Mark Gerberich, Director of Business Development, has integrated well into the team since joining two years ago. After 40 years in the sports and events business, the flip to the world of lobbying and campaign contributions compliance has been a natural fit for Gerberich in his sales and marketing role.

“I didn’t realize how comprehensive it was to stay compliant with federal, state, and local regulations,” he recalled.

Mark spent his first 18 years with the Pro Bowlers Tour, serving as Commissioner from 1996-2000, prior to selling the Tour to three ex-Microsoft executives. After 10 years in the sports facility business, he sold sporting goods to big box mass retailers, such as Dick’s, Dunham’s, MC Sports, Bass Pro Shops, and Scheel’s. His most recent foray was running the Akron-based Soap Box Derby from 2017-2023.

“Having a wide variety of experiences in marketing and selling has helped me tremendously at State and Federal Communications. I enjoy meeting people, and this industry has been very open and friendly to me,” he stated. “Our company has been in business over 30 years, has a great reputation, great people, and great products, which has helped too.”

Mark oversees a team of eight people that manage sales and promote marketing with intentional, consistent branding, in addition to supporting local and compliance industry programs with sponsorships, which in turn, helps with name recognition. The sales team has been successful in growing the business and attracting new clients to the firm with Mark’s leadership.

“State and Federal Communications is really focused on the client first, creating solutions, and having a commitment to excellence,” he added. “This really helps keep our customers satisfied, which gives us great confidence when we are selling.”

The other key role for Mark in his tenure at State and Federal Communications, Inc. is the processes he has created. In addition, sales data and grassroots marketing have played a key role in State and Federal Communications, Inc.’s success. Mark has undertaken the mission to expand our universe on the subscription side of the business, which has created new opportunities for the team.

On the sales side, “We meet customers where they are and try to find solutions for their current situation, whether that would include online or consulting services. All companies are currently utilizing a method for tracking their compliance, and we just try to assist in their pain points,” he said.

Mark earned a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management from St. John’s University in 1983, and then master’s degree in Sport Management from University of Akron in 2010. He taught sport management, sport history, and Intro to Sport Management over a 16-year period at the University of Akron. He also serves at Montrose Zion UMC, is on the board at Akron Roundtable, and supports First Tee Akron by volunteering in coaching.

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

For two years, Nate Adams has been a member of our Research Department as a research assistant. An interest in politics and a desire to learn more about the behind-the-scenes work lawmakers do brought him to State and Federal Communications, Inc.

“I’ve always been interested in politics, pretty much since high school. I got my B.A. in political science, and it’s always been a goal of mine to run for political office. I wanted to kind of get a good background and idea and understanding of what it really could be involved in running for office,” he explained.

Nate was particularly interested in learning more about the types of laws that we cover: lobbying, procurement lobbying, and especially campaign finance.

As a research assistant, Nate’s responsibilities include making sure our information on jurisdictions is up to date, the correct documents are in place, and links on our website are working correctly. Research assistants also keep tabs on legislation we cover that affects lobbying, campaign finance or procurement lobbying in different states and at the federal level.

During our busy periods, in January and July, as our research managers assist with compliance needs, research assistants take on some of their responsibilities. This includes tasks like looking up key dates and sharing research updates through blog posts.

While research assistants often don’t directly interact with clients, their work supports our research managers and compliance department in meeting our clients’ needs.

“Most of it is indirectly through keeping the website up to date. We often get a lot of ‘Ask the Expert’ questions. It’s important that when clients do have an ‘Ask the Expert’ question, that the website is up to date, so the research manager who is answering the question can go to that part of the website and point to the answer, rather than have to dig through the website,” he explained.

In addition to this workload, Nate brings a strong knowledge and background in politics, as well as an appreciation for history and good communication skills to the role and Research Department.

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

The first person that new State and Federal Communications, Inc. employees meet on their first day is Dave McPeek. As our Manager of Operations and Facilities, he wears many hats and one of those hats is helping to onboard new employees by showing them around the office and giving them the rundown of our digital and safety systems to get them acclimated to our environment.

Dave brings nearly 40 years of experience and a storied background in different aspects of business, programming, and computer and facility operations. Before coming to State and Federal Communications, Inc., he held roles including Operations Supervisor, Programmer, Account Manager, and Manager of Special Projects for several offices.

