Ryan Trainer Named ISPA President

March 29, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Executive Changes on March 30, 2010

The International Sleep Products Association, Alexandria, Va., has appointed Ryan Trainer president, effective immediately.

Trainer, who was the association's executive vice president, joined ISPA in 2002 after more than 20 years in government and private law practice in Washington. During that time, he built a strong reputation as an advocate for business in public policy debates while serving at the U.S. Commerce Department and with several leading law firms. Since coming to ISPA eight years ago as the group's second ranking professional and general counsel, he has played a key role leading its statistics, legal, consumer product safety and sustainability platforms.

"Ryan has a thorough understanding of the issues that are critical to the sleep products industry and the skill to navigate the corridors of Washington to assure our voice is heard on matters important to us," said ISPA Chairman Don Wright, chairman  and chief marketing officer of Wright of Thomasville. "Our Board had a very clear vision that at this time in the evolution of ISPA, we needed a top professional who was a strong executive, experienced Washington hand and someone who already understood our industry issues. Ryan was the only person we felt combined all of these talents."

The president's post at ISPA had been vacant since Richard Doyle resigned from the organization last year. A search committee considered executives from the industry as well as external candidates for the position, and also spoke with many members about their vision for ISPA going forward.

"We have learned a lot about what the industry wants and expects from ISPA in the future as a part of this process," Wright said. "Now with Ryan's promotion, we will be able to start acting upon many of these recommendations. It is a very exciting time for our industry and ISPA."

Trainer said ISPA will continue to focus on the issues that affect the sleep products industry and maximize the value of its programs to membership.

"Washington is trying to impose many new costs on business, and the sleep products industry needs a strong and unified voice in our nation€™s capital, which ISPA provides," Trainer said. "Even before I joined the ISPA staff in 2002, I worked with the organization on many matters as its outside legal counsel. As a result, I am familiar with both our history and advocacy in Washington, and what we must do to assure that we have a greater voice and impact for our industry."

Prior to joining ISPA, Trainer was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of international law firm Clifford Chance, and prior to that was a partner with Rogers & Wells. Throughout his career, he has represented manufacturers, service providers and trade associations on a broad variety of trade, consumer privacy and product safety issues. He has appeared before a number of federal and state government agencies, courts and Congress to represent his clients. Earlier in his career he worked in the office of the general counsel for the U.S. Commerce Department. 

Trainer received his bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado where he majored in economics, and he received his law degree from George Washington University. He is a member of the District of Columbia and Commonwealth of Virginia bars.