The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), a nonprofit association that represents the manufacturers of 95 percent of the prenatal and preschool products sold in North America, announced the appointment of Joseph Colella as its new director of child passenger safety. The assignment was effective June 1.
“Joe has been a friend of JPMA and the juvenile products industry for many years. Many of our members are car seat manufacturers, and they, along with JPMA, are thrilled to be able to formalize our relationship with him,” said JPMA Executive Director Kelly Mariotti.
As the director of CPS for JPMA, Colella will work with the JPMA team and its Committee of Child Restraint System Manufacturers (CRSM) to establish JPMA’s overall strategy and develop, coordinate, and implement JPMA’s regulatory, legislative, public affairs, and public relations activities related to CRS. Colella will also support parents through advocacy and by providing them with clear safety information and direction.
Safe Ride News readers are likely to be familiar with Joe Colella. He is a regular contributor to this newsletter, a member of SRN’s editorial review board, and a frequent speaker at national, regional, and state conferences. He is also the past chairman of the National Child Passenger Safety Board and a member the Society of Automotive Engineers Child Restraint Systems Standards Committee.
Colella has assured SRN that his decision to serve JPMA was predicated on being certain that, along with fulfilling these new responsibilities, he would continue to engage with the CPS community as he has in the past.