Vice President of Government Affairs & APPA General Counsel

Ed Rod, APPA’s Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel, directs all legal, regulatory and legislative activities of the association and helps increase government affairs offerings to member companies. 

As regulation of pet products has expanded greatly over the past decade, so have the responsibilities of this vital department that Ed now leads. Originally, APPA’s Government Affairs department primarily focused on the general identification of legislative and regulatory issues related to taxes. Today, this team assists members on a daily basis by tracking new developments in state and federal laws and regulations that impact the pet products industry, posting educational articles and updates on APPA’s website, initiating cooperative efforts with other interest groups, and advocating members’ concerns with government regulators and public officials in Washington and across the country.

Ed has more than 20 years of regulatory and compliance experience in manufacturing and consumer product businesses, including litter and related pet products. Prior to joining APPA, Ed served as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary with Axel Johnson Inc. from 1999-2005. He previously worked as Vice President and General Counsel of First Brands Corporation from 1996-1999 and was also an integral part of PepsiCo, Inc.’s legal team from 1982-1996.  

Ed earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Juris Doctor from Fordham University in New York.

He is married with two children.  The Rod family has a dozen koi and other fish in their garden pond.