It is summer and you know what that means in state government affairs. Meetings. Meetings. Meetings.

Okay, I know many of you will not be at the first one but I will see you at many of the other places across the continental United States.

1.  Greek Orthodox Clergy-Laity Congress—July 6-10 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;

2.  National Governors Association—July 10-July 13 in Nashville, Tennessee;

3.  Council of State Governments MLC—July 13-July 16 in Omaha, Nebraska;

4.  IACREOT Conference—July 23-24 in Bonita Springs, Florida;

5.  NCSL Legislative Leaders—July 24-25 in Washington, DC;

6.  Council of State Governments National and Western Annual Conference—
August 9-13 in Anchorage, Alaska; and

7.  National Conference of State Legislatures—August 18-22 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Now that is a lot of traveling for anyone to handle. I skipped a couple of the other regional CSG meetings because…well, I do need to stop at the office and home every once in a while.

Follow the travel either on Facebook or Twitter @elizabethbartz. You may enjoy the photos and the opportunities or it just might tire you out. Either way, it will not be boring.

Looking forward to sharing with you my reflection of owning State and Federal Communications for 21 years in next month’s issue. Stay tuned.

 

State and Federal Communications is proud to be a sponsor and associate for The Council of State Governments Midwest Legislative Conference in Omaha, Nebraska!

Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, is attending the conference, which runs from July 13-16.

The CSG website offers the following explanation of the event: “The Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting is a family-friendly, regionally focused event designed to meet the needs and interests of state legislators from our 11-state region. Held in a different Midwestern city every year, the four-day event features policy sessions on issues of critical importance to this region and its legislators.”

 

Join me on June 3 for “Mid-term Elections, High-stake Races: Get the Story on State Compliance,” a webinar hosted by the Association of Government Relations Professionals.

I’ll be speaking about:

• How to utilize direct corporate dollars when contributing to state candidates.
• Knowing the ins and outs of using a federal PAC to contribute to state candidates
• McCutcheon vs. FEC: Understanding the impact on the states
• Becoming familiar with navigating complex state pay-to-play laws
• Discerning the elements of an effective compliance strategy: Pay-to-play and corporate contributions

The mid-term elections are around the corner. Make sure you have the information you need to stay compliant.

See you on June 3,

Elizabeth Bartz

President and CEO of State and Federal Communications, Inc.

Elizabeth Bartz is the featured speaker in today’s Public Affairs Council State Procurement Strategies webinar. This presentation is the final installment of the four-part “Strengthening State Government Relations” series and will begin at 2:00 p.m.

You can find details of the webinar on the Public Affairs Council website.

Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, was the guest speaker at the 2014 Kent State University Trumbull Campus commencement. Her message was highlighted by three points: “Listen. Learn. Live.” Enjoy this short video from the event:

 

For the third year, State and Federal Communications has joined the American Heart Association in its Go Red for Women program. This year I am a member of the Circle of Red Society, and John Chames is a member of the Red Tie Society.

This is still an important message.

TODAY, heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, causing one in three deaths each year. But it can be prevented. TODAY, Make It Your Mission to learn how to stop this killer, and then tell five women you love you want them to live. TODAY, you can help us stop heart disease in our lifetime. You have an opportunity to support this mission. Call your local American Heart Association and make a contribution. Here is how your donation can make a difference:

• $1,000 provides the newest CPR guidelines to more than 60 emergency care providers, teaching them the most effective skills for treating cardiac arrest.
• $500 allows us to distribute the innovative CPR Anytime to 10 women who can then train 2 to 3 friends or loved ones.
• $250 will teach 50 women in your community the connection between good food and good health by showing them heart-healthy ways to prepare food using the Recipes for the Heart cookbook.
• $100 can equip one hospital or health department with American Stroke Association resources to educate female patients, the public, and health professionals on stroke prevention and life after stroke.

TODAY, check out www.heart.org and learn more about heart health. TODAY is the day to make a difference.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz

 

 

We have an exciting announcement. Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, will be the guest speaker at the Kent State University Trumbull Campus 2014 spring commencement ceremony. The event will take place on Friday, May 9, 2014.

Bartz is featured in a news release on the KSU Trumbull news page. According to the release, “Bartz, a former Trumbull County resident, is a Howland High School graduate, and attended classes at Kent State Trumbull (1976-78) before receiving a bachelor’s degree in journalism (‘80) and a master’s degree in political science (‘82) from Kent State University. Bartz currently serves on Kent State’s National Alumni Association Board; the Community Advisory Council for the university’s National Public Radio affiliate, WKSU; and serves on the Journalism Professional Advisory Board.”

Congratulations, Elizabeth!

Elizabeth Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, is appearing as a panelist at the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) 2014 Conference in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 6.

Bartz, who is a graduate of Kent State University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, is joining the panel “How Broadcast Media Stays Relevant in a Changing Global Environment” with Evan Rosenblum of TMZ & TMZ Sports and Heather Zimmer of Parchment, Inc.

Here is a description of the session from the BEA website:

“Academic media professionals must stay relevant in our ever-changing broadcast environment. We must ensure we not so enamored with today’s technology that we diminish the foundational skills and professional values that prepare students for the world beyond traditional and “new” media. What we teach lays a foundation for making students relevant across all disciplines whether or not they hold a camera, microphone, punch a switcher or write a web story.”

Congratulations, Elizabeth!

 

 

No surprise it is 2014 and there have been a lot of elections already. And there are more on the horizon. Is your organization ready to handle the requests for contributions from direct contributions, federal PACs, or state PACs? Are you even prepared to discuss how the procurement process affects your contribution decisions? And, how do the individual contributions from employees and their families affect the contracts you have in the states, cities, and counties?

