Welcomes new hires to the association’s staff.
John Downs, president and CEO of the National Confectioners Association (NCA), has announced two new additions to the industry association’s staff. Christopher Gindlesperger was named vice president of public affairs and communications, and VJ Mayor was appointed senior director of communications.
“Christopher’s extensive experience in managing and directing some of the world’s most sophisticated consumer-facing issue advocacy campaigns and his solid understanding of the changing media landscape will be a tremendous asset to the association,” Downs said. “VJ brings a skilled approach and strong awareness of communications to the team, and he will have a great impact on our work moving forward. At a time when our industry is facing new challenges, we look forward to having Christopher and VJ on board to bolster our communications capabilities and help share our message with audiences across the country.”
As vice president of public affairs and communications for NCA, Gindlesperger will serve as industry spokesperson, support the NCA Public Policy & Advocacy team, and develop and maintain relationships with allied organizations and the media to identify opportunities to increase awareness of the NCA brand and policy positions.
As senior director of communications, Mayor will focus on internal communications for the confectionery industry, which employs 70,000 people in more than 40 states, and has a direct economic impact of $35 billion. He will direct communications to NCA members and prospective members through industry communications vehicles, including the association’s magazine and website. Mayor will also work closely with NCA’s Industry Affairs team to further communications with the industry’s retail trade partners.
Prior to joining NCA, Gindlesperger spent more than five years with the American Beverage Association. During his time at ABA, he led public affairs and communications on more than 60 successful issue campaigns on the federal level, and in more than 30 states and cities across the country. Gindlesperger served in various positions of leadership in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, including with the House Homeland Security Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee, and for Congressman Bill Shuster. He also worked as a member of the media relations team at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor spent the past eight years with the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, representing top sports brands including Nike, Under Armour and adidas. During his time at SFIA, he was responsible for crisis communications, internal and external communications, and digital media. Mayor also served as spokesman for the sports and fitness industry. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, and obtained his Certified Association Executive designation in May 2014. In 2012, Mayor was named the youngest person to ASAE’s prestigious Diversity Executive Leadership Program.
“We are excited to have these two top-notch communications professionals joining our team at NCA,” Downs said. “I am confident that these two will help us advance our position with key thought leaders and provide sharp counsel for our member companies.”