The American Bakers Association (with the stated aim of taking another step in its commitment to addressing the workforce challenges facing the commercial baking industry) has announced Thomas Bailey is the organization’s new director of government relations. 

According to the organization, Bailey brings a wealth of experience to ABA from his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he focused on a diverse array of domestic policy issues, including education and labor. His expertise in addressing Department of Labor regulations and leading policy development for the House Committee on Education and Workforce reportedly will be invaluable as ABA intensifies its efforts to amplify the baking industry’s workforce concerns with policymakers.

With his experience collaborating with members of Congress and their staff to build bipartisan support for the successful passage of priority bills and amendments, Bailey is set to play a key role in advancing ABA’s strategic initiative to position the baking industry as the destination workplace.  

“Thomas’s deep legislative experience and strategic insight will greatly enhance our government relations efforts, particularly as we focus on making the baking industry a top destination for talent,” says Rasma Zvaners, ABA vice president of government relations. “We are thrilled to welcome him to our team and look forward to his partnership with the industry’s human relations professionals to drive ABA’s ‘Destination Workplace’ initiative forward.”

Related: ABA announces strategic reorganization