Posted July 10, 2019

By Devin Steele (DSteele@eTextileCommunications.com)

MIAMI BEACH – Steadfast. Difference makers. A dynamic duo.

Those were just a few of the superlatives used to describe Sue Strickland and Mike Todaro after they were presented with the Americas Apparel Producers Network (AAPN) Lifetime Achievement Awards during AAPN’s pro:Americas Annual Meeting here recently.

AAPN President Tony Anzovino, chief sourcing and merchandising officer at Haggar Clothing Co., Dallas, conferred the honor on the pair, who has led the network since the 1990s. Strickland, whose now late husband Don founded the organization in 1981 as the American Apparel Contractors Association, took over the reins of the group in 1991 as executive director. Todaro joined her in 1995 as managing director and, together with Strickland now for nearly a quarter century, they have led the network’s evolution into what today is a thriving, growing and relevant association.

That theme emanated from several directors and executive committee members who were invited to the dais to say a few words about Strickland and Todaro after they received the honor. But first things first: Anzovino startled the two by deviating from the program and calling them on stage.

“Because of the work they’ve put in to not only grow the organization but to really open up, open their ears and listen to what all of you have had to say about our needs as an industry, I would like to present to them a token of appreciation, the AAPN Lifetime Achievement Award,” he said, before asking a group of core members to add their own comments.

Carlos Arias, CEO of Winds Enterprises, opened the impromptu praise fest: “Mike and Sue, I’d like to give you a warm thank you from all of us here for so many years of caring so much. From Day 1, many people thought that what we were trying to do was impossible to do. But having that heart and that the ability to build this organization has made it very successful. Thank you very much.”

He was followed by:

Kurt Cavano, founder, Infor/GTNexus, USA

“I’ve been with you since 2005, and that’s a long time. And we’ve had a lot of fun. But I think what’s most amazing to me about this organization is related to today’s buzzword, ‘collaboration.’ And that is, how do we work together more efficiently to collaborate and do things together? What you’ve built here with this network of people – spinners and sewers and knitters, all across the entire supply chain – embodies exactly what organizations are trying to do. This is an amazing example of how to bring everybody together, get them to work together and change the world. I’ve been amazed at what you’ve built here and it’s been an amazing journey to be a part of since 2005. Great job!”

Rick Horwitz, vice president, global retail & supply chain strategy, Bureau Veritas

“It would be very easy for me to just say ‘ditto’ to what everyone has said. But I feel very strongly that we come into this world to make a difference. We should try to make the world a better place, we should try to do things that have impact. And, Sue and Mike, you have made the world a better place. You continue to make the world a better place. The AAPN makes the world a better place. The impact that you have made on the world, not on the region, is immeasurable. If you think about the connectivity and everything that has happened – and, as you write often and eloquently, from the beginning of the early days of the AAPN, you think about the jobs that have been created, you think about the better lives of the workers that have been created, you think about sustainability that has been created – it’s all because of the network, it’s all because of you. You have impacted the world and you have made the world a better place and all of us better for it.”

Juan Zighelboim, president, TexOps

“When you think about dynamic duos, you think of Batman and Robin, Palmer and Nicklaus, Simon and Garfunkel, etc. But we are so blessed to have our own dynamic duo in Mike and Sue. You have made the world and our world a better place, and we’re so grateful to you. I think I can speak on everyone’s behalf, we love you, we’re here for you and because of you we are who we are. Thank you so much.”

Joe Cuervo, senior strategic sourcing manager – materials, Kohls

“I think I’ve been with Mike and Sue since the early ’90s, from my manufacturing career and retail. And I think the one word that really describes them is ‘steadfast.’ They just keep going and moving and really making incredible, incredible contributions to the industry. And this room is a testament to that. I mean, look at this crowd, and look at the companies that are represented here today.”

Ron Roach, president, Contempora Fabrics

“In one of Mike’s emails, he went over the history of the AAPN –where it started and where we are today. It described the evolution every year to something different, to something that matters to people in this room. That’s why we have all these people here. That’s why our membership continues to grow, that’s why our companies continue to grow. And that’s why the regionals have been so successful, because you have made a difference. And you do this with two people. It blows me away sometimes with what you guys do, so thank you.”

An evolution to success

When Todaro met Strickland in 1995 and decided to work together, the organization was about 350 members strong, virtually all made-in-the-USA cut-and-sew factories, Todaro said in reflecting on the network at this meeting last year. But because of the passage of NAFTA, in two years it shrunk to about 150 members.

So in figuring out ways to survive, it changed its name to the American Apparel Producers Network in order to put prominence on the word “network,” Todaro said. Early after the turn of the century, the group expanded its membership to include members from throughout the Americas as a number of its made-in-the-USA members had factories in Central America, the Dominican and elsewhere, and in 2001 the AAPN added 70 members.

AAPN soon endorsed the trade show Material World, “which really put us on the map,” he said. And at that expo in Miami, they decided to have a networking event for sourcing executives, an event that grew for several years, eventually to around 350 people.

The network continued to try new things to stay relevant, including holding a CAFTA Summit for several years in Central America and, “before you knew it, we had this – the entire supply chain in the AAPN,” Todaro said.

After having its worst annual meeting in 2009, the association summoned several thought leaders to a room to discuss strategies for survivability.

“John Strasburger, then at VF, allowed us to come to Fort Lauderdale,” Todaro remembered. “Walter Wilhelm, Eric Joo and Jill Coleman joined us. We sat down and brainstormed for a day. John said, ‘make your next meeting about sustainability.’ And I said, ‘I don't know what that is.’ And he replied, ‘nobody does, you idiot, so have a meeting on sustainability.’ We had 120 people there and we've had 20 more people each year ever since. That was an amazing tipping point in our history.”

In 2013, the name was changed to the Americas Apparel Producers Network, and Strickland and Todaro drove to members in their mills around the Carolinas. That led directly to the highly successful Carolina Mill Tour, which for two years now has brought together young talent from brands and retailers to tour and learn at various textile operations. The network also began holding highly successful regional conferences in order to continue to raise “Apparel IQ” in the supply chain, Todaro said.

Through all of this change and evolution, the AAPN continues to remain an important part of this hemispheric supply chain strategy – thanks in large part to Todaro and Strickland.

Well done, dynamic duo.