The Hill Names Michael Herson Top Lobbyist

By The Hill Staff
10/30/13 06:15 AM EDT

Among the thousands of advocates in the nation’s capital, only a select few have risen to the top of their profession to earn a slot on The Hill’s Top Lobbyists list.

Some of the Top Lobbyists are hired guns who have proven to clients that they can shape the agenda on Capitol Hill.

Others are advocates who derive power from the grassroots, turning old-fashioned organizing into potent political power.

Some work for a single business or corporation, giving them the ability to speak with authority on economic and tax policy.

Last but not least are the lobbyists and leaders for trade groups, who help industries present a united front in legislative battles.

While everyone on the list exerts influence in Washington, not all of them are registered lobbyists.

Since The Hill began publishing its Top Lobbyists list more than a decade ago, the word “lobbyist” has become a “Scarlet L” that many strive to avoid.

The industry has also expanded into new forms of advocacy that go beyond face-to-face meetings with decision makers.

The Hill uses the term “lobbyist” broadly here to encompass the people who are working day in and day out to influence federal policy.

While not every advocate on the list fits the traditional K Street mold, they all have one thing in common: a proven ability to make things happen in Washington.

CORPORATE | HIRED GUNS | ASSOCIATIONS | GRASSROOTS

CORPORATE

Cory Alexander, UnitedHealth Group Inc.
A former lobbyist for Fannie Mae, Alexander is steering UnitedHealth’s advocacy team through the new terrain of the Affordable Care Act.

Bryan Anderson, Southern Co.
Anderson has a jampacked agenda as the power company deals with the looming carbon rules and works to build nuclear reactors in the United States.

Sid Ashworth, Northrop Grumman Corp.
For the second year in a row, Ashworth’s expert team at Northrop Grumman persuaded the Pentagon to keep one of the company’s Global Hawk drone variants in service.

Meredith Baker and Melissa Maxfield, Comcast/NBCUniversal.
As a former FCC commissioner, Baker is fluent in the regulatory process; Maxfield learned how to fight in the political trenches as a Senate aide.

Bill Barloon, Sprint Corp.
Sprint’s versatile lobbying team won regulatory approval for a deal with Japan’s Softbank this year; now it’s battling AT&T and Verizon over the rules for an auction of airwave licenses.

Wayne Berman, Blackstone Group LP
A power player in Republican Party politics, Berman is one of the most sought-after fundraisers on K Street.

Abigail Blunt, Kraft Foods Group Inc.
Blunt is keeping Kraft ahead of the curve by talking with lawmakers and members of the administration about food safety and marketing to kids.

Stephen Brown, Tesoro Corp.
Brown draws on a deep well of policy knowledge when representing the independent refining company in battles over ethanol, emissions rules and more.

Jim Cicconi, Tim McKone, and Peter Jacoby, AT&T Inc.
The company’s ace lobbying team is seeking access to more airwaves to improve the quality of AT&T’s network.

Maria Cino, Hewlett-Packard Co.
Cino, a former Republican National Convention CEO, deputy Transportation secretary and Pfizer lobbyist, deals with federal, state and local government relations for the tech company.

Peter Cleveland, Intel Corp.
A former chief of staff to California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Cleveland is the chief lobbyist for the computer chip giant and a man to know on the tech scene.

Ken Cole, Pfizer Inc.
The former General Motors lobbyist brings a wealth of experience to the drug giant’s lobby team as it grapples with the rollout of ObamaCare.

Colin Crowell, Twitter Inc.
Crowell, a former FCC aide and congressional staffer, blazed a trail as the first public policy hire for Twitter.

Greg Dahlberg, Lockheed Martin Corp.
The former Army undersecretary and House defense panel staffer has helped keep Lockheed’s flagship F-35 Joint Strike Fighter from falling victim to budget cuts.

Peter Davidson, Verizon Communications Inc.
The nation’s largest wireless carrier holds its own in the lobbying game with advocates like Davidson, a former general counsel to the U.S. Trade Representative.

Nancy Dorn, General Electric Co.
Lobbyists for GE balance a broad advocacy portfolio that is evolving as the company moves into the tech sector.

Theresa Fariello, Exxon Mobil Corp.
Fariello, a former Energy Department official, has kept Exxon in the win column with an expert blend of lobbying power and public advocacy.

