Ottawa, ON (August 20, 2018) – The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) Board of Directors is pleased to announce an exciting new strategic direction for our association that is aimed at ensuring a proactive and effective advocacy voice in Ottawa and across the country. After an extensive review process, the Board endorsed the appointment of Impact Public Affairs, a nationally renowned association advocacy firm to represent the interests of the FDFA members and build opportunities. Simultaneously, the Board of Directors also appointed Barbara Barrett to serve as the association’s new Executive Director.
“The Board of Directors listened to our membership. The clear message was to re-evaluate our representation and develop a coordinated government relations strategy to ensure our member’s needs are met and to take the association to a new and higher level,” stated Abe Taqtaq, FDFA President. “This move is aimed at ensuring we proactively create the regulatory environment for our member’s long term success and growth.”
Impact Public Affairs brings a stellar 20-year reputation of building winning advocacy campaigns for trade associations with a specialty in the retail and small business sector. Impact is also known for building a partnership with association leadership to support member retention and recruitment with winning advocacy efforts. Impact is the only advocacy firm to win the Canadian Society of Association Executive’s award for business excellence to national associations.
“The Board is equally excited to bring Barbara Barrett on board to quarterback FDFA efforts. Barbara and our team will be imbedded in Ottawa with Impact so that they can provide members with a full range of lobbying, communications, media and social media support,” summarized Taqtaq.
Barrett brings over 20 years of high level public affairs expertise to FDFA. Barbara has held senior leadership and executive roles for Jaguar Land Rover, a leading global automotive company, where she contributed to record sales and media results. Barrett has worked as the Canadian communications lead with corporate leadership in the UK, and the United States and has implemented and developed communications programs to leverage global sponsorship programs with Formula One Racing, Invictus Games, the Canadian Cancer Society and First Nations groups.
FDFA is the industry association representing the interests of Canada’s duty free shops. Active membership includes 26 Canadian Land Border Duty Free Shops, and Associate Members consists of Canadian Airport and U.S. Land Border Duty Free Shops. FDFA promotes the development of Canada’s land border duty free industry as a voice, advocate and business resource for members by acting as liaison between members and the Federal Government’s Duty Free Shop Program (Canada Border Services Agency) and advocating on behalf of members with all levels of government.
“The Frontier Duty Free Association has a great history of fostering a highly competitive Canadian Land Border Duty Free Industry that is vibrant, creative, progressive and best-in-class among land border and airport duty free retailers around the world. We will build on this history and make sure we have a world class industry representative moving forward,” said Barrett.
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Contact:
Barbara Barrett, Executive Director
Frontier Duty Free Association
BBarrett@fdfa.ca
613-233-8906