TRADE EXPERT JOHN NEUFFER JOINS ITI AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR TECHNOLOGY AND TRADE

12.03.2007

TRADE EXPERT JOHN NEUFFER JOINS ITI AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR TECHNOLOGY AND TRADE

USTR Veteran to Lead High-Tech Industry on Global Trade Policy Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) President Rhett Dawson announced today that trade expert John Neuffer, a veteran of the Office of the United States Trade Representatives (USTR), has joined ITI as Vice President for Technology and Trade.

“The high-tech industry faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges in the global innovation economy, and John Neuffer’s deep experience in developing and implementing U.S. trade policy at USTR will be a great asset to ITI,” Dawson said. “From enforcing the WTO Information Technology Agreement to increasing market access globally for U.S. companies, trade issues are vital to high-tech’s future growth. John’s unique skills and depth of knowledge in global government relations and trade will expand ITI’s reach at the international level.”

As Vice President of Technology and Trade Policy, Neuffer will guide ITI’s trade, technical regulatory and standards policy. He will direct ITI’s global government relations efforts, including building relationships with foreign governments, industry associations and advancing the industry’s trade agenda in Washington.

Before joining ITI, Neuffer served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Affairs. Neuffer was responsible for developing U.S. trade policy with APEC, a constellation of 21 economies from around the Asia-Pacific, and led U.S. government teams in negotiations to improve the business environment and open markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

Neuffer also served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan, where he was responsible for setting and implementing trade policy with Japan. In this role, he led U.S. government delegations in trade talks and worked with U.S. corporations and industry associations on trade matters with Japan in a broad range of sectors.

Prior to his tenure with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Neuffer was a Senior Research Fellow and Political Analyst with the Mitsui Kaijyo Research Institute in Japan. As a leading commentator on Japanese politics and policy at the Institute, he published a widely read newsletter and wrote regular commentary for the Asian Wall Street Journal, TheStreet.com and Newsweek Japan.

Neuffer received an MA in international affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York. He is a graduate of Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA, where he earned a BA in political science.

ABOUT ITI

The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) is a group of the nation's leading high-tech companies and is recognized as the tech industry's most effective lobbying organization in Washington.  ITI helps member companies achieve their policy objectives through building relationships with Members of Congress, Administration officials, and foreign governments; organizing industry-wide consensus on policy issues; and working to enact tech-friendly government policies.

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