Bob Filippone, Merck & Co. Inc.
Filippone left the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America this fall to take the reins of the drug company’s Washington office.

Tucker Foote, MasterCard Inc.
Foote and his team are showing their versatility as the industry deals with tech-centric issues such as Internet gambling, mobile payment systems and cybersecurity.

Nate Gatten, JPMorgan Chase and Co.
The former Fannie Mae lobbyist is at the pinnacle of his profession as head of federal government relations for the nation’s largest bank.

Matt Gelman and Fred Humphries, Microsoft Corp.
Gelman and Humphries bring decades of experience to the company’s well-oiled lobbying machine.

Rich Glick, Iberdrola
Business has never been better for the wind industry, but there’s no time to celebrate as a popular industry tax credit is in danger of lapsing.

Rick Graber, Honeywell International Inc.
A former ambassador to the Czech Republic, Graber knows international affairs. But his power base is in Washington, where he’s chairman of Honeywell’s political action committee, HIPAC.

Bob Helm, General Dynamics Corp.
Helm is leveraging the company’s many successes to gain a foothold in the expanding unmanned warfare and cybersecurity markets.

Guy Hicks, EADS North America
Since taking over as the company’s top defense lobbyist last January, Hicks has expanded its military aviation holdings while securing new business in logistics and support operations for foreign militaries.

Ed Hill, Bank of America Corp.
A steady hand at Bank of America for more than a decade, Hill knows how to makes the bank’s views known during debates on major financial issues.

Joel Kaplan, Facebook Inc.
Kaplan, a former policy aide in the George W. Bush White House, deals with online privacy regulations and immigration reform for the social media company’s up-and-coming D.C. team.

Tim Keating, Boeing Co.
Keating spearheaded the company’s successful effort to reauthorize the U.S. Export-Import Bank and faces a mounting challenge in the defense cuts under sequestration.

Kent Knutson, Home Depot Inc.
A genuine K Street powerbroker, Knutson sits on the board of the Home Depot Foundation, which donated $1 million to relief organizations in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Bill Lane, Caterpillar Inc.
Lane, an in-house lobbyist for the construction equipment giant, is one of Washington’s most prominent voices for free trade.

Melissa Lavinson, PG&E Corp.
Lavinson is a seasoned lobbyist for the utilities giant, tasked with keeping tabs on the administration’s new greenhouse gas regulations.

Susan Molinari and Pablo Chavez, Google Inc.
Molinari, a former congresswoman, and Chavez, a former counsel to Arizona Sen. John McCain, have helped Google become a lobbying powerhouse.

Emmett O’Keefe, Amazon.com Inc.
A former staffer to the House and Senate commerce committees, O’Keefe is putting Amazon’s muscle behind Internet sales tax legislation.

Ziad Ojakli, Ford Motor Co.
Ford’s high-octane lobbying operation has touted its work to increase driver safety, which is a big focus of new Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

Michael Paese, Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Paese served on the House Financial Services Committee when Dodd-Frank was put to paper, and he has been out front for one of Wall Street’s biggest names since 2009.

Dean Pappas, The Allstate Corp.
The insurance giant is keeping close watch over the implementation of the transportation reauthorization bill and the debate over tax reform.

Joe Seidel, Credit Suisse Group AG
Seidel is in charge of the U.S. lobbying operations for Switzerland’s second-largest bank, which has been active on both the tax and derivatives fronts.

Matthew Stanton, Beam Inc.
As the lobbyist for iconic brands like Jim Beam, Makers Mark and Courvoisier, Stanton is well-versed in everything from patent law to energy efficiency.

Sarah Thorn, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
The world’s largest retailer has a nimble advocacy team to cut through a thicket of international regulations and trade rules.

Jonathan Weisgall, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co.
Weisgall can multi-task with the best of them, boasting a resume that runs from lobbyist to author to film producer.

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HIRED GUNS

Josh Ackil and Matt Tanielian, Franklin Square Group
The two Democrats have cornered the market on tech lobbying in Washington, becoming a go-to firm for Silicon Valley.

Andy Barbour, Smith-Free Group
The former Clinton administration official and Financial Services Roundtable alum will be on the front lines of the fight to renew terrorism risk insurance.

Haley Barbour, Lanny Griffith and Loren Monroe, BGR Group
Barbour returned to the bipartisan firm he helped found last year, and hit the ground running as BGR signed up several new clients.

