SEC Ruling Puts Manufacturers First
Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) decision to withdraw 2004 no-action letters on proxy firms:
The SEC’s action today is a major victory for manufacturers and Main Street investors. For far too long, proxy advisory firms have exerted undue influence over manufacturing companies, trying to force business decisions without any regard to investors’ best interests. This is a threat not only to manufacturing growth, but also to the savings of millions of American workers. The SEC has taken an important step to fix this unfairness, and we encourage them to continue working to ensure the voices of Main Street investors are not drowned out by third parties who have little stake in a company’s success. Manufacturers support increased SEC oversight over proxy advisory firms to restore fairness to the system.
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The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.