Peter Drucker once said, “Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”

I am hardly the person who pats myself on the back about the good things happening at State and Federal Communications—I know it takes a village to make it all happen.

What I do remember is signing a document on July 1, 1993, with my former employer at State and Federal Associates to take on the operation and finances of what is now State and Federal Communications. I do recall I had an upset stomach all day…and will leave it at that because I had never entered into any business agreement prior to that day.

The time has flown…Honestly, when you do something you love to do it really is not work. We have grown and continue to grow. We are anticipating bringing on our 50th employee in the near future and acclimating the staff to FMLA.

What will we continue to do for you?

We will add more and more municipalities to our site because many of you are working with these localities to offer your services. I just returned from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and saw many of you who want to have a great relationship with the mayors.

I never saw the Grateful Dead, but I just read “Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History” by David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan. The Grateful Dead did not listen to large music producers…The band listened to its fans. We always listen to our clients. If you have a question or a suggestion, please contact us because we would not be here if we did not have great clients.

Go International. We completed a review of lobbying and political contributions in Ireland and will soon include it on our site for you to peruse. We have heard many of you are traveling to Europe and Asia and we want to be your source for how to handle international compliance issues.

Thank you for your loyalty. We appreciate and are proud of all of our clients who always want to do the next right thing in compliance.

It is summer time and we are going to attend many conferences this summer and look forward to seeing you along the way.

What do the National Conference of State Legislatures, the American Legislative Exchange Council, and the Council of State Governments have in common?

They all have national conferences where you can meet with meet with public officials, sponsor activities, host receptions, and distribute promotional items. But, these opportunities require your due diligence to ensure you remain compliant with all applicable gift and lobbying laws.

Our new tip sheet “Ethics Implications for Expenditures at National Conferences” will help you determine what you can – and cannot – do at these conferences so you can always say, “I comply.”

Get your FREE copy today!

Written by interns Katelynn Chilson and Olivia Williams: State and Federal Communications has a strong commitment to helping our community. We believe we all have a responsibility to help our community, and we try to give back in whatever ways we can.

Every year we join Summit County United Way and participate in their Day of Action. In previous years, we’ve helped landscape the Lake Anna YMCA, sorted clothes and painted at Goodwill, and painted the gymnasium walls at the East Akron YMCA. On June 21, we helped to put on a carnival at the YMCA Family Enrichment Center in Akron, Ohio. It was a wonderful experience to help the kids with arts and crafts, officiate potato sack races, and run other carnival-inspired games.

We had a great day at the YMCA Family Enrichment Center. Seeing the excitement on the children’s faces made for a fun-filled and inspiring Day of Action.  Each year we are reminded why we love volunteering our time to the growth of our community, and each year we love to see the community coming together to make Akron the welcoming city it is.

Check out a few more of our favorite photos from this years Day of Action!

Attending any of these events in June? Make sure you say hi to the State and Federal Communications Team!

June 7 GAIN: DC Decorum, Crafting Communications, Washington, D.C.

June 7 NCSL Symposium for Legislative Leaders Reception, Washington, D.C.

June 11-13 WistiaFest 2017, Boston, MA

June 13 Public Affairs Council Digital Media and Advocacy Summit, Washington, D.C.

June 19 The Advocacy Group Summer Reception, Washington, D.C.

June 19-22 BIO International Conference, San Diego, CA

June 21 Ohio Summer Social, Washington, D.C.

June 23-26 U.S. Conference of Mayors, Miami Beach, FL

Check out some photos from staff anniversaries we celebrated in April and May! And don’t forget to check out our staff tributes to Nola Werren, celebrating 20 years with State and Federal Communications!

It isn’t everyday someone walks in your doors and stays for 20 years. I am not talking about my husband or my pets…Nola Werren entered State and Federal Communications and has found a home, which has been fabulous for the company and our clients.

Twenty years ago, I sent letters to attorneys all over Akron looking for an attorney who did not want to practice. The letter made its way to a University of Akron Law School professor who forwarded it to Nola. She has held a lot of different titles at State and Federal Communications, and all have been handled with the love and care only Nola can provide. She leaves no stone unturned in her work.

