Tariff actions by the administration have put greeting cards in the crosshairs for retaliatory action from Canada and reciprocal tariffs due to be imposed in April could result in more countries adding duties to cards imported from the Unites States.  Meanwhile, members sourcing products from China also face new tariffs for those products while the elimination of the de-minimis exemption could make counterfeit cards less viable.  Experts in the trade space broke down what has happened and what GCA members can anticipate moving forward.

We also shared how you can get involved to add your voice to protect your interests. You don’t have to be a big wig politician (or even a member of the Public Affairs Committee ) to help shape public policy and protect the interests of the Greeting Card Industry! This informative webinar discussed how EVERY member of the Greeting Card Association can get involved in supporting the work of the Public Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill. Whether you are concerned about postal rates, tariffs, counterfeit cards, EPR, or all of the above — this event provided the tools, knowledge, and inspiration to help you make an impact.

Speakers:

Craig Brightup, President, The Brightup Group

• Craig Brightup is CEO of The Brightup Group LLC, a government relations consulting firm in Washington, DC. He’s worked with over 25 organizations since 2009, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and is also a founding member of E Street Partners, a bipartisan consortium providing public policy services to corporations, associations and coalitions. Previously, he was Vice President of Government Relations for the National Roofing Contractors Association, opening its Capitol Hill office in 1990, and before that headed congressional relations for the Federal Trade Commission by appointment of President Ronald Reagan. In 2000, he was named to Fortune Small Business magazine’s POWER 30 list of “influential insiders” in our Nation’s Capital. From 2020-2021, he served as President of the Washington Industrial Roundtable, and in 2023 he was named Executive Director of the business-supported Jobs and Careers Coalition.

The Honorable Kevin Yoder, Former U.S. Representative for Kansas’ 3^rdCongressional District

• Kevin served four terms in Congress representing the 3rd District of Kansas. During his time in Congress, he served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and was appointed Chairman of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security leading efforts in Congress to invest over $50 billion in annual resources to help keep America safe and secure. Kevin helps lead government relations at VENTURE in a number of spaces, including tech, energy, health care, aviation, defense and homeland security. Read his full bio here.

This webinar is free for GCA members and $25 for non-members. Make sure to LOGIN in the top right corner to view the recording, or you can purchase access as a non-member here.

Thank you to our Webinar sponsor: