WASHINGTON — James A. McCarthy has been named president of the North American Millers’ Association, effective in October. Mr. McCarthy comes to NAMA from the Snack Food Association, where he was president for nearly 15 years.

NAMA chairman James M. Meyer, who headed the search process, said Mr. McCarthy will bring new energy to the association.

“Jim’s leadership and association management skills will be a valuable asset to NAMA and the future of our association,” Mr. Meyer said. “He joins an experienced and dynamic staff that will make for a very strong team to address our issues today and for the future.”

As president of the S.F.A., Mr. McCarthy has been the leading Washington representative responsible for policy issues affecting the $42 billion snack foods industry. There he created “strategic responses to and successfully guiding company members through nearly 20 years of state and federal issues such as childhood obesity, trade restrictions, use of trans-fats, food safety, food stamps, hunger, proposed taxes on snack foods and a myriad of other issues of critical importance to the industry,” NAMA said.

Mr. McCarthy joined the S.F.A. in 1991 and was named president and c.e.o. until earlier this year when the titles were split between two individuals, Mr. McCarthy as president, and Tom Dempsey as c.e.o.

Before joining the S.F.A., Mr. McCarthy was director, federal government affairs of the National Food Processors Association, where he was involved with activities surrounding passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. Earlier, he was a senior associate at Alcalde and Fay, a lobbying firm based in Arlington, Va.

A graduate of Boston University with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Mr. McCarthy received a law degree from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America and a master’s of business administration degree from American University.

At NAMA, Mr. McCarthy succeeds Mary Waters, who resigned from NAMA earlier this year.

“I am looking forward to working with the NAMA board and members to chart a new course for the association’s future,” Mr. McCarthy said. “I have worked with NAMA’s excellent staff on a number of occasions, and I am eager to join the team and learn more about the industry.”