Cass Johnson:   202-822-8025                                                                    May 3, 2007

                                                                                                                For Immediate Release

NCTO Elects Officers During Annual Meeting Held in Washington, DC

Harding Stowe Elected New NCTO Chairman

D. Harding Stowe, president and chief executive officer of R. L. Stowe Mills, Inc. in Belmont, NC, was elected chairman during NCTO’s fourth annual meeting held last week at The Madison -- Loews Hotel in Washington, DC.  Stowe, who holds numerous business and civic positions, has been with R. L. Stowe Mills since graduating from Clemson University in 1978 and is the third generation family member to run the company.   Stowe was NCTO’s first vice chairman last year and is currently a vice president of the National Cotton Council.

Wally Darneille, president and CEO of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, was elected first vice chairman; and Anderson Warlick, president and CEO of Parkdale Mills, was elected second vice chairman. 

Elected to the Board of Directors during the Council meetings were the following:

Fabric and Home Furnishings Council – Hank Byrd of Schneider Mills; Roger Chastain of Mount Vernon Mills; James Copland of Copland Industries; Allen Gant of Glen Raven, Inc.; Jerry Rowland of Hanesbrands Inc. and Hank Truslow of Sunbury Textile Mills.

Fiber Council – Bob Francois of INVISTA, Jane Johnson of Unifi, and Joe Tucker of Wellman, Inc.

Yarn Council –  Allen Barwick of Shuford Yarns, LLC; Malloy Evans of Frontier Spinning Mills, Inc.;  Josh Hamilton of Wellstone Mills; Trey Hodges of Swift Spinning; Gilbert Patrick of Patrick Yarn Mills, Inc.; and Robin Perkins of Frontier Spinning Mills;

Industry Support Council – Joe Okey of American Monforts, Gail Strickler of Duro Textile, and John Dunavant of Dunavant Enterprises.

After being elected chairman, Stowe’s first order of business was to announce appointments to the following offices:  secretary – Mike Hubbard, NCTO; treasurer – Werner Bieri, Buhler Quality Yarns Corporation; and president and CEO – Cass Johnson, NCTO.  He also announced chairmen for the following NCTO program committees:  Cotton – Andy Warlick, Parkdale; Regulatory & Standards – Jim Booterbaugh, National Spinning Company; and Trade & Economic Policy – Allen Gant, Glen Raven, Inc.

The National Council of Textile Organizations, headquartered in Washington, DC with office in Gastonia, NC, is the national trade association representing the entire spectrum of the textile sector.  Domestically focused to ensure a prosperous future for the U.S. textile sector and globally positioned to work effectively with our international allies, NCTO is on the front lines meeting the challenges of the 21^st Century for the industry.

KEY FACTS ABOUT THE U.S. TEXTILE INDUSTRY

•          One of the largest manufacturing employers in the United States, the overall textile sector employed nearly one million workers (909,000) in 2005.  Textile mills alone employed 383,000 workers.

•          The 3rd largest exporter of textile products in the world – more than $16 billion in 2005.

•          Two-thirds of U.S. textile exports during 2005 went to developing countries.  The U.S. textile industry exported to more than 50 countries, with 20 countries buying more than $100 million a year.

•          Supplies more than 8,000 different textile products a year to the U.S. military.

•          U.S. textile shipments totaled $70 billion in 2005.

•          Invested more than $33 billion in new plants and equipment from 1994 – 2004.

•          Increased productivity by 49 percent over the last 10 years and ranks second among all industrial sectors in productivity increases.

•          In 2005, textile workers on average earned 103.7% more than clothing store workers ($499 a week vs. $245) and received health care and pension benefits.

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