Moving is not for the weak. After 21 years, State and Federal Communications moved to our new offices at 222 S. Main Street in downtown Akron. Yours truly was the only person on staff who never moved to a different office … so I had 21 years of stuff everywhere.

Most of it was moved over to our new office and I am slowly going through it. Slowly being the operative word here. For the first month of being in the office, I had only been in for six days because of travel. I am now completing my first full week in the office this very week … and I still have a lot to unpack. At least I know where all my pens are — the first three weeks I had two on my desk.

I do have to say the office is fabulous. We are all on the same floor and not in four different quadrants on two floors as we were before. We are all taking our steps in to greet and catch up with our colleagues.

It still is not all done … and I am not talking about just my office. There is artwork all over the place. We need to decide where it all goes. Some unidentified boxes are still lying around, which need to be opened and moved or pitched. And I really have no idea why a television is leaning up against a wall.

It really is all okay because we are all on one floor, the lights automatically turn on when we walk in the room, and the coffee machine is working and turning out some good joe.

This is the first of five major items off my to do list. Stay tuned for what is next.

Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season.

@elizabethbartz

Do you know my friend Governor Tom Ridge? Of course, you do. He was this country’s first Secretary of Homeland Security after the September 11^th attacks.

He was appointed by President George W Bush days after the attacks to head up the new department. This required Governor Ridge to step down as Pennsylvania’s governor. He was not a cabinet-level official until 2003…and he went right to work. Ridge developed a program of antiterrorist training, preventive technologies, and emergency responses. In addition, he was tasked with coordinating activities of some 46 different state and federal agencies related to his chain of command. In 2002 he unveiled a new color-coded system for assessing the risk of a terrorist attack.

We met him about 10 years ago when Ridge Policy Group started and we were retained to assist his team with lobbying compliance. We have worked close with his staff in ensure all state and federal reports are accurate for their clients.

On May 14, 2022, Governor Ridge was the 37^th recipient of the William Oliver Baker Medal of Achievement in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the national and homeland security of the United States. John Chames and I attended this beautiful event where he was recognized for his strong and resolute leadership in providing us all safer skies, ports and points of entry to the United States, more secure critical infrastructure, and enhanced cooperation between public and private sectors.

In 2020, State and Federal Communications moved its DC office and now we share our space with Ridge Global and Ridge Policy Group and the fine people Governor Ridge has on his staff. He is a great suitemate and we are honored he trusted us to be in his space.

We all have great friends in this industry…Take the time to let them know.

Thank you.

EB
@elizabethbartz