The National Council of Textile Organizations, a Washington-based trade group that merged with two other textile organizations in March, has a new President. Auggie Tantillo, who for many years was the head of the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, was named the new NCTO president. He replaces Cass Johnson, a University of California, Los Angeles alumni who had been NCTO president since the organization was formed in 2004.

“We wish Cass well in his future endeavours, and look forward to working with Auggie in his new role,” said Scott Elmore, spokesperson for the American Apparel & Footwear Association, a trade organization headquartered in Arlington, VA. 

Prior to AMTAC, Tantillo worked under the George W Bush administration as deputy assistant secretary for textiles and apparel in the Commerce Department. He was also chief of staff for former U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. Tantillo had been a NCTO consultant after AMTAC was dissolved.

“We are incredibly pleased to welcome Auggie’s leadership and many years of experience to NCTO at such an important juncture of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations,” Bill Jasper, NCTO’s Chairman and Chief Executive and Chairman of Unifi Inc., a North Carolina yarn maker said in a statement. “In his new role as President, Auggie will continue NCTO’s unparalleled commitment to fighting on behalf of American textile manufacturing and jobs at home and abroad.”

AMTAC and the National Textile Association merged with NCTO earlier this year to give the three trade groups more lobbying power and a stronger voice when addressing textile and manufacturing issues before Congress and the Obama administration.