You would think all would be quiet after the hustle and bustle of the holidays.  Well, not at State and Federal Communications.  January is our busiest month, and our professionals are putting in extra effort, energy, and time to make sure your annual state  reporting and registrations are accurate and on-time.

To fortify our staff during this time, we have bumped up our employee perks for January.  We stocked the kitchens with healthy breakfast and lunch items, such as, yogurts, granola, nuts, pretzels, apples, oranges,  bananas, peanut butter, jelly, and whole grain bread.  We are carrying in a hot lunch every Wednesday.

Last week’s lunch of Papa Joe’s Lasagna and Salad lasted through the week.  Who doesn’t like leftovers?  After a long week, who wants to worry about dinner on Friday?  Every Friday, we made arrangements for our staff to take home half-baked pizzas and family-sized salads from Luigi’s, the best pizza place in Akron.

It’s not all about food though.  To help with releasing some tension, we offered chair massages from a local energy expert and professional massage therapist to all our employees.

Our professionals are working hard and enjoying themselves.  A big shout out to all our amazing employees and to our President and CEO Elizabeth Bartz for supporting the extra perks.

Ren Koozer, Executive Director at State and Federal Communications, is attending the Public Affairs Institute in Laguna Beach, California. The week-long Public Affairs Council program is a combination of unparalleled public affairs speakers, small group discussions, and networking.

The Public Affairs Council website says this about the Institute: “For more than thirty years, the Public Affairs Institute has brought together a world-class faculty and senior-level public affairs professionals to discuss emerging political, economic, social and technological issues in a rigorous, intriguing, innovative curriculum.”

Take a look at the exciting agenda!

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.

Have you tried to call State and Federal Communications today? We have had weather issues in Akron and many people are getting a busy signal. Really, it is 2014, who gets a busy signal anymore? Even my parents have call waiting.

Anyway, call again. The weather is warming up. It is up to 2 degrees!

Enjoy these fun photos from recent events!

 

 

 

At any given time, more than 1,000 legislative bills, which can affect how you do business as a government affairs professional, are being discussed in federal, state, and local jurisdictions. These bills are summarized in State and Federal Communications’ digital encyclopedias for lobbying laws, political contributions, and procurement lobbying and can be found in the client portion of our website.

Summaries of major bills are also included in monthly email updates sent to all clients. The chart below shows the number of bills we are tracking in regard to lobbying laws, political contributions, and procurement lobbying.

Here is our January – March calendar. If you are attending any of the coming events, please stop by and say hello!

January 2-5   Women In Government’s – 20th Annual State Director’s Conference, Phoenix, Arizona

January 12-17   Public Affairs Institute, Laguna Beach, California

January 22-24   The United States Conference of Mayors’ 82nd Winter Meeting, Washington, D.C.

January 30 – February 1   NCSL Executive Committee Meeting & NCSL Foundation Board Meeting, Austin, Texas

February 3-6   Public Affairs Council National Grassroots Conference, Miami Beach, Florida

March 3-6   Public Affairs Council National PAC Conference, Miami Beach, Florida

March 16-19   NASPO Marketing to State Governments, San Diego, California

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

We have many things for which we are thankful at State and Federal Communications. Before the day gets away from us, we would like to thank you for following Lobby Comply Blog.

We have had a great year and look forward to giving our very best service to our clients in 2014. Health and happiness to you and to your families. From all of us at State and Federal Communications, we wish you Happy Holidays!

We are sending out the 2014 State and Federal Communications, Inc. Executive Source Guidebooks. For all of our clients who receive them, they will arrive in early January.

If you would like to know more about our Guidebooks and our compliance services, send a request to marketing@stateandfed.com.

State and Federal Communications is the proud sponsor of the closing session at the Professional Women in Advocacy Conference on December 10, 2013. The event, which is designed for people engaged in all forms of advocacy, will be held in Washington, D.C. from December 9-10, 2013.

According to the organization’s website: “To give us a strong close to our conference and leave participants with plenty of food for thought, State & Federal Communications will present a session called “Been There Done That.”  This discussion features Moderator Sam Bennett, President of the Women’s Campaign Fund, Former U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln and Former U.S. Representative Mary Bono. These accomplished women will discuss their path to leadership and their post public office success in the world of advocacy.  Tuesday, December 10th at 2:15pm.”

We are also excited to have another strong presence at this exciting conference. Federal Compliance Associate Rebecca South and Marketing Manager Melissa Coultas will be attending. Rebecca South will also be offering the presentation “Mentor Center: Public Speaking” on Tuesday, December 10.

State and Federal Communications has a team of eight leaving tomorrow to attend the 2013 Council on Government Ethics Laws (COGEL) Annual Conference! It will be held from December 8-11 in Quebec City.

We never miss a COGEL conference, and this one should prove to be exciting. It will be good to see many familiar faces.

Here is what the COGEL website says about this year’s event:

This year’s conference brings us to the majestic Le Chateau Frontenac, a National Historic Site of Canada. This picture-perfect hotel is nestled in Old Quebec City, an enchanting destination that will be decked out for the holidays in December. Quebec City itself is a UNESCO Heritage Site and its cobble-stoned streets will lead you to charming neighborhood bistros, quaint shops and delicious bakeries. You will be steps away from historical attractions, shopping and plenty of attractions for you and your family.

Whether you are a first-time attendee or a veteran, engaging and informative sessions await you, all directly related to your work. You will learn about the latest legal developments, share important tips and best practices with COGEL partners and capture new ideas to take back to your office.

The photo of Le Chateau Frontenac courtesy of AirBete on Wikimedia Commons.

Here is our December – January calendar. If you are attending any of the coming events, please stop by and say hello!

December 3, 2013   Weatherhead 100, Cleveland, Ohio

December 3, 2013   State and Federal Communications, Inc. Holiday Party, Akron, Ohio

December 3, 2013   Ohio Holiday Party, Washington, D.C.

December 4, 2013   NCSL Foundation Dinner, Washington, D.C.

December 4-7, 2013   NCSL Fall Forum, Washington, D.C.

December 5, 2013   Reception honoring Sen. Debbie Smith, NCSL President-elect

December 8-10, 2013  Council on Government Ethics Laws Annual Conference, Quebec City, Quebec

December 12, 2013   SGAC Holiday Party, Washington, D.C.

December 12, 2013   DDC Holiday Party, Washington, D.C.

December 17, 2013   WASRG Holiday Happy Hour for the Kids, Washington, D.C.

January 12-16, 2014   Public Affairs Institute, Laguna Beach, California

January 22-24, 2014   United States Conference of Mayors 2014 Winter Meeting, Washington, D.C.