James A. McNamara
Chief of Staff, Director of Public Relations, International Longshoremen’s Association
James A. McNamara is a 44-year veteran public relations executive with the International Longshoremen’s Association. He was appointed Director of Public Relations for the 85,000-member organization in August 1981 by then President Teddy Gleason. For more than four decades, he has coordinated the public relations and communications program for ILA. He also serves as Public Relations Director for the ILA’s Atlantic Coast District.
In May 2021, ILA President Harold J. Daggett named McNamara the International’s Chief of Staff.
McNamara was a general assignment reporter and photographer for the Irish Echo newspaper from 1978 to 1980; and served for a year on the public relations staff for the worldwide Catholic Missionary Office in New York City, prior to his appointment to the ILA.
McNamara began his professional writing career while in high school covering sports for a Long Island weekly, The Franklin Gazette. Later at Iona College, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1977 in Communication Arts, McNamara was Sports Editor for the college newspaper, The Ionian, and editor-in-chief of the college annual, The ICANN. He later earned a master’s degree in public communications from Fordham University in 1981.
McNamara has served as ILA’s Public Relations Director under four International Presidents: Teddy Gleason, John Bowers, Richard P. Hughes, and Harold J. Daggett. He has also worked under five ACD Presidents: Teddy Gleason; John Bowers; Stephen Knott; Dennis A. Daggett and Michael J. Vigneron.
McNamara is a member of ILA Local 824 since 1981 and has served as delegate for the local to the ILA New York-New Jersey District Council for the past 15 years. McNamara has represented the ILA for almost years as member of International Labor Communications Association, AFL-CIO. In 2017, he was elected to the ILCA’s Executive Board and recently reelected in November 2019. He is also a member of the National Press Club in Washington.
When former ILA President John Bowers initiated the ILA Children’s Fund golf outing benefiting various children’s charities in 1993, he appointed McNamara as the tournament’s coordinator, a position he has held for more than 33 years.
Through the tournament and other fund-raising activities, the ILA has raised more than $10 million for various children’s charities.
McNamara holds membership in the National Democratic Club; Foreign Commerce Club; and is a former Governor and member of the Heisman Trophy Committee at the Downtown Athletic Club in Manhattan. He also previously served on the Alumni Board at Iona College. He now holds membership in the New York Athletic Club.
He currently serves on the Executive Board for the International Maritime Hall of Fame Committee.
McNamara’s maternal grandparents were natives of Cork City, Co. Cork and his father’s family traces their Irish roots to Co. Clare. From his time as a member of the Gaelic Society at Iona College, McNamara has long been involved with Irish organizations. He is a life-member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in New York City, the Irish Institute and a member of the D.C. Friends of Ireland in Washington and the Co. Cork Association. The latter organization honored him in 1996 as its Corkman of the Year and the Co. Sligo Association also honored McNamara in 1987. In 2009, McNamara was named Gael of the Year by the New York based United Irish Counties Association.
The Irish Echo recognized McNamara as “Outstanding Irish-American Labor Leader” in 2016.
In May 2006, McNamara was the recipient of the Maritime Good Scout Award presented by the Greater New York Council Boys Scouts of America. He previously had been awarded the James E. West Award by the Boy Scouts in 2003. He has also been honored by the Union and Essex (New Jersey) County Chapters of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, as well as the Miami Dade Chapter of same organization.
A golf enthusiast, McNamara has volunteered at 12 U.S. Open Men’s Golf Championships; a Women’s U.S. Open Golf Championship and, in 2019, was co-chairman of the 2019 PGA Men’s Championship Leaderboard Committee at Bethpage Black on Long Island, New York.
A native of Woodside, Queens, McNamara and his wife of 48 years, Alice Grackin, reside in Westchester County, New York. They are the proud parents of Elizabeth, who is married to Daniel Mueller and proud grandparents to Gabriella, Luke, and Lily.