Doyle Bartlett, Eris Group LLC
Bartlett is a skilled hand who lobbies for the movers and shakers of the financial sector.

Jeff Berman and David Russell, Bryan Cave LLP
Berman and Russell anchor the firm’s bustling, respected regulatory practice.

James Blanchard and Ilia Rodriguez, DLA Piper
Blanchard’s connections were forged during years as an ambassador, lawmaker and governor; Rodriguez is a product of the Center for American Progress, and can get under the hood of any policy problem.

Thomas Hale Boggs Jr., Micah Green, Edward Newberry and Kevin O’Neill, Patton Boggs
Grit and hustle have helped Patton remain K Street’s top dog in lobbying revenue.

Dan Boston, Health Policy Source Inc.
Boston is a policy pro who is keeping a close eye on congressional efforts to overhaul Medicare’s flawed physician payment formula.

Chuck Brain, Capitol Hill Strategies LLC
A well-known name in the “downtown” community, Brain taps more than 20 years of experience in the public sector to help his clients.

John Breaux and Trent Lott, Breaux Lott Leadership Group
The ex-senators have added serious heft to Patton Boggs’s bottom line with their flourishing practice.

Dan Bryant and Holly Fechner, Covington & Burling LLP
Covington has made moves to charge up its lobbying team, with Bryant and Fechner providing the power base.

Gerald Cassidy and Gregg Hartley, Cassidy & Associates
The firm has reinvented itself for a new era without sacrificing its prestige or its earnings power.

David Castagnetti and Alex Vogel, Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti Inc.
Castagnetti and Vogel have kept their firm thriving despite the downturn that’s sweeping K Street.

Al D’Amato, Park Strategies LLC
The former senator has built a lobby shop with strong New York connections, maintaining offices throughout the Empire State.

Linda Daschle, LHD & Associates Inc.
Daschle once headed up the Federal Aviation Administration and is reaching new heights as one of the best transportation lobbyists in town.

Licy Do Canto, The Do Canto Group
Once an aide to the late Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, Do Canto works with the children’s advocacy group First Focus and The Kennedy Forum, a mental health initiative.

Julie Domenick, Multiple Strategies LLC
Domenick was once a lobbyist for the Investment Company Institute and has her own successful shop now.

Ken Duberstein and Marti Thomas, The Duberstein Group Inc.
Duberstein, once a Reagan White House chief of staff, has built one of the influence industry’s great bipartisan shops with Thomas and other talent.

Steve Elmendorf and Jimmy Ryan, Elmendorf | Ryan LLC
Clients such as CitiGroup, Delta and Facebook have placed their trust in the innovative firm.

Victor Fazio, Joel Jankowsky, Scott Parven and Bill Paxon, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP
The leaders of the K Street giant have made complacency their enemy, spotting new opportunities well ahead of the competition.

Mitchell Feuer, Rich Feuer Anderson
Feuer spent years as counsel at the Senate Banking Committee and now lobbies for the titans of finance.

Elizabeth Frazee and Sharon Ringley, TwinLogic Strategies LLP
Frazee and Ringley are turning heads at their small shop with big-name clients like Amazon and Yahoo.

Sam Geduldig and Steve Clark, Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford
Geduldig, a former Republican leadership aide, and Clark, who founded the firm in 2000, set the standard for what a small lobby shop can be.

Chris Giblin and Moses Mercado, Ogilvy Government Relations
Ogilvy, long a top firm, is making a fresh start with lobbyists Giblin and Mercado leading the way.

Nick Giordano, Washington Council Ernst & Young
Giordano is a former Senate Finance Committee counsel and a trusted guide on tax reform.

Rich Gold, Kathryn Lehman and Gerry Sikorski, Holland & Knight
Success is a team effort at Holland & Knight, which last year banished corner offices in favor of a more egalitarian workspace.

Fred Graefe, Law offices of Frederick H. Graefe
Graefe is a legend among Democratic healthcare lobbyists and retains a strong stable of clients.

J. Steven Hart, Williams & Jensen PLLC
Williams & Jensen remains one of Washington’s premiere firms, and Hart is a big reason why.

Ralph Hellmann and David Lugar, Lugar Hellmann Group LLC
Hellmann and Lugar’s boutique shop has been a hit with clients from day one.

