(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – On May 1, the Direct Selling Association (DSA) hosted United States Representatives John Curtis (R-UT) and Ben McAdams (D-UT) for a virtual town hall with Utah direct sellers. Moderated by DSA President Joseph N. Mariano, opening remarks were offered by Ryan Napierski, DSA Chairman of the Board and President, Nu Skin Enterprises.

Senior executives from Utah direct selling companies also provided comments and heard from their elected representatives. The Congressmen offered perspective that the wills of our industry could move forward with us and were enlightened to hear that we are adapting to the crisis by shifting to online activity.

Representative Curtis said, “I have been a champion of direct selling my entire life in public service. The town hall provided a great forum for me to provide an update from Washington on how the policies are impacting an industry that has such a profound impact on my constituents. It was great to hear how these businesses are evolving during the crisis.”

Representative McAdams said, “As the member of the United States House of Representatives with many direct sellers in my district, it’s always great to hear from these great businesses. I appreciate everything they are doing in their communities to help during the crisis. Learning about their successes and challenges makes me a better representative for them in Washington.”

DSA President Joseph N. Mariano said, “The perspectives offered by these two great Members of Congress who represent such a large portion of direct selling in the United States was extremely informative. We appreciate their continuing support and know they will fight for policies on Capitol Hill that will have beneficial impacts to direct sellers and their communities.”  

Building and maintaining relationships with members of Congress remains an essential mission for DSA and its members, especially during this challenging time. We will continue connecting direct sellers with their elected representatives in this new environment.

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ABOUT THE DIRECT SELLING ASSOCIATION

For more than a century, the Direct Selling Association (DSA) has served as the national trade association for companies that offer entrepreneurial opportunities to independent sellers to market and sell products and services, typically outside of a fixed retail establishment. In 2018, direct selling took place across the United States, generating $35.4 billion in retail sales. More than six million entrepreneurs in the U.S. are selling products or services through the direct selling channel, providing a personalized buying experience for more than 36.6 million customers.