WGA names vice president of state government affairs
WGA names vice president of state government affairs
David Puglia has joined the Western Growers Association government relations team as vice president of state government affairs.
Most recently, Mr. Puglia was a vice president at APCO Worldwide, a leading issues-management and media-relations consulting firm. His expertise and professionalism are widely known and respected in the offices of the state capital.
"We are extremely pleased that Dave has joined the Western Growers government relations team," said Tom Nassif, president of WGA. He is one of the truly outstanding professionals in the government arena. He has a sterling reputation and his top-flight experience is an extremely valuable asset for this organization. We are delighted that he has chosen to join us and represent the interests of this key industry.
Prior to his career at APCO, Mr. Puglia served in the office of the California attorney general as director of public affairs, where he managed one of the more important communications and public affairs teams in the state. In 1997 he left the AG's office to take over the day-to-day management of Attorney General Dan Lungrens gubernatorial campaign. Prior to his work in the AGs office, he served as a press aide for the 1988 Bush presidential campaign in California.
Dave Puglia brings a rare blend of professionalism, fine-honed instincts and top-level experience, said Jasper Hempel, executive vice president of WGA. He is joining us at a pivotal point in the history of the organization, and we look forward to the tremendous boost he will provide our department and our industry.
In other news, WGA hailed President Bushs request for action to bring about national immigration reform. The presidents appeal came Feb. 2 in the midst of his annual address to the nation and summarized the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to the current immigration crisis.
We enthusiastically support the presidents position that action must be taken immediately to address the critical problems in our nations immigration policy, said Mr. Nassif. Current immigration policy is a disaster. It continues to create many victims, jeopardizes homeland security, confuses enforcement agencies, endangers our economy and infuriates those who have to deal directly with the insanity of current immigration laws every day. Agriculture is just one of many sectors of our society that desperately needs intelligent immigration reform.
The president addressed the issue in the State of the Union address, saying, Americas immigration system is also outdated [and] unsuited to the needs of our economy and to the values of our country. We should not be content with laws that punish hardworking people who want only to provide for their families, and deny businesses willing workers, and invite chaos at our border. It is time for an immigration policy that permits temporary guest workers to fill jobs Americans will not take, that rejects amnesty, that tells us who is entering and leaving our country, and that closes the border to drug dealers and terrorists.
Western Growers supported the presidents guest workers proposal. Those of us in agriculture who have been pleading for immigration reform are heartened by the presidents courageous call to action, and we are optimistic that a solution can be found to solve the immigration crisis. That solution must involve some version of a guest workers program, commented Mr. Nassif. We will do all in our power to assist President Bush and the nation in helping provide remedies that achieve the goals set out in the State of the Union and in previous policy statements. We agree with many of the principles of immigration reform set forth by the White House earlier this year. Western Growers and our members throughout the agriculture industry pledge to do all we can to help solve the immigration crisis.
Most recently, Mr. Puglia was a vice president at APCO Worldwide, a leading issues-management and media-relations consulting firm. His expertise and professionalism are widely known and respected in the offices of the state capital.
"We are extremely pleased that Dave has joined the Western Growers government relations team," said Tom Nassif, president of WGA. He is one of the truly outstanding professionals in the government arena. He has a sterling reputation and his top-flight experience is an extremely valuable asset for this organization. We are delighted that he has chosen to join us and represent the interests of this key industry.
Prior to his career at APCO, Mr. Puglia served in the office of the California attorney general as director of public affairs, where he managed one of the more important communications and public affairs teams in the state. In 1997 he left the AG's office to take over the day-to-day management of Attorney General Dan Lungrens gubernatorial campaign. Prior to his work in the AGs office, he served as a press aide for the 1988 Bush presidential campaign in California.
Dave Puglia brings a rare blend of professionalism, fine-honed instincts and top-level experience, said Jasper Hempel, executive vice president of WGA. He is joining us at a pivotal point in the history of the organization, and we look forward to the tremendous boost he will provide our department and our industry.
In other news, WGA hailed President Bushs request for action to bring about national immigration reform. The presidents appeal came Feb. 2 in the midst of his annual address to the nation and summarized the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to the current immigration crisis.
We enthusiastically support the presidents position that action must be taken immediately to address the critical problems in our nations immigration policy, said Mr. Nassif. Current immigration policy is a disaster. It continues to create many victims, jeopardizes homeland security, confuses enforcement agencies, endangers our economy and infuriates those who have to deal directly with the insanity of current immigration laws every day. Agriculture is just one of many sectors of our society that desperately needs intelligent immigration reform.
The president addressed the issue in the State of the Union address, saying, Americas immigration system is also outdated [and] unsuited to the needs of our economy and to the values of our country. We should not be content with laws that punish hardworking people who want only to provide for their families, and deny businesses willing workers, and invite chaos at our border. It is time for an immigration policy that permits temporary guest workers to fill jobs Americans will not take, that rejects amnesty, that tells us who is entering and leaving our country, and that closes the border to drug dealers and terrorists.
Western Growers supported the presidents guest workers proposal. Those of us in agriculture who have been pleading for immigration reform are heartened by the presidents courageous call to action, and we are optimistic that a solution can be found to solve the immigration crisis. That solution must involve some version of a guest workers program, commented Mr. Nassif. We will do all in our power to assist President Bush and the nation in helping provide remedies that achieve the goals set out in the State of the Union and in previous policy statements. We agree with many of the principles of immigration reform set forth by the White House earlier this year. Western Growers and our members throughout the agriculture industry pledge to do all we can to help solve the immigration crisis.