Michael Herson, American Defense International Inc.
A former Pentagon and White House official, Herson is in the trenches fighting to save the Pentagon budget from sequestration.

Mike House, Hogan Lovells
House has been in Washington for decades and helps lead the lobbying practice at one of K Street’s most profitable shops.

Mark Isakowitz, Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock
Some of corporate America’s biggest names are patrons of the GOP-leaning firm, including several tech giants.

Joel Johnson, The Glover Park Group
Johnson is the consummate Washington insider as a former senior hand to President Clinton and ex-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

Thomas Jolly, Williams Mullen
Jolly, a longtime Democratic operative, has helped the firm transform into a triple-treat with law, lobbying and government relations services.

Mark Kadesh, Kadesh & Associates LLC
Kadesh brings California connections to his K Street gig after spending seven years as Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s chief of staff.

Matt Keelen, The Keelen Group LLC
Like many on K Street, Keelen likes to get out of the office and onto the trail when campaign season idles Washington.

Rick Kessler, Dow Lohnes Government Strategies PLLC
Kessler’s years working for the House Energy and Commerce Committee gives him the versatility needed to lobby for a wide range of clients.

Ken Kies, Federal Policy Group LLC
Kies is on the shortlist of Washington’s elite tax lobbyists, and his counsel will be a valuable commodity if tax reform gains momentum in Congress.

Lisa Kountoupes, Kountoupes | Denham
A former Clinton White House aide, Kountoupes and her firm represent blue-chip clients in healthcare and technology.

Bob Livingston, The Livingston Group LLC
The former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee runs an active practice that serves a client close to his heart: his alma mater, Tulane University.

Steve McBee, McBee Strategic Consulting LLC
McBee brings a tech-savvy approach to his Washington firm, which is growing by leaps and bounds.

Dan Mica, The DMA Group LLC
After serving at the head of a financial services trade group and as a Democratic congressman, Mica knows how to build bipartisan coalitions to get things done.

Al Mottur, Marc Lampkin and Manuel Ortiz, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP
Mottur, Lampkin and Ortiz are part of a lobbying team that is undoubtedly one of K Street’s finest.

Larry O’Brien, The OB-C Group LLC
O’Brien runs in Democratic fundraising circles, and as a veteran K Streeter, knows how Washington works at the highest levels.

Tom O’Donnell, Gephardt Group LLC
O’Donnell has built a robust lobbying practice alongside his former boss, ex-House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri.

Marty Paone, Prime Policy Group
Paone knows the Senate inside and out, having managed the upper chamber’s floor for years under Democratic leaders.

Jeff Peck, Peck Madigan Jones
Peck is a first-rate Democratic lobbyist, so it’s fitting that he’s on the roster for one of the influence industry’s highest earners.

Steve Perry, Dutko Grayling
Perry has been called a “guiding force” at Dutko, and he has more than 20 years of lobbying victories to back it up.

Jim Pitts and Chris Cox, Navigators Global LLC
Pitts is a towering figure in Republican Party politics, having served on five presidential campaigns; Cox brings his own GOP connections to the successful firm.

Heather Podesta, Heather Podesta + Partners LLC
Podesta has built up a substantial lobby shop with prime corporate clients and a reputation for results.

Tony Podesta, Podesta Group
A man-about-town and familiar face at Democratic fundraisers, Podesta has kept his firm in the industry’s upper echelons.

Jack Quinn, Quinn Gillespie & Associates LLC
Quinn became one of K Street’s all-time greats after serving as White House counsel to President Clinton.

Thomas Quinn, Venable LLP
Quinn is a rare breed, knowing his way around the worlds of both domestic and international finance.

Robert Raben, The Raben Group
Raben’s firm takes a unique approach to advocacy that puts businesses and liberal advocacy groups under the same tent.

John Raffaelli, Capitol Counsel LLC
Raffaelli has seen his firm go from startup to established player, putting him in the center of the action in politics.

Emanuel Rouvelas and Jim Walsh, K&L Gates LLP
Rouvelas and Walsh, former congressmen from New York, are among a number of accomplished advocates at the lobbying giant.

Scott Segal, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
Segal is known for his energy expertise and will be sought out during the coming battle over climate change regulations.

Rhod Shaw, The Alpine Group.
Shaw has expanded his work beyond shoe-leather lobbying, dabbling in consensus building, strategic communications and grassroots organizing.

