Duggan takes reins at NFIB

WASHINGTON (March 8, 2016)  — Veteran trade association executive Juanita Duggan has taken over as president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the trade association that represents more than 325,000 small and independent business owners.

Ms. Duggan succeeds Donald A. (Dan) Danner, who has retired after 22 years with the NFIB, the last seven of them in the top position. Ms. Duggan was elected to succeed Mr. Danner last November by a unanimous vote of the NFIB board of directors.

Ms. Duggan comes to the NFIB from the American Apparel & Footwear Association, where she was president and CEO for the past 18 months. Prior to that she was head of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America and held key positions in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and in private business in Washington, according to the federation.

Ms. Duggan comes from a small business background. Her family runs a mechanical contracting company in her native Alabama.

“The whole family worked there,” she said, which gives her a perspective on small business that is rare among elected officials, regulators and academics who shape policy, according to the NFIB.

High on her list of priorities will be reducing taxes for small business along with regulatory relief and healthcare reforms, the association said. She also is “determined to put small business issues at the center of every important federal and state race” during this election year.