While Dave had already earned an accounting degree and a minor in programming during the mid-1980s, he returned to the University of Akron in the early 2000s to refocus his career path after being sidelined by a company acquisition. What began as an immersion into newer database programming technologies ultimately became an opportunity as a student to do a co-op for two semesters for State and Federal Communications, Inc.

“It was fun, and it was different,” he mused. “The excitement of the new industry and the potential within a growing company led me to accept a job offer within the IT department upon graduation.”

The company was growing and with it, the needs of the technology infrastructure, procedures, and acquiring more space within the existing building also grew.  By bringing on Dave, the small department doubled in size at the time.

“The two of us in IT did whatever needed to be done behind the scenes, whether it was with our computers, the network, or dealing with the landlord, building, and vendors. I tried to assume as much of the non-technical load as possible so the Director of Information Technology could do the heavy lifting with the programming and development he specialized in at the time.  As the company grew, the department also grew in staff to support evolving client and staff needs in the fast-moving world of technology.  With that growth, I became more focused on the non-technical work and found that I enjoyed it,” Dave explained.

While every day can be very different in Operations and Facilities, the primary focus of Dave’s days is in keeping our office environment running as smoothly, as comfortable, and as safe and in compliance as possible. He also plays a big part in any larger projects when they occur to enable other staff to remain focused on their client-related activities.  “It’s whatever needs to be done,” he explained.

Dave’s approach to the work is to ensure things around the office run as smoothly as possible so the entire staff is supported in their day-to-day responsibilities.

“I think innovation can exponentially help make sure things are working as well as possible. You innovate to improve, and everyone should benefit when done properly,” he explained.  “I see it as a win-win situation when I have an opportunity to help our staff in any way provide even a bit more of their industry-leading talents for the benefit of our clients. That is a good day.”

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

Gregory Bennett, Compliance Assistant II, has been a critical member of the State and Federal Communications, Inc. team, and especially our compliance department, since 2019. During his time, Greg has gone above and beyond, significantly contributing to the compliance department’s growth and success.

Born and raised in the Akron area, Greg graduated from the University of Akron in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in mass media communications and a minor in political science. His first foray into the legal world was at a local law firm that specialized in foreclosure law.

“It was good crossover for working here with similar office work experiences and working with legal documentation,” he explained.

In 2018, Greg came to State and Federal Communications, Inc. by way of a staffing agency. He had the chance to prove himself to the leaders of the compliance department when working on a special project while he was a temporary employee. In 2019, State and Federal Communications, Inc. asked him to become a full-time, permanent employee.

“They had me assisting on a special project we did for a client, and it was a massive project with a lot of moving parts. I was able to look through data and collate it so that we were able to determine what we needed to do for our client. That gave me a lot of experience and I’ve been working on additional special projects since,” he explained.

While special projects are a huge part of the job, as a compliance assistant, Greg also supports the compliance department with administrative tasks, like filing, organization, and sending reminders and requests for information to clients.

In addition to all that, Greg and his colleagues in the compliance department have helped develop and structure and standard procedures for compliance assistants.

“When I started, there was not a compliance assistant structure. There was just one flat level of compliance assistant. By Ellen and I working on special projects and being able to assist in ways that are beyond the initial scope, that is what really helped us talk about creating a second level,” Greg recalled.

By going above and beyond, our compliance assistants, like Greg, help our compliance managers focus on our clients and meet their compliance needs.

“The leaders of the compliance department have given us the opportunity to rise above and not just be content with doing the base work that needs to get done to keep the department flowing. I’ve been grateful for that opportunity. It feels like the work has been getting done, and we’ve been seeing that bear out with how much our clients have been satisfied, how we have been getting more clients, and how the compliance department has been growing.”

Nicolette Bartz Koozer has been a critical member of the State and Federal Communications, Inc. team, even before its inception. As a life-long artist, she has built a career in graphic design and worked for various political organizations before becoming the Senior Graphics Coordinator at State and Federal Communications, Inc.

Nicolette graduated from Howland High School in 1980 and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh in 1982. After moving to Washington, D.C., she took classes at the Corcoran School of Art as computers became the norm in graphic design, and later took desktop publishing classes at the University of Akron.