Tom Sheridan, The Sheridan Group.
With a background in social work and the lobbying muscle to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, Sheridan established a firm that helps its clients challenge the status quo.

Tracy Spicer, Avenue Solutions.
The small, all-female lobbying firm has built an impressive roster in healthcare and added a major player this year when Yvette Fontenot came on board.

Charles Stenholm, OFW Law.
Stenholm knows his way around agricultural policy as a former farmer and ex-Democratic ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee.

Alexander Sternhell, Sternhell Group.
Sternhell is one of the finance sector’s go-to guys when reinforcements are needed on K Street.

Sandi Stuart, Stuart Murray Group.
Stuart honed her skills working with House Democrats and at the Clinton Defense Department, and now she is affiliated with Arent Fox.

Linda Tarplin, Tarplin, Downs & Young.
Tarplin has few peers when it comes to healthcare policy, bringing significant administration experience to any lobbying task.

Rich Tarplin, Tarplin Strategies.
Healthcare is Tarplin’s forte and the foundation for his wildly successful shop.

Dan Tate Jr., Forbes-Tate.
Tate, a former legislative aide to President Clinton, is thriving at the firm that bears his name.

Billy Tauzin and Mark Rayder, Alston & Bird.
The firm has a rock-solid core in Tauzin and Rayder, who have both proven they can make things happen on Capitol Hill.

Carl Thorsen, Thorsen French Advocacy.
Thorsen, a former GOP leadership aide and Justice Department official, has hit it big with his flourishing firm.

Robert Van Heuvelen, VH Strategies.
Van Heuvelen’s solid shop syncs up well with energy and healthcare clients.

Stu Van Scoyoc, Van Scoyoc Associates.
Van Scoyoc founded the shop in 1990 and has turned it into one of K Street’s super-firms, counting several local governments among its clients.

Stewart Verdery, Monument Policy Group.
Verdery, one of the first officials to work at the Department of Homeland Security, has an eclectic list of clients in sports and technology.

Vin Weber, Mercury.
Outsiders come to the former Minnesota congressman for help and insight into the inner workings of Capitol Hill.

Jonathan Yarowsky, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.
Yarowsky left a plum spot at Patton Boggs to lead the lobby team at the prominent law firm.

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ASSOCIATIONS

Paul Bailey, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity.
Bailey’s first-rate advocacy career included stints with top trade groups and the Department of Energy.

Mitch Bainwol, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
Bainwol has Capitol Hill and lobbying experience in spades, and that’s a winning hand for the automakers he represents.

Mark Baker, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
Baker is a 35-year flight veteran and took over the cockpit from longtime AOPA President Craig Fuller this year.

Richard Baker, Managed Funds Association.
A former GOP lawmaker from Louisiana, Baker has been trying to ward off new taxes on the hedge fund industry while plugging away at Dodd-Frank and JOBS Act implementation.

Dan Berger and Brad Thaler, National Association of Federal Credit Unions.
Berger, who went from the group’s top lobbyist to its leader earlier this year, is working with Thaler to ensure credit unions get a fair shake in new mortgage regulations.

Marion Blakey, Aerospace Industries Association.
The former head of the Federal Aviation Administration is leading the defense industry’s dogged campaign to reverse the cuts from sequestration.

Tom Buis, Growth Energy.
Buis, a former high-level congressional aide, has helped ward off attempts to dismantle the national biofuel mandate, but more battles await.

Nicholas Calio, Airlines for America.
Calio and the airlines harnessed the frustration of passengers to secure legislation that gave air traffic controllers relief from sequestration.

Kateri Callahan, Alliance to Save Energy.
The longtime conservation advocate has helped give energy efficiency legislation a fighting chance in the gridlocked Congress.

John Castellani, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
Castellani formerly led the Business Roundtable and is now focused on encouraging innovation as head of the drug lobby.

Bill Cheney, Credit Union National Association.
Cheney and CUNA are fighting tooth and nail to keep a longstanding tax exemption for credit unions amid fierce opposition from the banking sector.

Lisa Costello, American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Costello’s group has steadily increased its Washington profile, emerging as a major player in the immigration reform debate.

Dan Danner, National Federation of Independent Business.
The NFIB chief is keeping watch to ensure that corporations don’t get a leg up on small businesses in any tax reform deal.

