Tom Catania, VP, Government Relations, Whirlpool

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Tom Catania was named Vice President, Government Relations of Whirlpool Corporation in July 1997. He is responsible for executive management of the corporation’s government relations function.  This position provides policy direction and participation in: all government lobbying activities in the U.S. and globally, including functional direction of the global government relations function; maintaining effective government contacts and regular reports to management on governmental influences on Whirlpool.  He represents company interests in U.S. and global government-industry relations organizations including: National Association of Manufacturing (NAM), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable and selected global AmChams and Business Councils.  In addition, Mr. Catania is a member of the  Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Standards and Technical Trade Barriers which advises the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative on international trade issues, and serves on the Business Environment Leadership Council of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Affairs Council, the Michigan Manufacturers Association, and the National Public Affairs Steering Committee of the National Association of Manufacturers.  He is the Past U.S. Chairman at the Brazil-U.S. Business Council.

Prior to his being named Vice President, Government Relations, he was Senior Counsel Latin American Region and lead attorney for Whirlpool Corporation’s legal and government relations activity in Latin America, including Mexico from 1994 to July 1997. From 1986 through 1993 he had a variety of assignments in Whirlpool’s Law Department in support of both its domestic and international operations.

Before joining Whirlpool Corporation, Mr. Catania was Special Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust and Consumer Protection Divisions for the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office from 1982 to 1986.  In that capacity he brought criminal and civil enforcement actions on behalf of the State and its municipalities and agencies.  From 1981 to 1982 Mr. Catania was a Law Clerk to Associate Justice George Scott of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of more than $19 billion, more than 73,000 employees, and more than 72 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world.