“There has never been a year where I haven’t had to learn what’s next because of the way computers are. You know, it’s been a long time since I put wax on the back of a paper,” she said.

Shortly after graduating from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Nicolette moved to the Washington metropolitan area to join her sister, Elizabeth, as they began taking steps in their careers.

“When I was living in Virginia right after graduation, I would do freelance work after my full-time job. One of the jobs was for a company called State and Federal Associates where I designed a brochure for them. I was approached by State and Federal Associates as recommended by Elizabeth. I freelanced at a magazine and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,” she explained.

Nicolette also spent several years working for the U.S. Navy and defense contractors, doing projects that included drawing submarines and unmanned undersea vehicles.  “I had the job every 8^th grade boy would love: drawing bombs, mines, and submarines,” she joked.

In 2000, Nicolette moved from Arlington, Virginia to Akron, Ohio. Later she joined the State and Federal Communications, Inc. team.

“I have had one title here for 23 years, and it is Senior Graphics Coordinator,” she said.

Nicolette’s expertise and contributions don’t stop at graphics though. She has helped cover various roles, like executive assistant, marketing, and has been part of planning most, if not all, parties and events the company has hosted.

Nicolette may not directly interact with our clients, but clients interact with her artwork regularly. You can see Nicolette’s work at the top of this blog, on each of our newsletters, on LobbyComply Blog and Pod, and all our social media channels. At conferences and events, anyone who walks away from our booth with a promotional item or handout about our services is also engaging with Nicolette’s work.

Her artwork tells clients and the community they are connecting with State and Federal Communications, Inc., and the reputation of excellence that comes along with it.

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

Joe Wasser, Senior Account Manager, would call himself “a salesperson who sells technology”. He joined State and Federal Communications, Inc. in October 2022 after almost 25 years serving public affairs professionals working at Vocus (now Cision).

He has been in technology sales since the mid-1980s, when he began selling hotel management and point-of-sale computer systems to the hospitality industry all over the country.

“I didn’t know the first thing about government relations,” Joe said. But that didn’t stop him from jumping on board with Vocus when it began building its company. Later, Vocus became Cision and eventually sold its PAC business unit in 2021. Joe found himself available and he re-connected with Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, Inc.

As our Senior Account Manager, Joe has helped refine our sales process to showcase the expertise of our team, in addition to the value of our lobbying compliance guidebooks.

“Perhaps my expertise is knowing when to include others in the conversation. Many times, if I’m demonstrating our compliance guidebooks to a government relations professional or compliance lawyer, I’ll include Anthony Didion, who handles client relations. On the other hand, if I’m discussing our amazing compliance consulting and support, I’ll ask Amber Fish Linke, our Vice President, or Elizabeth Bartz herself, to lead the conversation.  They have an amazing track record of helping our clients navigate the challenges of lobbying compliance,” Joe explained.

When meeting prospective clients, Joe has an opportunity to show them that there are easier ways to get the information they need. Instead of spending hours searching on Google or clicking through the websites of different states and cities, they have all the information they need right at their fingertips when using our guidebooks.

Joe also refers to himself as a “consultative salesperson”.

“My goal is to help clients and prospective clients resolve challenges related to lobbying, political contributions, or procurement, while acknowledging our solutions may not be the right fit for everyone,” Joe said.

Joe takes great pride in the fact that State and Federal Communications, Inc. is providing time-saving benefits with our products and services – and bringing them to our clients is a primary part of our mission.

Joe emphasized that, “The tools State and Federal Communications provides are designed to alleviate client concerns, specifically around compliance, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their business.”

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

Gov. Newsom signed a bill into law specifically covering the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LAMTA) Board code of conduct and lobbying rules.

Assembly Bill 3123 revises and recasts the agency’s code of conduct by specifying board members and certain designated employees will be subject to all applicable state law and the authority’s administrative code.

This change eliminates specific rules regarding a construction company, engineering firm, vendor, or other various business entities from giving a board member or employee a contribution of over $10 in value.

The revolving door provision for board members and certain designated employees of LAMTA is also reduced from 3 years to 12 months.

The bill become effective January 1, 2025.

Last September, we welcomed a new Manager of Research Services to our team: Sam Wilkinson, Esq. For the past year, Sam has been refining his expertise in our Research Department, and the jurisdictions he covers, which include Maryland, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Sam knew he wanted to be a lawyer since he was in high school. He was exposed to stories about practicing law through media and was inspired to help people.

