Auggie Tantillo

Washington Coordinator, American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition

Auggie Tantillo is Washington Coordinator for the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC). Mr. Tantillo is responsible for policy development and lobbying at AMTAC, a coalition of U.S. manufacturers dedicated to the preservation of U.S. manufacturing. Prior to forming the consulting firm of SRG & Associates in 1993, Mr. Tantillo was appointed by the Bush Administration, in May of 1989, to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles, Apparel and Consumer Goods.

For sixteen months prior to his appointment at the Department of Commerce, Mr. Tantillo served as Administrative Assistant/Staff Director to United States Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. In addition to overseeing a staff of forty, Mr. Tantillo acted as the Senator's primary advisor on key legislative, economic and political issues affecting the nation as a whole. By representing the Senator at meetings and public forums, in both the state of South Carolina and Washington, D.C., Mr. Tantillo acted as a liaison between interest groups, state business communities and Senator Thurmond.

In addition to his government experience, Mr. Tantillo served in the private sector from 1985 to 1988, as Director of Federal Government Relations for the Russell Corporation of Alexander City, Alabama. As the Washington representative for this major textile and apparel firm, which employed over 10,000 people in four states, Mr. Tantillo served as company representative to Congress and federal agencies with an emphasis on trade, labor and consumer issues.

Prior to joining the Russell Corporation, Mr. Tantillo held the position of Legislative Assistant to Senator Strom Thurmond from 1981-1985. In this capacity, Mr. Tantillo advised the Senator on legislative issues focusing on trade, commerce and agriculture.