Richard Deem, American Medical Association.
Once a special assistant to the Health and Human Services secretary during the Reagan administration, Deem is trying to keep Congress focused on a permanent “doc fix.”

Scott DeFife, National Restaurant Association.
DeFife brings sharp political instincts to the restaurant group’s lobby team, which is pounding the pavement for immigration reform and changes to ObamaCare.

Bob Dinneen, Renewable Fuels Association.
Ethanol is facing strong political headwinds, but Dinneen has seen the group through tough times before.

Chris Dodd, Motion Picture Association of America.
The former senator from Connecticut has made a smooth transition to head of the entertainment industry group as it seeks action against online piracy.

Tom Donohue and Bruce Josten, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The business group’s top guns are touting comprehensive immigration reform and increased trade as fuel for the economic recovery.

Cal Dooley, American Chemistry Council.
The former congressman from California brings a level-headed approach to turbulent fights over greenhouse gas permitting and natural gas, a crucial fuel for Dooley’s members.

Charles Drevna, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers.
Drevna has led the refining industry group since 2007 and is now directing efforts to roll back the federal biofuel mandate and win approval for the Keystone oil pipeline.

Marty Durbin, America’s Natural Gas Alliance.
Independent gas producers have a capable leader in Durbin, who previously held senior roles at the American Petroleum Institute and the American Chemistry Council.

Martin Edwards, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America.
From surging gas production to turnover at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, it’s an interesting time for Edwards, the group’s longtime policy advocate.

John Engler, Business Roundtable.
Engler keeps the spotlight on the business community’s push for long-term budget solutions and major trade agreements.

Camden Fine, Independent Community Bankers of America.
Fine represents the little guys of banking, but he gives them a large voice as a critic of “too big to fail” giants.

Alex Flint, Nuclear Energy Institute.
Flint, a former top aide on the Senate’s Energy Committee, is a trusted political guide for the nuclear industry as it begins to construct plants for the first time in decades.

Geoff Freeman, American Gaming Association.
The new head of the casino lobby has promised to pursue a more aggressive gaming agenda in Washington.

David French, National Retail Federation.
French led the retail group to a major victory on swipe fees and could add another feather to his cap by securing passage of online sales tax legislation.

Lee Fuller, Independent Petroleum Association of America.
Fuller, a former Senate aide, has long made sure that when politicians take aim at “Big Oil,” they don’t hit the members of his group.

Dean Garfield and Robert Hoffman, Information Technology Industry Council.
Former entertainment industry lobbyist Garfield and tech lobbyist Hoffman are top guns at the council, which represents tech giants like Apple, Google and Facebook.

Jack Gerard, American Petroleum Institute.
Gerard leads the oil industry’s most powerful trade group, which is fighting multiple political battles against the backdrop of the U.S. energy boom.

Jerry Giovaniello, National Association of Realtors.
Giovaniello and the Realtors are looking to put their stamp on a range of big-ticket items, from an overhaul of housing finance to tax reform.

Rob Gramlich, American Wind Energy Association.
The wind energy group has a new director in Tom Kiernan, but it has kept continuity on the lobbying side with policy maven Gramlich.

Jim Greenwood, Biotechnology Industry Organization.
A former Pennsylvania congressman, Greenwood is pushing Congress to spare Medicare Parts B and D from cuts.

Judd Gregg and Ken Bentsen, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.
Gregg, a former senator, and Bentsen, a former congressman, give a potent one-two punch to one of the financial sector’s biggest advocacy groups; Gregg is also a keen observer of the political scene as a columnist for The Hill.

Edward Hamberger, Association of American Railroads.
Hamberger serves as a guardian for the antitrust exemption that freight railroads have enjoyed for decades.

Jerry Howard, National Association of Home Builders.
Howard is aiming to ensure that a federal backstop remains central to any housing finance reform plan.

Richard Hunt, Consumer Bankers Association.
Hunt has been a frequent presence on the Hill and at regulatory offices as retail banks sort through Dodd-Frank.

Karen Ignagni, America’s Health Insurance Plans.
Ignagni is putting the health insurance industry’s muscle behind the new ObamaCare enrollment system.

Chip Kahn, Federation of American Hospitals.
For-profit hospitals are depending on Kahn to shield them from the arrows of sequester cuts and entitlement reform.

Frank Keating, American Bankers Association.
Keating, a former governor from Oklahoma, became the face of the banking lobby in 2011 after manning the ship for the American Council of Life Insurers for seven years.

