Paul T. O’Day, president, American Fiber Manufacturers Association, is dead. He was appointed president of the association in 1984. He was fiercely dedicated to the industry he loved. A true gentleman and a powerful intellect, Paul O’Day led the association with a sophisticated wit and charm.
O’Day led the initial implementation of the multi-fiber arrangement (MFA), the international agreement which imposed quotas or quantity limits on textiles and clothing from developing countries, in force from 1974 until 2004. Under the auspice of the MFA ensuring realistic quota outcomes on sensitive items and was lead negotiator for fibers and yarns in the Uruguay Round, the most ambitious multilateral trade agreement in history, calling for elimination of all textile and apparel quotas by January 2004.
O’Day was also a lead negotiator in textiles and clothing in the NAFTA agreement, the first free trade agreement with phase out of tariffs among partners, and was responsible for establishing a yarn forward rule of origin which became standard for all subsequent FTA agreements.
He has been deputy assistant secretary of commerce for trade development, executive assistant to the secretary, and other senior positions in the commerce department and the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
