PRINTING United Alliance Joins an Open Letter to the President-Elect
by Stephanie Buka, Government Affairs Coordinator Nov 5, 2024

In this November 5, 2024 open letter, sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), leaders from America’s manufacturing industry congratulate the President-Elect as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Ford Bowers, CEO of PRINTING United Alliance, along with CEOs of the Conference of State Manufacturers Associations (COSMA) and other manufacturing leaders, joined the letter to highlight manufacturing’s unique role in bridging the nation’s divides and providing solutions. The full text of the letter can be found here. To view the full list of signatories, click here.

The printing industry is a subsector of the manufacturing sector and a significant contributor to the economy. According to the most current data (2023) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), commercial printing and its related support activities (NAICS 323) employed 379,200 employees, and total sales are expected to exceed $100 billion. The Alliance is eager to highlight the economic impact of the printing industry to the new administration.  

The letter emphasizes the importance of unity, free enterprise, and collaboration in defining America’s future. The letter stresses that a strong manufacturing sector is vital for national security, economic resilience, and prosperity, and expresses a commitment to work with the new administration to address challenges constructively.  

The authors call for healing and common ground after the election, highlighting the importance of the peaceful transition of power in maintaining confidence in democracy. They reaffirm their readiness to partner with the administration to strengthen the nation’s economic foundations. 

The letter closes with, “As leaders of industries that drive America’s promise, you can count on us as steadfast partners in this work and in building our future together.”  

The Alliance looks forward to working with the new administration to focus on the policy solutions needed to sustain and promote the printing industry, an essential sector. 

In this article, Stephanie Buka, Government Affairs Coordinator, PRINTING United Alliance, discusses an open letter to the President-Elect. More information can be found at Business Excellence-Legislation or reach out to Steph should you have additional questions specific to how these issues may affect your business: sbuka@printing.org.    

To become a member of the Alliance and learn more about how our subject matter experts can assist your company with services and resources such as those mentioned in this article, please contact the Alliance membership team: 888-385-3588 / membership@printing.org.     

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Stephanie Buka Government Affairs Coordinator
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Stephanie Buka is the Government Affairs Coordinator for PRINTING United Alliance. In this role, she supports Ford Bowers, CEO, the Government Affairs team, and coordinates efforts with lobbying firm, ACG Advocacy. She manages all aspects of grassroots advocacy campaigns, including facilitating timely call-to-action alerts and updates to The Advocacy Center on key federal and state legislative issues. As a member of the Office of Corporate Communications, Buka manages the content and audience building responsibilities for the Government Affairs team. She is also responsible for the administration of the Alliance's political action committee, PrintPAC.

Prior to joining the Alliance, Buka served as a senior legislative researcher, and later as a constituent services coordinator, for the 15-member legislative body representing 1.3 million residents of Allegheny County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In addition to drafting legislation and addressing constituent concerns, Buka cultivated strong relationships with appointed and elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels of government.

Buka holds a master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA). She also earned a master's degree in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, along with a Certificate in Forensic Science and Law from Duquesne University.

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