads, directed statewide political
campaigns and field operations, and has worked with media on a myriad of
progressive topics.
"No other issue will have a greater impact on whether people in your
community will have a job in 2016," added Gussert. "Trade is the single most
important policy for determining the future economic positioning of our
country, and I'm honored that Citizens Trade Campaign is giving me the
opportunity to work with their movement at this critical time."
About Citizen Trade Campaign (CTC)
On a national level, CTC spearheads lobbying efforts in support of just
trade policy. Coordinating efforts of member organizations and allies on
Capitol Hill, and local activists in Congressional districts, CTC educates
Members of Congress and holds them accountable for their trade votes. The
organization has made trade agreements some of the most scrutinized votes in
Congress.
CTC was founded in 1993 to serve as a cross-sectoral coalition comprised of
unions, environmental, consumer, family farm, faith and other civil society
groups. It has state-level affiliates across the United States. For more
information, visit www.citizenstrade.org
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