“The core tenant was to be the kind of person that could help people in one of the scarier moments of their lives, and that’s what I want to do. That’s the kind of person I want to be,” he explained.

Sam attended the University of Akron School of Law after graduating from Ohio State University with a degree in theatre and an associate’s degree from Stark State College.

When it comes to his role as a Manager of Research Services, Sam finds many aspects of the job rewarding.

For him, the best part of the job is being able to help clients with questions they ask through our “Ask the Experts” feature. When those questions cover topics that may be a gray area or when something doesn’t make sense, our Research Managers like Sam get the chance to help, and sometimes advocate, on behalf of our clients.

An example Sam gave was regarding a special election where a special disclosure was required. When trying to find the filing date for the special disclosure, Sam was looking at the jurisdiction’s ethics commission website and couldn’t find the form. Upon calling around and talking to people at that ethics commission, it was discovered that the wrong form had been uploaded. Sam was able to get the matter sorted with the director of that ethics commission and get the correct information uploaded, making disclosure filing easy and possible for clients and our Compliance Managers who may be doing that on behalf of our clients.

He also said, “Becoming familiar with how government operates and how those intricate rules and ethics go together is the interesting bit for me,” he explained.

In addition to this, Sam’s role includes maintaining the website and guidebook entries for his jurisdictions and answering questions from clients.

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

While many of our clients interact with our Compliance Managers or get their updates from our Research Department, we have a small and mighty team working behind the scenes to support our staff.

One such person is Beth Mullen, State and Federal Communications, Inc.’s Human Resources Director.

Beth had an unlikely path into the HR field. In 2002, she graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration and a minor in Business and Recreation. After working in development at nonprofits for a few years, she joined St. Augustine Health Campus in Cleveland in 2006 as the Operations Manager. In 2008, she was offered the role of Director of Human Resources.

“That was not my background, but I was thrown into that and learned a ton, as you can imagine with a 600-person organization across three campuses. There was a lot to learn, but it was awesome,” she said.

Beth later went on to start her own Human Resources consulting business, Beacon Aligned Management. State and Federal Communications, Inc. was Beth’s first client and her primary focus.

For seven years, Beth has helped shape our HR strategy and processes, in addition to managing areas like employee relations, hiring, unemployment, benefits, and much more.

Her approach to HR work has helped us not only retain staff members over the years, including during the covid-19 pandemic, but has also helped us steadily grow.

“I really think HR needs to be strategic about how we are interviewing people, how we are listening to what they want, and meeting them where they want. You’re not going to be able to give everyone everything they want, but how do we hear what they need and meet them halfway, three quarters of the way, or one hundred percent?” she explained.

While our Human Resources professionals do not directly interact with clients, their role helps set the tone for the team members who do help our clients.

“The work at State and Federal Communications is finding ways to keep all of our staff on the same page as far as the expectation that the company has, so that they understand the type of company we are, how we expect them to act so that when they’re interacting with clients, they know what the State and Federal expectation is,” she said.

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

John Cetor, Esq., an expert Manager of Compliance Services, comes to us from the University of Akron School of Law, Class of 2015. After having his own practice, then working in bankruptcy law, he joined the State and Federal Communications, Inc. team in 2019.

John started off in our Research Department, where his focus was the Southeastern region of the United States. He moved to our Compliance Department in 2022. Currently, he spends much of his time working with clients in Maryland and Illinois, among other jurisdictions.

“My two biggest jurisdictions are Illinois and Maryland, so a lot of my time is devoted to those two states. Illinois more so because they report twice a month. In Maryland, essentially every big municipal government, as well as every county, has their own registration and reporting requirements,” he explained.

Our Compliance Managers work with numerous jurisdictions, all of which have different rules for reporting and disclosing lobbying activity.

“In some jurisdictions, like Chicago, there are very strict rules. Then I have some jurisdictions which are more laissez-faire about it, just making sure you’re disclosing everything without many rules to navigate,” he said.

According to John, a fulfilling part of his job is the opportunity to help clients one-on-one in situations like confusing reporting requirements or potential violations of lobbying laws. When that happens, our Compliance Managers explain what is going on to the client, so they know how to handle it, how to move forward, and how to avoid such circumstances in the future.