Nola was recognized for her tenure with a companywide party on May 26. The video tributes from her colleagues are hilarious. Check them out here to see how much she is adored.

Nola is the company’s first employee to reach this milestone…and there are others closely behind. It fills my heart knowing people have the confidence to work for a small business owner.

I cannot thank her enough for sticking with us through thick and thin and building up the company to what it is today…And, I look forward to her contributions for our future.

Thank you, Nola.

State and Federal Communications, Inc. is upping our green-game with help and guidance from Downtown Akron Partnership and the City of Akron. We recently began a program that will allow us to participate in the city’s single-stream recycling program for not only cans and cardboard, but for bottles, cartons, cups, and many other items generated in our workplace environment!

State and Federal Communications has always taken seriously the proper disposal and recycling of our business-related electronics, batteries, legacy fluorescent bulbs, and mountains of shipping cardboard and paper; proudly reporting over 3 tons of recycled materials to Summit County ReWorks for the 2016 calendar year!

By expanding our own program and coordinating with Akron community partners, we step closer to achieving our company and employee goals of being better stewards. Many employee-generated items within the office can now be processed for collection by the city within their single-stream recycling program.

The Downtown Akron Partnership program, working with the City of Akron and others, provides resources within our downtown district to promote and build a vibrant and valuable downtown. We are proud to be part of this great community!

At the 17^th Annual OMNIKAL National Business Summit at The Harvard Club in New York City on May 18, 2017, State and Federal Communications, Inc., and its President and CEO, Elizabeth Z. Bartz, were honored with a key diversity award as a Top 100 Women-Owned Business in Ohio, and are the only business in Akron, Ohio named to the list.

Each year OMNIKAL (formerly DiversityBusiness.com) collects and compiles data that results in the “Top Businesses Lists” on a state and national level. More than 2 million businesses in the United States have the opportunity to participate in the annual OMNIKAL business survey. OMNIKAL selects winning companies after reviewing each entrant’s business profile, website, and gross annual sales.

State and Federal Communications has won an “America’s Top Business” award every year since 2008.

According to OMNIKAL CEO and Founder Kenton Clarke, “These top privately-held companies are all distinguished by their progressive cultures and dynamic strategies.”

Mr. Clarke explains that OMNIKAL’s “Top American Businesses Lists” offer the most comprehensive look at the strongest and largest segment of the United States economy – America’s privately held companies. These middle market companies are recognized and respected, having truly differentiated themselves in our ever-evolving inclusive marketplace.

Ms. Bartz adds, “Being ranked highly with other leading companies across America is an achievement we are all proud of at State and Federal Communications. It shows our ongoing commitment to deliver quality government compliance information and consulting services to many companies, associations, and corporate and contract lobbyists. This award is an honor for our employees, clients, and the community where we live and work.”

Pictured are State and Federal Communications President and CEO, Elizabeth Z. Bartz; OMNIKAL CEO and Founder, Kenton Clarke; and Pinnacle Group Chairman and CEO, Nina Vaca

Founded in 1993, State and Federal Communications, Inc. provides government compliance information and consulting to Fortune 500 companies; trade, labor, and professional associations; and corporate and contract lobbyists in all 50 states. The firm’s in-house staff of attorneys is expert in state, federal, and municipal laws regarding lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying. The company distributes accurate, comprehensive, and timely information which its clients rely on to maintain compliance with laws in all 50 states, the federal government, Canada, and almost 300 municipalities. For more information, visit StateandFed.com or Contact Us to learn more.

Kayleigh Crumb has been an excellent choice as the first student to receive the recently endowed ‘Elizabeth Z. Bartz Scholarship for Howland Tigers.’ This scholarship is given to a graduate of Howland High School who is entering Kent State University at Trumbull Campus as a freshman.

Kayleigh received the 2016 scholarship award last fall, after graduating from high school, and enrolling at the KSU Trumbull campus. After her first semester at the university, she was named to the Dean’s List by achieving a 4.0 grade-point average. She also received a KSU Trumbull Freshman Scholarship for her efforts.

