The Association of Government Relations Professionals is pleased to announce the following individuals will be recognized at the AGRP Annual Meeting (November 12) for their contributions to the profession and the organization.

Volunteer of the Year – Elizabeth Bartz of State and Federal Communications, Inc.
This award recognizes a volunteer member who has gone beyond the call of duty voluntarily in offering exemplary service on behalf of the Association of Government Relations Professionals — its mission, membership, and the profession.

AGRP established this annual award to appropriately recognize an individual who has displayed vision, support, and leadership toward improving the lobbying profession and unselfishly supporting the work of the association’s board of directors

Elizabeth Bartz is the founder, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications, Inc. from Akron, Ohio. She is the lead planner annually for the State Lobbying LCP program and regularly supports her staff in earning their Professional Lobbying Certificate. Ms. Bartz is also a supporter of AGRP’s initiative to recruit more state and local members and is sponsoring a new state lobbying series in 2016. Through her work in the states and outside-the-beltway, she has raised AGRP’s profile to this important audience. Since 2008, 11 staff from State and Federal Communications have completed the year-long Lobbying Certificate Program.

AGRP will also recognize Patrick Cooney from the DC-based The Federal Group as Government Relations Professional of the Year and Jim Clarke, from the American Society of Association Executives is receiving the Career Achievement Award.

About the Association of Government Relations Professionals
Originally established in 1979 as the American League of Lobbyists (ALL) – now re-named the Association of Government Relations Professionals (AGRP) – the association is the national professional society dedicated exclusively to government relations, public policy and lobbying. AGRP’s mission is to enhance the development of the profession, competence, and high ethical standards for advocates in the public policy arena; and to collectively address the challenges affecting the First Amendment right to “petition the Government for redress of grievances.” The goal is to contribute to openness, transparency, effectiveness, and ethical conduct in the pursuit of “good government” practices. For more information, visit http://grprofessionals.org