SMITHFIELD, Va., March 27, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce that Keira Lombardo, senior vice president of corporate affairs, has been named a member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). In this role, Lombardo will assist in the advancement of NAM’s manufacturing policy agenda to promote growth and prosperity for all manufacturers in a variety of industries across the country.

“Ms. Lombardo is a true leader in our industry, and she will bring valuable insights to the NAM Board of Directors,” said Jay Timmons, president and CEO for NAM. “Ms. Lombardo knows what it takes to succeed in a changing global economy and the kinds of solutions we need to see from our elected leaders. With her voice and leadership, the NAM will be an even more effective advocate for our more than 14,000 members and for the industry that is the backbone of our country.”

Lombardo was selected for this position because of her dedication to the manufacturing industry and for sharing her skills, expertise and experiences with others in the field. Last year, Lombardo was honored by the Manufacturing Institute, the non-profit arm of the NAM, for its annual STEP Ahead Awards for her positive impact on the industry through advocacy, mentorship, engagement, promotion and leadership.

“I am honored to join the NAM Board of Directors with fellow leaders and continue to advocate for policies that promote our continued growth as manufacturers,” said Lombardo. “The board of directors’ leadership is crucial to ensure policy makers understand how their legislation affects millions of men and women employed in the manufacturing sector. I look forward to sharing and collaborating with others to strengthen our economy and create more opportunities for working families.”

In her role with Smithfield, Lombardo leads the company’s communications, government-affairs, sustainability and investor-relations efforts. Lombardo earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the Newark College of Arts and Sciences and a bachelor of science degree in finance from Rutgers Business School at Rutgers University. She resides in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Lombardo officially joined the NAM Board of Directors Tuesday, March 7 at its board meeting.

About Smithfield Foods

Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield^?, Eckrich^?, Nathan's Famous^?, Farmland^?, Armour^?, John Morrell^?, Cook's^?, Kretschmar^?, Gwaltney^?, Curly's^?, Margherita^?, Carando^?, Healthy Ones^?, Krakus^?, Morliny^? and Berlinki^?. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.

About the National Association of Manufacturers

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.17 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.