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April 24, 2012

NRF Names Bill Thorne Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs

For Immediate Release
Kathy Grannis (202) 626-8189
grannisk@nrf.com

Download high resolution image of Bill Thorne

NRF Names Bill Thorne Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs

Washington, April 24, 2012 — The National Retail Federation announced today that Bill Thorne has been named the association’s Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs. He will join NRF on June 11 to oversee the organization’s industry and public affairs communications strategy, including NRF’s Retail Means Jobs campaign, a multi-million-dollar initiative to demonstrate the power of retail to America’s economy and the career opportunities within the industry. Thorne currently serves as Senior Director, Community Affairs at Walmart Corporation.

“Throughout his long career, Bill has proven himself to be an accomplished strategist with an incredible track record of creating and building successful campaigns,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “As NRF continues to invest in talent and resources to promote the retail industry both in Washington and around the world, bringing in an executive at the intersection of retail and government will help us tell the industry’s story in an even more compelling way.”

During his tenure at Walmart, Thorne oversaw the creation and execution of campaigns for urban market entry, including budgets, strategy, and planning and development of both long- and short-term campaigns. He also served as Senior Director of Advocacy Outreach, where he created and successfully launched Walmart’s Corporate, Public, and Political Advocacy Network.

Prior to Walmart, Thorne served as Vice President at DCI Group, where he led grassroots advocacy, public relations, and communications programming for a number of prestigious corporate and association clients. He also spent four years as Director of Political and Legislative Grassroots at the American Medical Association.

Earlier in his career, Thorne worked in various political capacities at the state and national levels including several years with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and more than five years with U.S. Senator Phil Gramm. A native of Georgia, he holds a B.A. in journalism and political science from the University of Georgia.

As the world’s largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF represents retailers of all types and sizes, including chain restaurants and industry partners, from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad. Retailers operate more than 3.6 million U.S. establishments that support one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.5 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF’s Retail Means Jobs campaign emphasizes the economic importance of retail and encourages policymakers to support a Jobs, Innovation and Consumer Value Agenda aimed at boosting economic growth and job creation. www.nrf.com

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