“It starts pretty much like everything else,” he explained. “A few emails or phone calls just to figure out what happened, and whether something’s going to happen, or something already happened.”

It’s not uncommon for confusion to arise when lobbyists are working in a new jurisdiction, laws change, or perhaps the lobbyist wasn’t aware they were interacting with someone who is covered by a specific law in that jurisdiction.

When that happens, “We’re going to tell you what the situation is, what the options may be, and what the consequences of the options may be, but at the end of the day, they have to make decisions and they have to go through with it,” John said.

Another interesting aspect of the job is when clients ask an unexpected question and John has to put on his detective hat. They might have asked about a jurisdiction they may have never mentioned or been registered in, or asking about rules that may not have applied to them before.

Situations like this also highlight why the work of our Research Department is so important, not just to our clients, but to our Compliance Department as well. By keeping our website up to date, our Compliance Department can rely on that information to assist clients.

“The key, I think, is trying to figure out what their needs are and guiding my efforts in that. Some clients are pretty hands off. They already know what they’re doing, and it’s just getting the occasional reminder to make sure we’re still on track. We also have clients that need more attention. Sometimes big changes come down from the states, so we have to make sure that our clients are aware of that as well,” John said.

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

Like the ever-changing world of lobbying compliance, State and Federal Communications, Inc. also pays close attention to the ever-changing world of digital marketing and social media. With the help of our Graphics and Digital Media Assistant, Allyson Smith, we keep our clients informed on the latest news in lobbying and government affairs, as well as share company updates, milestones, and celebrations of our hardworking team.

Allyson is a graduate from the University of Akron, and while she initially intended to build a career in journalism, her career path has taken other turns. Before coming to State and Federal Communications, Inc., she did content marketing for a local arts and culture magazine and was the Communications Coordinator for a local nonprofit.

“While I have experience in a lot of different areas of marketing, I came to State and Federal Communications because I wanted the opportunity to be a part of a bigger team, as well as focus on a few key skills and really develop them,” she explained.

Those key skills include helping to create a social media marketing strategy that guides the content that goes on our platforms. She also writes the copy for social media posts, publishes them, and works alongside our Senior Graphics Coordinator to create the art for social media posts and other materials.

“Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to become more familiar with media relations in this role. I write press releases that highlight our company’s growth and accomplishments and keep our media contact list up to date,” she said.

For a little over a year, Allyson has been learning about the world of lobbying compliance and how State and Federal Communications plays an important role within that world.

“I help our clients by keeping our public-facing platforms, like the blog and social media platforms, up to date. I share relevant information about our company’s events, accomplishments, involvement, services, and information that comes from our Research Department,” she explained.

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

Every June, the United Nations leads the world in celebrating World Environment Day. People from more than 150 countries participate and coordinate events every year. At State and Federal Communications, Inc., we want to do our part to protect the environment. In our efforts, we focus recycling and sustainability, as well as supporting community partners in their sustainability efforts.

Recycling and sustainability:

We focus on four areas of recycling: single-use packaging, paper and cardboard, electronic waste, and fluorescent bulbs.

In 2017, we started working with the city of Akron and Downtown Akron Partnership as part of their single-stream recycling program. This makes it much easier to recycle single-use containers, like plastic bottles and aluminum cans, and boxes to prevent them from going to landfills. We have also worked with Weaver Industries, based in Akron, for their SecurShred services to shred, then recycle, all business paper. Additionally, the city of Akron collects flattened cardboard and processes it at a local facility.

Because electronic waste and fluorescent bulbs are toxic when buried in landfills, our policy is to upgrade all failed fluorescent bulbs or fixtures to LED. We also recycle all e-waste (computers, monitors, cables, batteries, and small electronic items) at a facility in Hudson, Ohio, who handles and disposes of them properly.

In 2023, we recycled:

• 1,141 lbs. (.571 tons) of e-waste
• 6,233 lbs. (3.117 tons) of paper
• 48 lbs. of fluorescent bulbs

This resulted in a total of 7,411 lbs. (3.711 tons) of materials recycled.

Community partnerships:

We’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge that access to environmentally sustainable options is not equitable and the results of environmental injustices harming communities not only in our own city, but all over the world.