On Thursday, April 3^rd, Amber Fish Linke, Nola Werren, and I will host the Public Affairs Council Compliance on the State Level webinar from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET. It is only an hour long but will be full of the information you need right now.

1. Amber Fish Linke will start our program by talking about state and local lobbying laws and gift laws.
2. Nola Werren will continue the conversation and discuss the pay-to-play laws, strategies for compliance, and how to avoid violations. She will follow that up with a discussion about state campaign finance laws and where you can make corporate contributions.
3. I will round out the discussion with what to watch for in the procurement process.

Riveting conversation for a Thursday afternoon … but so important to know in 2014. Take the time to register now for the webinar by going to www.pac.org or contact Piper Evans, Manager of the Council’s Government Relations Practice, at 202-787-5978 or pevans@pac.org.

Your company’s reputation in its home state and where it has business operations depends on it. As we are preparing our program if you have a specific question to ask, please send me an e-mail at ebartz@stateandfed.com.

Be the person your company can depend on to hit a home run by having this important information at your fingertips.

Until next month, batter up!

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz

 

Along with their stunning new website, the Association of Government Relations Professionals has launched a member spotlight series. We are proud to say Elizabeth Bartz is the first member to be featured.

Take a look at “4 Questions with a Member: Elizabeth Bartz” and find out how she started in government relations, her professional philosophy, and her involvement in the community!

Congratulations, Elizabeth!

 

 

For those of you who read this column regularly, you know I like my music.

Call me (call me) on the line
Call me, call me any, any anytime
Call me (call me) I’ll arrive
You can call me any day or night
Call me!

In this instance, we want you to call Elliott Postlewait, our marketing assistant. He is the #1 person who can help you navigate through our website. Our goal is to make sure all of our subscribers have everyone on staff understand the value received from State and Federal Communications. We are not just Compliance Now, Lobby Comply, Summary of Changes, or News You Can Use. We do a lot more than just post on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Our website, www.stateandfed.com, is full of all of the information you need to handle compliance in your government relations or legal offices for lobbying, campaign finance, procurement, pay-to-play, and gift laws in the 50 states, District of Columbia, Federal, more than 250 municipalities, and Canada.

Give Elliott Postlewait a call at 330-761-9960 or e-mail him at epostlewait@stateandfed.com and set up a time for a call with your team. Call him, call him any anytime.

Until next month, take the time to take a drive through our website…Elliott will help you maneuver through our site.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz

 

 

 

State and Federal Communications, Inc., nationally recognized for its government compliance resources, announces 2013 appointments and achievements, highlighting the company’s embodiment of leadership and ethical standards.

President and CEO, Elizabeth Bartz, has been selected to join the Board of Directors for the National Conference of State Legislatures Foundation and the Public Affairs Council. Serving on both boards, Bartz brings with her the values and principles she imparts on State and Federal Communications, Inc. She also brings years of knowledge and experience surrounding government compliance and her dedication to the public affairs industry.

The values demonstrated throughout the company’s 20-year history include a commitment to the public affairs industry as a whole and the overall community. Under Bartz’ leadership and foresight and with much hard work, State and Federal Communications also received recognition for its growth and involvement in the community. The company received a 2013 Weatherhead 100 award for being one of the fastest-growing companies in Northeast Ohio. Additionally, State and Federal Communications received the Private Sector Small Company 2013 Pinnacle Award of Summit County. This exclusive honor is given to those organizations serving the greater good of the community and continued efforts around corporate social responsibility.

The leadership exemplified by Bartz is inspiring and a reminder of the impact a small business can make. “I know many of my colleagues and clients are also in leadership roles and doing even more than State and Federal Communications, and I only hope we set an example for the next generation of leaders,” stated Bartz.

 

I really can’t stay – Baby it’s cold outside
I’ve got to go away – Baby it’s cold outside
This evening has been – Been hoping that you’d drop in
So very nice – I’ll hold your hands, they’re just like ice

We all love the holidays with the lights, songs, and snow…But, it sure is cold out there. So this is a perfect time to plan your professional development for 2014, especially the Public Affairs Conference Grassroots and Political Action Committee conferences.

The Grassroots conference is in Miami Beach, February 3-6, and is full of programs.  This year there are four new tracks to help with your needs—Core, Creative Solutions, Communications, and Challenges. The list of sessions includes:

1. How Do I Raise My Profile with Michael Jacobson, U.S. Travel Association;

2. How Capitol Hill is Changing the Way the Way It Listens to Constituents with Faiz Shakir, Office of U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid;

3. Can Siri Advocate with Michael Panetta, Beekeeper Group;

4. The Fly-In: Back with a Vengeance with Caitlin Donohue, National Restaurant Association; and

5. My personal favorite, Ethics, Gift Rules and Legal Updates for an Election Year with Ken Gross, Skadden Arps.

The PAC conference is in South Beach, March 3-6, and also has four learning tracks—PAC Management, Communications Strategies, Fundraising Tools, and PAC Plus. The list of sessions includes:

1. Looking at 2014 and Beyond with Sara Fagen, DDC Advocacy;

2. Managing Political Contributions at the State Level with Dominick Ciaraldo, Comcast;

3. How Data is Transforming Elections and Politics with Sasha Issenberg, author of The Victory Lab; and

4. Again, my favorites, Legal Guidance for Corporate PACs with Ken Gross, Skadden Arps and Legal Guidance for Association PACS with Michael Toner, Wiley Rein LLP.

I know it can be difficult to convince supervisors that conferences in Florida are a good investment. But, these really are a good investment of funds and time. Check out www.pac.org for more information.

On behalf of the staff at State and Federal Communications, we wish you a very Happy New Year. We look forward to continuing to be your trusted advisers in 2014.

Thank you,

Elizabeth Z. Bartz
President and CEO
@elizabethbartz