The American Apparel Producer’s Network has hired an experienced textile executive as its director of strategy in a bid to expedite connections among members looking for sourcing solutions in the Western Hemisphere.



Jeannamarie Piefer brings over 25 years of multi-faceted apparel and fashion experience to AAPN. She has a graphic design and screen-printing business in Ohio, JCox, focused on eco-friendly, hand-crafted water-based ink designs and over the past two years has worked for Walter Wilhelm Associates (WWA) on consulting engagements across the US, Guatemala and El Salvador. On her first assignment with AAPN, she attended ColombiaModa, meeting with several current and potential members in Colombia.

 


Jeannamarie's passion for the textile industry started when she was doing alterations in the back of her father's men's retail store in Ohio. Her career started in New York City with Liz Claiborne as Sample Development Manager, implementing Claiborne's first Microdynamics pattern design system. From there, she grew her knowledge of the industry with multiple corporate career stops along the way in product development, technology, and uniforms. Prior to starting JCox, she held the position of Vice President and General Manager at Lion Uniform Group. She is also responsible for developing and patenting apparel-sizing technology.

 


“As an apparel executive myself, I know that AAPN's hundreds of executives spend most of their time 'in the weeds', consumed by day-to-day operations. They don't have time for true strategic planning. We're going to help solve this with a new level of AAPN members-only support.

 


We know that most brands want to get better at buying and most producers want to get better at selling. Inside of AAPN we have hundreds of case studies where the problem you are trying to understand is exactly one another member has solved or is also working on.

 


So, we're going to offer customized meetings with our members to provide a sounding board and insights. These meetings may be on location; include a tour of the operations and follow with a round table discussion on current issues and future plans where the AAPN provides insight based on knowledge of other members who have experienced a similar issue.

 


Once we agree on priorities, we'll connect AAPN members together as appropriate. If a project is probable, member consulting companies would be referred,” commented Peifer.

 


AAPN membership is bursting with the best professionals in the industry, which includes involvement with every link in the supply chain. The sharing of the vast knowledge and experiences of our members is an extremely valuable resource. And to that end, Jeannamarie brings with her access to the collective wisdom of our over 600 individuals in our network that truly creates a 'talent exchange' unmatched anywhere.

 

Organized in 1981, AAPN is a private sector, non-profit, members-only, #1 apparel industry business network of over 600 company owners and senior executives from nearly 200 organizations across the supply chain organized industrially worldwide to produce apparel for the US market from North America, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, North Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Asia and China from our headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA