It was a big day for the United Way of Summit County and State and Federal Communications had a big presence at the event. Many of our team were there to celebrate another record-breaking campaign. Elizabeth Bartz, our president and CEO was among the Board Members being honored as they finish their 6 years of amazing service, and she addressed the crowd on their behalf.

For the seventh year in a row, State and Federal Communications received an award for “Highest Per Employee Corporate Giving” in the category of 49 and fewer employees. We love the United Way of Summit County and look forward to more opportunities to Live United!

Gerald Craig, Executive Director of the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health (ADM) Services Board stopped by to thank Elizabeth Bartz for being a sponsor of the 2015 ADM Recovery Challenge. State and Federal Communications is proud to contribute to the ADM Board, and we support their dedicated efforts to those individuals most in need in Summit County.

The 3rd ADM Recovery Challenge obstacle-course 5K will be on May 16, 2015, at IBH Addiction Recovery Center in Akron.

Last month at the Public Affairs Council PAC Conference someone came up to me and was surprised our website could be viewed on an iPhone. Well, I guess we have not done a good job of getting the good word out.

In 2013, we updated our website and one of the fabulous benefits is the ability to view it on all devices…As pictured, I have it on my iPhone 6, iPhone 6+, iPad, and my new Surface. My Executive Director Ren Koozer has it on his Droid phone. You can bring it up everywhere you can bring up other websites.

There is nothing better than being able to answer someone’s questions wherever I am in the world … and I get a lot of questions everywhere. Now you do not need to know where I am as long as you have access to www.stateandfed.com and a subscription to our online guides on lobbying, campaign finance, and procurement.

We will continue to shout this from the rooftops because we know we have the #1 site to access the information you need to know for your government relations or procurement lobbying work.

You just cannot buy it at the iTunes store…But, you can contact us from your smart phone, and we can help set up your subscription. Well, I think I just gave you something other than Words with Friends to do on your phone!!

Until next month, stay connected with State and Federal Communications. We will always have the information you need, wherever you may be.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz

Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, and Federal Compliance Associate Rebecca South are attending the Advocacy Leaders Network – Reaching Capitol Hill: The Class of 2015 event today in Washington, D.C.

As leaders in government relations compliance, we value the opportunity to attend this forum!

Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, will be a featured panelist in a session called “Procurement Lobbying and Legislation that Impacts Procurement” at the 2015 NASPO How to Market to State Governments Meeting.

The conference, which will be held in Philadelphia, PA, runs from March 29-31.

State and Federal Communications is proud to be a Bronze Sponsor of this national forum!

Akron, Ohio, 2015—For the seventh time, State and Federal Communications, Inc., under the leadership of President and CEO Elizabeth Z. Bartz, has been selected as one of the top 30 women-owned businesses in Ohio, and is the only company recognized in the city of Akron.

The “Top Businesses in America” program award from DiversityBusiness.com, a web-based publisher and business site, selected the Akron Company due to its overall leadership and economic achievements, ranking it as #17 in women-owned business and #37 in diversity-owned businesses in Ohio.

This is a considerable accomplishment given the current business climate in Ohio. The state currently ranks 46^th in the country in combined economic clout for women-owned companies – a measurement averaging the rankings in growth in number according to the State of Women-Owned Businesses report, sponsored by American Express OPEN.

Bartz recognizes the trend and sees this award as an opportunity. “As a successful small business owner and a woman, I believe it is important to be an example to other women, to demonstrate to the community what women can achieve and the impact we can have.”

Bartz says hard work in both business and community, is how rising above the trend is possible. She has witnessed disparity firsthand throughout her professional career, and uses these experiences as a motivator to grow not only her company and mentor her staff, but to also mentor other women and interns in the community. State and Federal Communications’ Intern Program is second to none in giving students experience working in the community, at the office, and providing solid compensation for the work performed.

Bartz believes the best advice she can give to other women is to encourage them to take on leadership roles and immerse themselves in the community. United Way of Summit County, Go Red for Women, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve, Susan G. Komen – Race for a Cure, the WKSU/Kent State University Foundation, and the Akron Urban League’s Speakers Series Platinum sponsorship only begin to chronicle the array of local organizations Bartz and her company support. She serves in a leadership role on multiple local and national boards, including Kent State University’s National Alumni Association Board, the State Government Affairs Council (SGAC), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Foundation, Council of State Governments (CSG), Public Affairs Council, and the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL).

“Keep growing and keep leading. This is how we create a trend in Ohio,” said Bartz, who also encourages her staff to get involved. “My staff gets all the credit for our achievements, but their dedication to the company is surpassed by their dedication to the community.”

This month, State and Federal Communications will also receive the NEO Success Award. This program annually recognizes the top-performing companies in Northeast Ohio and reflects the determination to expand and revitalize its economic status. Bartz believes the demonstration of their core values sets the company apart from other similar small businesses and are the ingredients needed to shift the direction Ohio is heading with diversity in the workplace.

The “Top Businesses in America” program is sponsored by major brands, including Apple, AT&T, Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Office Depot, Toyota, Cisco, and Verizon. The program offers one of the nation’s most coveted awards. More than 3,000 award recipients have been honored since the program’s inception. Bartz and the company also won the award since 2007.

One of the best parts of being involved with State Government Affairs Council is its dedication to help others. In November at its Leaders Policy Conference, the group raised money for Tee It Up for the Troops with a golf tournament.

Problem is I don’t golf. I have tried. I don’t golf. I can drive the golf cart, but to go out on the course…I look like Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack.

Thanks to SGAC and Tee It Up for the Troops we were able to help by bidding on a golf bag. In this case it was a bidding war with Chris Badgley from Daiichi Sankyo until the group offered to throw in another bag if I matched his bid. So, I now have a golf bag.

Tee It Up for the Troops was established in 2005 and has donated nearly $4 million to honor, remember, respect, and support veterans and their families. This past year the group has:

• Assisted more than 22,000 military families, saving families more than $35 million in lodging costs alone, plus food and transportation;
• Helped nearly 4,000 veterans to restore a sense of self, family, and hope;
• Served more than 1,500 of the most severely wounded service members with year-round programs in more than 30 different sports nationwide; and
• Reunited more than 50 wounded veterans who were separated due to battlefield injuries, changes in rehabilitation, or other reasons beyond their control.

State and Federal Communications knows when we team up with others we help make a difference. If you are so inclined, check out www.teeitupforthetroops.org to see how you can help.

Until next month, see what you can do to help others less fortunate.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz

This year, John Chames and I agreed to co-chair the 2015 Circle of Red and Men Go Red campaigns for the American Heart Association in Akron. February 6^th is National Wear Red Day.

Many are not aware cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of women. Go Red For Women’s mission is to save the lives of women – wives, mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters and friends – by creating awareness and helping to educate the women in our lives.  As a leader in the Greater Akron community we have been asking for support of this mission.

As a member of the State and Federal Communications Community, we are looking to you to also help us bring this critical issue to light in your community. Wherever you live, consider making a contribution to become members of Men Go Red and the Circle of Red to support the 2015 Go Red For Women Campaign. Find more information at www.goredforwomen.org.

We have attended this event year after year and we continue to be inspired by the sea of women and men proudly displaying their red, as well as the heartfelt stories of women in our community who have been touched by cardiovascular disease. We hope that you will join us as members of the Circle of Red and Men Go Red campaigns.  We can all make a difference.

Until next month, remember it is not just a man’s disease. One out of three women die of heart disease and stroke. And, it can be prevented.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz

Professor Wilson Huhn [kneeling on the right] from the University of Akron School of Law presented a one hour CLE about Abraham Lincoln’s influence on the interpretation of the Constitution.

State and Federal Communications had a team of 10 attending the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) 36th Annual Conference. It was held from December 7-10 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the beautiful OMNI William Penn Hotel. COGEL always offers great sessions concerning lobbying, campaign finance, governmental ethics, and election laws and best practices. It was good to see many familiar faces and meet new members.

In December we gathered together at Flemings in Akron for our annual holiday party. We had a relaxing night with good food and time to talk to each other. The staff presented Elizabeth with their gift to her – a pair of tickets to see Jay Leno and dinner beforehand at District. Elizabeth also presented the winner of the door decorating contest and gave each employee Akron’s famous TEMOs chocolate tree to enjoy.

State and Federal Communications is proud to be a sponsor of the Professional Women in Advocacy Conference on November 19-21, 2014 in Washington, D.C.

We are also excited to announce Elizabeth Bartz will be moderating the Friday lunch discussion panel Been There, Done That: Words of Wisdom and Experience.

The amazing panel lineup includes Debra Cabral, CEO of Story Partners; The Honorable Nancy Johnson, Senior Advisor of Baker Donelson; and The Honorable Barbara Kennelly, Founder of Barbara Kennelly Associates.

Elizabeth Bartz has been named one of the 2014 Women of Power by the Akron Urban League at their Fourth Annual Awards Luncheon.

The organization says: “Women of Power Awards are granted to women who have made a difference in the organizations where they work and also to the community at-large.  Award nominees can be of any age or level in their careers, they might be well known in the community or unsung heroes, but they are women who are committed to making a difference and giving back.”

Congratulations, Elizabeth!

Readers of Compliance NOW know how important professional development is to me. Everyone at State and Federal Communications knows from Day #1 they need to take advantage of the opportunities we provide for such development and are encouraged to also find other programs. We have all learned a lot from a popular seminar on grammar and many of us have attended the Disney Institute on working with our customers.

There are two Public Affairs Council programs in February 2015 you should consider attending.

National Grassroots Conference from February 3rd through 6th is the largest and really the most comprehensive conference of its kind. The speakers are corporate and association government affairs professionals who implement grassroots programs. You will learn strategies to improve your communications and increase your success.

National PAC Conference—or as we refer to it PAC PAC—from February 23rd to February 26th is definitely the leading program for a PAC professional. It combines the important skills training you need for the important elections facing our country.

There is one other plus to attending these conferences—you know, other than all the information you will learn and bring back to your organization—is they are both in Florida at a time when we could use a double dose of Vitamin D. The National Grassroots Conference is in Key West and the PAC PAC Conference is in Orlando at Universal’s Portofino Bay property. If this brings up questions, remind everyone the days start early in Florida and networking goes on through the evenings.

State and Federal Communications will be in attendance at both conferences—as we have been for years—and look forward to seeing you there. If you do have questions about either of these programs, please do not hesitate to give me a call. I would be happy to provide additional information.

Until next month, think about how you can sharpen your skills for the upcoming active legislative and election year.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz