AIF lobbyists, representing centuries of accumulated experience in politics and government, will spend more than 10,000 hours in the Capitol during the 2013 Legislative Session advocating for your business interests...
| Officers |
Tom C. Feeney
President & CEO for Associated Industries of Florida … represented the 24th Congressional District of Florida for 6 years … served in the Florida House of Representatives for 10 years and was elected Speaker of the Florida House … Governor Jeb Bush’s running mate in his first race for governor … B.A. in Political Science from Penn State University and J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. |
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Brewster B. Bevis
Senior Vice President – State and Federal Affairs for Associated Industries of Florida … coordinates AIF’s lobbying team and all research and advocacy efforts in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. ... previously served as Senior Director of Legislative Affairs for National Association of Builders & Contractors … former Presidential Appointee in the Bush Administration … worked in Congress … B.S. in International Affairs from Florida State University. |
Tamela Ivey Perdue, Esq.
General Counsel for Associated Industries of Florida… more than 20 years legislative and legal experience,
representing insurers and the business community
on tort, workers’ compensation, insurance and other
legal issues before the legislative and executive branches
of government … established legal practice specializing
in insurance defense and administrative law … formerly
worked in The Florida Senate … B.S. from Lee University
and J.D. from Stetson University |
Ryan Tyson
Vice President – Political Operations for Associated Industries
of Florida … coordinates all of AIF’s political operations
and AIF’s Political Council … formerly served as Chief
Legislative Aide for Sen. Charlie Dean where he
advised on policy issues and managed campaigns… B.S. in Public Relations from the University of Florida. |
Chris Verlander
Vice President – Corporate Development of Associated
Industries of Florida … more than 32 years expertise in
insurance lobbying activities … former President
(1994-1997) and Vice Chairman (1997-1999) of American
Heritage Life Insurance Company … B.S. from Georgia
Tech and M.B.A. from the University of Florida. |
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| Consultants |
Slater Bayliss
Partner, The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners… over 13 years of legislative and campaign experience… former Director of Corporate Relations for the Office of
Tourism, Trade & Economic Development … former
personal assistant to Governor Bush serving as liaison
between the Governor’s office and agency secretaries
and members of the Legislature … former Finance
Director for House Speaker Daniel Webster …bachelor’s
degree in political science and communications from
the University of Iowa.
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Don Brown
Former State Representative Don Brown is a respected expert on all aspects of property insurance. Prior to starting his own consulting practice, he served as a Walton County Commissioner, as Republican State Committeeman, and as State Representative in the Florida House. He is a veteran of numerous campaigns serving as a County Chairman for Gov. Bush and President George Bush. Brown has strong expertise in the areas of Medical Malpractice Reform, Elections Reform, Workers’ Compensation, and Tort Reform.
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Sarah Busk
Director, The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners… with more than eight years of experience in legislative
and political affairs … served as a Special Events
Representative on the Inaugural Committee for Governor
Charlie Crist … former Deputy Finance Director for Senate
President Tom Lee’s statewide campaign for Florida’s
Chief Financial Officer … graduate of Florida State
University with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science.
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Al Cardenas, Esq.
Partner with the law firm of Tew Cardenas LLP, chairs the
Advocacy and Governmental Affairs group in Miami,
Tallahassee and Washington, DC … over 33 years legislative
experience … served two terms as Chairman of the
Republican Party of Florida … twice-named one of
Washington, DC’s top lobbyists … currently represents
some of Florida’s largest corporate and governmental
entities before the Florida Legislature … graduate of
Florida Atlantic University and the Seton Hall University
School of Law.
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Jorge Chamizo
An attorney and governmental consultant with Floridian Partners, Jorge Chamizo represents a variety of clients before the Florida Legislature, Executive Office of the Governor, Florida Public Service Commission, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and several state regulatory agencies...Chief Advisor to the Chairman of the Florida Public Service Commission, the state agency which regulates Florida's utilities...honors graduate from the Florida State University College of Law and received his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Miami.
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Jon Costello
Governmental Consultant with Rutledge Ecenia and has more than 10 years of experience working on local, state and federal government issues,... former Legislative Affairs Director and Policy Advisor to Governor Rick Scott ...Senior Policy Advisor on the Rick Scott for Governor Campaign team/Scott transition team...serves on the Governing Board of the Northwest Florida Water Management District and as an Adjunct Professor of Political Communication at Florida State University...
B.S. in Political Science and a M.S. in American Politics and Policy from Florida State University.
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R. Justin Day
Director, The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners
(TAG)….brings nearly ten years of experience in the
political and governmental fields to TAG….former aide to
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Director of Cabinet
Affairs at the Florida Democratic Party ….graduate of
Florida State University with a Bachelors degree in
International Affairs and a Master’s degree in Political Science
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Charles F. Dudley
Managing partner of Floridian Partners…represents clients on matters related to business and professional regulation, education, pari-mutuels, taxation, health care, financial services, employment, environment, elections, communications and utilities, and information technology…over 22 years of legal and legislative experience…honors graduate of Florida State College of Law…member of the law school's Moot Court team…co-author of The Law of Florida's Homeowners Associations.
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Leslie Dughi
Assistant Director of Greenberg Traurig’s Tallahassee
Governmental Affairs practice … state legislative practice
spans over 24 years representing health and life insurers,
investor-owned health care facilities, and assisted living
facilities … formerly served as the Director of Government
Affairs for the Florida Chamber of Commerce… well-versed in grassroots and campaign development
techniques having previously served as AIF’s Chief
Political Officer.
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John French, Esq.
AIF Special Counsel for Election Law …. 41 years of
experience in the legislative process… expertise in
elections, health care, and taxation… A/V rated
attorney with B.A. and J.D. degrees from Florida
State University.
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Rheb Harbison
Senior governmental consultant with Carlton Fields law
firm in Tallahassee … 31 years of senior level experience
in communications, public affairs, marketing and business
development…principally responsible for advocating on
behalf of the firm’s clients before the legislative and
executive branches, asserting positions on a variety of
state business issues…holds a B.S. in Communications
from Florida State University.
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Jim Horne
President of the Horne Group, a governmental consulting
and business development Firm specializing in education,
technology, energy, environment, health care and
transportation … former state senator and Commissioner of
Education for the state of Florida … elected to the Florida
Senate in November of 1994 and served two terms … served in numerous
leadership positions including chairman of the Senate Ways and Means
committee … appointed by Governor Bush as the first ever appointed
Commissioner of Education for the state of Florida in 2001. |
Doug Mann
Partner with Littlejohn, Mann & Associates Governmental Consulting… Over 25 years of legislative lobbying experience with focus on environmental and agricultural issues… Doug has a reputation for bringing diverse interest groups together to pass legislation… Co-founder of the FL Agricultural Coalition (1986)… Founder & Chair of FL Private Property Rights Coalition (1992-1998)… Founder & Chair FL Water Alliance (1997- present)… B.S. from Florida State University. |
Frank Mayernick
Former Legislative Affairs Director for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)..over a decade of experience…served under the Speaker’s Legislative Fellowship Program working in the House Rules Committee…served as an aide for Sen. Charlie Clary and Rep. Jerry Melvin…member of the Florida Bar..law degree from Florida State University College of Law in 2002 and his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Florida State University.
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Tracy Hogan Mayernick
Almost 10 years of political strategy experience…background in appropriations work and public policy issues related to healthcare, telecommunications, the environment, agriculture, economic development, transportation and criminal justice…numerous political grassroots programs in support of legislative candidates statewide...Florida State University graduate,
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Frank Meiners
President, Frank Meiners Governmental Consultants, LLC
… formerly with BellSouth as their Executive Director in
Tallahassee where he lobbied communications issues… more than 33 years legislative experience … graduate of
the University of South Florida in Mathematics and of
the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
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Sean Pittman
Attorney, Pittman Law Group P.L. … has extensive legislative
background … noted as one of the top twenty-five most
influential people in Florida’s capital by the Tallahassee
Democrat … Florida Trend Magazine has labeled Sean
Pittman the “One To Look For.” … named to Governor-Elect
Charlie Crist’s Transition Team in 2006 … received his B.S. and J.D. from Florida
State University. |
Jim Rathbun
President of Rathbun & Associates … more than 23 years
experience representing individuals and entities before
the legislature, state agencies, Governor, and Cabinet …
formerly worked with the Florida House of Representatives
and served as Staff Director of the House
Republican Office … B.S. from Florida State University.
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Teye Reeves
Governmental affairs consultant and attorney with Floridian Partners specializing in insurance, tort reform, taxation, health care, financial services, and employment issues..spearheaded statewide public relations, communications and grassroots…served as the Director of Business Climate and Quality of Life Policy to manage legislative and executive branch strategic advocacy plans on behalf of the Florida Chamber of Commerce… Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising from The University of Florida and her law degree from Texas Tech School of Law.
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Stephen W. Shiver
Partner, Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners … over
13 years legislative and campaign experience … former
aide to House Speaker Tom Feeney and Majority Office
Liaison to House Majority Leader Mike Fasano … former
Executive Director for the Republican Party of Florida… has represented some of Florida’s largest corporate and
governmental agencies before the Florida Legislature… graduate of Florida State University.
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Gerald Wester
Managing Partner, Capital City Consulting, LLC… former Chief Deputy over Florida Department of
Insurance’s regulatory staff … more than 36 years
lobbying experience … expertise in insurance, banking,
and health care issues … Bachelor’s and Master’s
degrees from Florida State University.
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