With only three days left of the “Ready, Set, Walk” competition against the Public Affairs Council, employees at State and Federal Communications are eagerly setting aside time to increase their number of steps.

Walking with pedometers strapped to their sides, the employees of State and Federal Communications are focused on prevailing in the competition against their friendly rivals in Washington, DC.

We created a quick video as inspiration for the final three days of our challenge. Take a look!

Video produced by Joanna Kamvouris.

In the midst of our employee walking challenge, State and Federal Communications has a new friendly rival.

Beginning July 23, the Public Affairs Council and State and Federal Communications will work up a sweat, taking part in a one week challenge called “Ready, Set, Walk” to promote wellness and stir up healthy competition.

Wearing pedometers to track their daily steps, 24 employees from each organization will aim to motivate their co-workers and accumulate the most steps by July 29. Both teams are giving their best effort to walk for the win.

Best of luck to all participants, and let the walking begin!

Amol Naik from Google, Elizabeth Bartz of State and Federal Communications, Ken Gross from Skadden Arps, and Michael Toner from Wiley Rein will be making up the Compliance Dream Team.

Bring your compliance concerns. This is your opportunity to unleash all those difficult questions regarding compliance issues.

Don’t miss the Public Affairs Council National PAC Conference. See you there!

February 7, 2012     NCSL Foundation Bi-Annual Luncheon, Washington, D.C.

February 17, 2012     Innovate to Motivate, Washington, D.C.

February 25 – February 27, 2012     National Governors Association Winter Meeting, Washington, D.C.

February 27 – March 1, 2012     National PAC Conference, Miami, Florida

Appearing one time only at the Public Affair Council National PAC Conference is the Compliance Dream Team! I am extremely excited and honored to pair up with The Extra Honorable Ken Gross, The Mighty Honorable Michael Toner, and New Kid on The Block Amol Naik from Google to hear your confessions and questions.

This session will present a series of complicated and pertinent compliance questions to the panel for our expert response. There will also be an opportunity to submit anonymous compliance missteps for us to hear and provide corrective action.

This is bigger than Broadway…Larger than Hollywood. And, it will only happen on Tuesday, February 28^th at Portofino Bay, Orlando, Florida. Join us at the Public Affairs Council National PAC Conference.

Looking forward to seeing you out and about!

Elizabeth Bartz

President and CEO, State and Federal Communications, Inc.

January 8-13, 2012   Public Affairs Council Institute, Laguna, Calif.

January 19, 2012        NCSL Executive Committee Meeting, Kaiwah Island, South Carolina

January 30 – February 2, 2012      National Grassroots Conference, Miami, Florida

February 25 – February 27, 2012 NGA Winter Meeting, Washington, D.C.

February 27 – March 1, 2012        National PAC Conference, Orlando, Florida

First, get past the fact both conferences are in Florida. The Council keeps us busy enough that we rarely get more than a few hours to mill around.

Second, what you need to know is the Council makes sure it has the top-of-the-line speakers for the programs and the sessions are mixed in with people in the field who are doing great things in both grassroots advocacy and PAC recruitment.

Finally, and most important, you will find State and Federal Communications involved with the conferences. We have been involved with the advisory board for each conference, sending a number of staff, and we are included in the Market Resource Program.

You can obtain more information about these conferences at www.pac.org.

Until next month, continue to plan for your professional development. There is nothing like developing the important skills for your organization.

National Journal reported on a recent Public Affairs Council survey about the public’s opinion of businesses and lobbying. Depending on how the questions about lobbying were posed, public opinion ranged from unfavorable to acceptable.

Here is the National Journal article “Poll: Americans Divided on Companies That Hire Lobbyists” by Andrew Joseph.

You can read the Public Affairs Council’s full report of the survey, “What Americans Think About Business,” as well as their press release and Executive Summary.

The survey was conducted by the Princeton Survey Research Associates International.

State and Federal Communications staff Jeff Roberts, Sarah Kovit, Zachary Hoying, and Ken Kelawae will be attending the Public Affairs Council’s State and Local Government Relations Seminar in Washington D.C. The seminar will be held September 18 – 20.

If you will also be there, be sure to say hello!

State and Federal Communications is also excited be sponsoring the Tuesday morning Networking Breakfast. “We are proud to assist the Public Affairs Council,” said Elizabeth Bartz, the company’s President and CEO.

Elizabeth Bartz, President and CEO of  State and Federal Communications, will be attending the Public Affairs Council Consultant Member Meeting in Washington, D.C. on August 23, 2011.