People on the Move highlights the career advancements of high-level trailblazers working professionally in diverse areas of standardization, contributing every day to the strength and success of the U.S. standards and conformance community.
The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) recently announced the promotion of Jenny Blackford to chief operating officer. In her new role, Blackford will oversee the association’s enterprise-wide systems and processes. She will also have expanded roles relative to human and technology resources and investments.
Previously, Blackford ran AGMA’s business division, working on the organization’s face-to-face events and training, as well as outward-facing communications. She joined AGMA as communications manager in 2000, with her responsibilities growing over the years, including guiding AGMA’s trade show for 15 years. She was named president of the American Bearing Manufacturers Association in 2019.
“Jenny Blackford is a recognized leader within the association space, and her value to AGMA is tremendous,” said Matthew Croson, president, AGMA. “This promotion provides her space and responsibility to continue to grow AGMA’s resources to best support our members and the organization as a whole.”
“I’m honored to have learned from and assisted AGMA’s members over the past two decades and am looking forward to the new challenges in this new role as COO,” said Blackford. “Over the past few years, it has been exciting to see AGMA’s programs and membership grow, and I welcome the opportunity to guide AGMA’s staff to continue building on these successes in the future.”
The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) announced that Julia Massimino will join its association as executive vice president of government affairs. She will lead ITI’s government affairs team, which focuses on U.S. policy advocacy in Washington, D.C. on behalf of ITI member companies.
In addition to more than a decade of experience working on Capitol Hill as both chief of staff to a senior house member and as committee counsel, she has 10 years of experience as a consensus-building advocacy leader in the technology industry.
Prior to ITI, Massimino was the first in-house senior vice president of global public policy for SoundExchange, the largest neighboring rights organization in the world. Among her career achievements, she helped draft and execute strategy for legislation including the DREAM Act, the Civil Liberties Restoration Act, and more. Massimino also served as majority counsel on the House Judiciary Committee, where she was lead counsel on federal courts for the subcommittee on courts, the internet, and intellectual property.
With her leadership, Massimino’s team will continue to build trusted relationships with members of the legislative and executive branches, and work together to advance policy initiatives that promote a healthy innovation ecosystem in the United States.
“ITI’s members represent the world's most innovative tech companies. For more than 100 years, it has been a trusted partner and guide for U.S. policymakers on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill, in the White House and throughout the Administration,” said Massimino. “The technology industry is at an inflection point, and I’m excited about the opportunity to lead ITI’s talented advocacy team and work with ITI members to navigate the complex and consequential policy landscape.”
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