Through our Corporate Social Responsibility and DEI efforts, we support organizations that are working to bridge these gaps.

We began working with the Akron Zoo in September 2019. By bringing aluminum cans to the Akron Zoo’s collection center, they can recycle them and send the money to the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, which helps plant trees in the Brazilian rainforest. In 2023 alone, we collected 3,443 cans, resulting in 68 trees planted in the Brazilian rainforest.

We have also been long-time supporters of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, which plays a critical role in local sustainability. Through a variety of programs, they rescue food that would otherwise go to waste to feed families facing hunger. Some of these programs are Direct Distribution, Community Harvest and Starbucks Foodshare programs, the agency direct pickup program.

These are just a couple of the organizations that we support in their missions to protect our planet and our neighbors. With our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, in conjunction with our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, we aim to do our part in supporting our community and our planet.

While Matt Gehring, Esq., Manager of Compliance Services, is the newest member of our Compliance Department, he isn’t new to lobbying compliance or State and Federal Communications, Inc. Three years ago, he joined our team as a Manager of Research Services and recently became a Manager of Compliance Services.

During his time in the Research Department, Matt oversaw entries covering the Western United State and worked to ensure we have the most up-to-date information available to clients.

In his new role as a Manager of Compliance Services, Matt interacts significantly more with clients and lobbyists, as well as the systems that are used in different states.

“In the Compliance Department, you work with and learn the different filing systems and rules. You talk with clients, help them to the best of your ability, and get all the information you need so you can file reports correctly,” he explained.

Matt is an expert in the Compliance Department with his familiarity with the systems and processes that we use to assist our clients.

“The more you do something, the more you understand the quirks and nuances of it,” he said.

In those cases, when those quirks and nuances cause problems when filing reports, Matt can work directly with those states and organizations to advocate for our clients, and to let them know what may need to be fixed, clarified, or improved upon.

“In some states, there are so many peculiarities with what the state asks that it obfuscates what the state actually wants to be reported. It’s common to touch base with states every couple of months to iron out these peculiarities,” he explained, “even more so in when dealing with problematic filing systems. We are proud of our ability to work with states to ensure we are providing the best service possible.”

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what we can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.

As a Manager of Compliance Services, Carlo Aguja, Esq., has been providing his expertise and helping our clients for six years. He first began as a Manager of Research Services at State and Federal Communications, Inc. in 2018.

Carlo came to Ohio from the East Coast. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware, majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Economics. It wasn’t until he attended law school at the University of Detroit Mercy that he found an affinity for law, with a particular interest in criminal and immigration law.

In a previous role, Carlo worked at an IT company as the company’s legal corporate counsel, as well as helping with HR and managing immigration processes for employees moving to the United States. In this role, he became comfortable with work related to regulations and following standards set by the United States government.

As family members made the move to Northeast Ohio, Carlo felt it was time for a change, so he followed them. He found that State and Federal Communications, Inc. included work that was already in his wheelhouse.

“In my previous job. I had to make sure I was up to date in the laws that would affect the company, research it, interpret it, and then disperse it companywide. It was different law, but the same skill set,” he explained.

While understanding compliance laws is a major part of the job, Carlo says that not only is it important to answer what the client is asking, but it’s critical to anticipate the questions they may not think to ask.

“Issues may arise from innocuous questions,” he pointed out. “A client may ask me about getting coffee with a legislator in Connecticut, but he’s not registered in Connecticut, or he’s never even mentioned Connecticut before in his areas of responsibility. You’re always trying to do what’s in front of you and then anticipate.”

Carlo also says it’s important to understand the culture of different jurisdictions when working with lobbyists and legislators in different parts of the country.

“For example, states that are predominantly in the Northeast may have dealt with a specific issue over the last hundred years and will treat it differently than somewhere else that maybe never experienced that issue. These differences can affect how they choose to regulate the same issue. So, the Northeast might handle things a certain way, whereas the South is different,” Carlo explained.

Not only are the cultures of those states completely different, but their state legislatures may also operate very differently.

“In some places, a lobbyist can give a political contribution. In other places, they restrict it completely,” he explained.

The State and Federal Communications, Inc. team is full of experts you can trust. Learn more about what they can do for you at https://stateandfed.com/services/.