Elizabeth Z. Bartz, who provided $30,000 to Kent State University at Trumbull to endow the ongoing scholarship program, said, “I am delighted that Kayleigh was the first student from Howland High School to receive this scholarship. She has already done so well and has a bright future ahead of her. I endowed this scholarship last year in honor of my 40-year graduation anniversary from Howland High School because I wanted to give back and help graduating seniors from Howland High School attend the local area KSU Trumbull Campus, just like I did. Meeting Kayleigh has showed me I made the right decision to help promising students pay their early college costs.”

Kayleigh added, “I want to be a news anchor or work in the broadcasting field with my journalism major. Even while at Howland High School, I was able to take classes offered by Kent State and was able to obtain nine college course credits. This scholarship, generously provided by Ms. Bartz, helped me a lot so I could attend Kent State University at Trumbull, where I am getting the same education as the main campus in an affordable, safe and convenient location.”

Starting in the fall of 2017, Kayleigh will attend the main campus of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, for her second year of classes. She is also being inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success later this month, the nation’s largest leadership honor society.

For upcoming seniors at Howland High School who will graduate and then attend Kent State University at Trumbull this Fall, they can learn more about the ‘Elizabeth Z. Bartz Scholarship for Howland Tigers’ and apply starting May 1, 2017, at this KSU website: http://www.kent.edu/trumbull/campus-scholarships

Elizabeth, who graduated from Kent State University having earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism in 1980 and a Master of Arts Degree in Political Science in 1982, credits the KSU Trumbull Campus and its professors as the place and people who supported her at the beginning of her university journey. Her endowment now ensures a scholarship is awarded each year to a Howland High School graduate, in a program managed by KSU.

We’ve got a busy month of May planned. If you are attending any of these events, please say hello!

May 1   Book Forum – The Soul of the First Amendment, Washington, DC

May 2   Ohio Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Reception, Columbus, Ohio

May 3   Free Website Tour of State and Federal Communications Online Publications

May 4   Leadership in the 21st Century Program Alumni Event, Washington, DC

May 4   Public Affairs Council Cinco de Mayo Happy Hour, Washington, DC

May 9   WGR Toastmasters, Washington, DC

May 11   Montgomery County Council – African Affairs Advisory Group Meeting, Silver Spring, Maryland

May 12   Advocacy Leaders Network: Advocacy on the Cheap: Changing the World on Any Budget, Washington, DC

May 18   17th Annual Omnikal Business Summit, New York, NY

May 23   WGR Toastmasters, Washington, DC

May 24   2017 Advocacy Leaders Network Spring Happy Hour, Washington, DC

Elizabeth Bartz had a surprise visitor stop by our office. ADaM, the mascot for the Summit County ADM Board, came by to say ‘Thank You!’ for her donation to the annual ADM Recovery Challenge.

State and Federal Communications is proud to contribute to the ADM Board, and we are committed to their dedicated efforts to those individuals most in need in Summit County.

Learn how you can get involved on the Challenge’s Facebook page or at www.admboard.org.

State and Federal Communications, Inc. has released a new white paper on The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) authored by Research Associate George Ticoras.

Legal compliance with all the rules and regulations is always important to the broad network of government relations professionals, companies, and organizations we serve. We prepared this white paper to explain the purpose of the FCPA as an anti-bribery statute, and to provide background on preventing the bribery of governmental officials of foreign nations by individuals and entities under the jurisdiction of the United States.

The purpose of the FCPA is to prohibit giving a payment of any money or other thing of value to a foreign official for purposes of influencing the official to act in a corrupt manner in order to obtain or retain business. The corrupt action could be an unlawful act or behavior made to secure an unfair advantage for the donor. The FCPA was enacted in 1977 and is enforced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

FCPA enforcement continues to be a high priority area for the SEC. Violations can lead to substantial punitive actions including civil and criminal enforcement actions against issuers and their officers, directors, employees, stockholders, and agents. The growing frequency of settlements, non-prosecution agreements, oversight, and self-reporting make understanding the depth of the FCPA’s impact on corporate business increasingly apparent and important.

The State and Federal Communications white paper of the FCPA is useful for all practitioners and government relations professionals involved in international business and compliance.

To obtain a free copy of the white paper, visit State and Federal Communications to access a PDF.