In introducing the recipient, Oehmig noted that Chesnutt has always been one of the strongest advocates on Capitol Hill for the U.S. textile industry – and was never afraid to say what was on his mind, Oehmig said. And, not unexpectedly, Chesnutt had a word or two to say about the reasons for his outspokenness.

 

“Leib said that we have had some hard fights in this industry, and we’ve lost some of them,” Chesnutt said. “And many in this room have done things that we never dreamed when we got in this industry that we would have to do – dealing with closing plants and moving plants and consolidating plants and the destruction of jobs. And it really does make me angry when I go to Washington, D.C. And I do say some things that forces Auggie (Tantillo, president & CEO of the National Council of Textile Organizations) to get me out of trouble occasionally because they have stolen from us in many ways.

 

“I don’t think any of us are completely fearful of international trade,” he added. “All we’ve said all along is ‘make it fair and give us a break and follow the rules you make.’ And that simply is something that has not been done over the years.”

 

He went on to say that policy makers and politicians “don’t understand” the textile industry and have often used it as a pawn in international trade negotiations.

 

“We guys in this industry don’t get the preferential treatment that others do,” Chesnutt said. “In every trade deal that we’ve had, it gets to the last day of negotiation, and guess who gets hurt? We do. There are not enough of us and we don’t have enough money. And there will be another trade deal and probably another and another and another. And for you young guys who are going to be around, it takes time in Washington, it takes a little bit of studying. You have to leave your businesses and go there, but I believe long-term, being involved has allowed us to do some things that we would not have been able to do. We would have been run over roughshod had we not been there.”

 

Chesnutt has long history in the industry

 

Chesnutt graduated from East Carolina University (ECU) in 1963. He began his career with North Carolina National Bank in Charlotte, N.C., where he spent 10 years. He then joined Harriett & Henderson Yarns, Inc., in Henderson, N.C., as vice president and remained with the company until 1997.

 

At age 55, he was wooed to National Spinning, where he became president and was later named CEO, then chairman/CEO.

 

Chesnutt serves on the board of directors of the Medical and Health Sciences Foundation at East Carolina University, the ECU College of Business Advisory Council, the N.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Vidant Medical Center. He also is chairman of the Beaufort County Committee of 100 and is on the board of trustees of Beaufort County Community College.

 

In addition to his current professional and community service, he is past chairman of the National Cotton Council and the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO); past president of the American Yarn Spinners Association (AYSA) and the North Carolina Manufacturers Association; and a past board member of the New York Cotton Exchange, the Washington/Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce and the NCTO.

 

Jim and his wife Judy have two sons and four grandchildren.

Posted June 23, 2016

 

By Devin Steele (DSteele@eTextileCommunications.com)

 

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – In receiving The Chapman Award here this week, the highest honor given by the Southern Textile Association (STA), Jim Chesnutt joined a small fraternity of 11 recipients since the award was first presented in 1984.

 

The Chapman Award was established by the STA in honor of three members of the Chapman Family of Inman Mills and Inman, S.C., who served as presidents of the STA – James A. Chapman, Sr. in 1923, James A. Chapman, Jr. in 1955 and Joseph W. Chapman in 1972. The award was established to recognize individuals for exemplary and outstanding service and leadership to the textile industry.

 

“I could not be more honored to be selected to receive this award,” Chesnutt, chairman & CEO of National Spinning Co., Washington, N.C., said during the group’s 108th Annual Meeting Monday. “Bobby (Robert H. Jr.) Chapman was one of my good friends. He taught me some of the things I learned about cotton. And I will always be grateful to him and the entire Chapman family that has followed him, along with many other Inman folks like George Abbott, sitting here up front. I won’t even tell you how long we’ve known each other.

 

“Thank you so much for this award,” he added. “It means more than you can imagine. What a great, great industry.”

 

After being presented the award by Leib Oehmig, president & CEO of Glen Raven, Inc., Chesnutt extoled the virtues of the association.

 

“This group has been so meaningful to the industry,” he said. “The growth and leadership under many names that have been mentioned here today have turned it into a get-something-done group that holds a special place for me and for a lot of the people who are on the team at National Spinning Co. What an incredible group.”

STA/FIBER BUYERS ANNUAL MEETINGS REVIEW

Chesnutt ‘honored’ to receive STA’s Chapman Award