Time spent outdoors hunting and fishing is what refuels Shawn Swearingen, the new director of policy & government affairs for the International Sleep Product Association and the Mattress Recycling Council. The stillness he finds there is what helps him be an effective leader as he works to ensure ISPA and its members are represented before decision-makers and with industry coalition partners whenever there is legislation affecting members and their operations. “I like to lead by example and be the quiet leader who makes sure no stone is going unturned when working,” he says.
BedTimes: Can you talk about your previous role and what drew you to the sleep industry?
Shawn Swearingen: I was previously a director in the chemical products and technology division with the American Chemistry Council. During that time, I focused on policy areas that ISPA members would also be concerned with across the 50 states, at the federal level, and in the European Union—building coalitions with colleagues and working with legislatures and regulators.
BT: What’s something unique about ISPA that attracted you?
SS: The longevity of the association and the solid reputation of the organization around D.C. were draws for me to the position. Paired with Alison Keane’s leadership and the team-effort environment, it is a great opportunity to be a part of.
BT: What is one thing you hope to accomplish during your first year at ISPA?
SS: The biggest thing for me in the first year is to build on the foundation of my predecessors for the organization. There are certainly challenges in the political environments across the states and here in D.C., but with that, there is a need to recognize the right opportunities to educate decision-makers on ISPA priorities for the coming legislative sessions.
BT: Can you share a few details about your family and personal life?
SS: My family and I live in nearby Fairfax, Virginia, not far from ISPA’s headquarters in Alexandria. We are usually bouncing around hockey, swim, tennis, and baseball practices throughout the year, with our 7-year-old Lab, Sully, playing mascot. I moved here in December 2008 from Oregon and married a Maryland girl, so we’ve been in the D.C. area ever since.
BT: What hobbies or passions do you have outside of work?
SS: Outside of the office and working between our two sons’ activities, I’m usually getting them out to join me fishing, hunting, and working in the gardens. Among all the irons in the fire is my hobby of woodworking. In my small shop at home, you’ll find me making duck and goose calls, along with other projects, with Sully asleep in the doorway.
BT: What’s something unique about you that people might not know?
SS: I am a freelance writer in addition to hosting and operating an award-winning podcast about waterfowl hunting and conservation. Most of my articles are hunting- and fishing-related literary fiction, along with conservation journalism.
BT: How would you describe your personality?
SS: It might be the “West Coast” personality from growing up in Oregon, but most would likely describe me as laid-back.
BT: What is a book, podcast, or movie you enjoyed recently that you want to recommend to others?
SS: My recommendations vary based on the person, but there are two that are “must reads” for me that I continually revisit: Thomas McGuane’s The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing and The Search for the Genuine by Jim Harrison. Both are collections by these two longtime friends in two different writing styles that a person can jump in and enjoy a story at a time.
