NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka has been named Chair of the Conference of State Manufacturers Associations (COSMA), a network of 50 state-based manufacturing partners working closely with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) to advance smart policies.
Siekerka will serve a two-year term as COSMA chair, after working as its vice chair in 2023-2024.
“Michele’s leadership as COSMA chair is instrumental to ensuring the manufacturing community can speak with a strong and unified voice,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons.
“We will continue to rely on Michele’s counsel as we work with a new Congress and administration to enact pro-growth tax and regulatory reforms that will help improve the quality of life for all Americans.”
“New Jersey manufacturers share the same challenges their counterparts in other states face – workforce shortages, high interest rates that limit access to capital, global supply chain disruptions, overregulation, and government red tape that strangles growth,” Siekerka said.
“It has been, and continues to be, an honor and a mission to work with COSMA to address these challenges to affect change both individually and collectively.”
Siekerka, who also joined NAM’s board of directors last year, spearheaded COSMA’s efforts to bring its annual conference to New Jersey last summer.
The national event, held July 28-31 at the Seaview in Atlantic County, brought together U.S. manufacturing industry leaders to share bold ideas and strategies for advancing manufacturing priorities.
This year’s annual COSMA gathering will take place in Portland, Oregon in late July of 2025.
“I’m looking forward to working with all of the COSMA representatives around the country to continue the steps of advancing a competitive manufacturing agenda that promotes prosperity for the industry and beyond,” Siekerka said.