Dirk Kempthorne and Kimberly Dorgan, American Council of Life Insurers.
The two advocates are focused on exempting insurers from Dodd-Frank capital standards and protecting annuities in tax reform.

Tom Kuhn and Brian Wolff, Edison Electric Institute.
Kuhn, who runs the trade group of for-profit power companies, was President George W. Bush’s roommate at Yale; Wolff was a battle-tested Democratic political operative before coming to EEI.

Steve Largent and Jot Carpenter, CTIA-The Wireless Association.
Carpenter and Largent, a Hall of Fame football player and former GOP congressman who’s leaving the group by the end of 2014, represent the increasingly powerful cellphone industry.

Linda Lipsen, American Association for Justice.
With Lipsen at the helm, the trial lawyer trade group has battled the efforts of House Republicans to deregulate and change tort law.

Walter McCormick, USTelecom.
McCormick has years of administration and Capitol Hill experience from which to draw on while lobbying on cybersecurity and regulations for the telecommunications industry.

Dave McCurdy and Rick Shelby, American Gas Association.
McCurdy, a former House member from Oklahoma, embodies the happy warrior; Shelby is an ace advocate who keeps the gas industry’s views front and center.

Deborah McElroy, Airports Council International-North America.
McElroy took the helm as interim president in June and jumped headfirst into the fight to stop the Federal Aviation Administration from closing small and contracted air traffic control towers.

Nancy McLernon, Organization for International Investment.
McLernon leads the charge for American subsidiaries of foreign companies, with the ultimate goal of making the U.S. more attractive to global investors.

Mark Merritt, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.
Merritt represents pharmacy benefit managers as they tout their business as a cost-saver for the federal government.

Rob Nichols, Financial Services Forum.
The financial industry has a number of Washington voices, but Nichols is the man speaking for the powerful CEOs that lead it.

Shawn Osborne, TechAmerica.
With more than 26 years of experience in the tech and telecommunications sectors, Osborne is a dynamic leader for TechAmerica.

Mark Parkinson, American Health Care Association.
The former Kansas governor recently presided over a merger that made the AHCA a powerhouse advocate for post-acute, sub-acute and long-term care facilities.

Michael Powell, National Cable & Telecommunications Association.
The former Federal Communications Commission chairman and son of former Secretary of State Colin Powell is making his presence felt as a spokesman for the cable industry.

Leigh Ann Pusey, American Insurance Association.
Pusey is an accomplished advocate who is focused on winning renewal of the Terrorism Risk Insurance program before it expires next year.

John Rother, National Coalition on Health Care.
Rother was a fixture at AARP for years and now pursues long-term healthcare reforms on behalf of more than 80 stakeholders.

Bob Rusbuldt, Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America.
The chief executive of “Big I” criticized the rollout of ObamaCare’s insurance exchanges and lobbies on housing and flood insurance issues.

Norb Ryan Jr., Military Officers Association of America.
Ryan is the field general for the association’s campaign to shield the pay and benefits of U.S. forces from budget cuts.

Stephen Sandherr, The Associated General Contractors of America.
The longtime association chief has pushed to highlight the dangers of sequestration — and more recently the shutdown — to the construction industry.

Gary Shapiro, Consumer Electronics Association.
Patent reform and an immigration overhaul continue to be priorities for the CEA and its sure-handed leader, Shapiro.

John Shaw, Natural Products Association.
Shaw is a leading voice for health and wellness as Washington’s chief advocate for dietary supplements and their producers.

Gordon Smith, National Association of Broadcasters.
TV broadcasters are being tested by new technologies, so it helps to have Smith, a former senator from Oregon, in their corner.

Mike Stanton, Association of Global Automakers.
Stanton has spent more than three decades in the automobile industry and knows how to handle the twists and turns of Washington.

Scott Talbott, Financial Services Roundtable.
Talbott has been a dynamo at the group for nearly two decades and has taken an expanded role under new Roundtable chief Tim Pawlenty.

Mary Kay Thatcher, American Farm Bureau Federation.
Thatcher, a top-notch agricultural lobbyist, is looking to neutralize Congress’s food-stamp fight in order to secure agricultural subsidies and crop insurance for the next five years.

Jay Timmons, National Association of Manufacturers.
Timmons is forging new alliances in pursuit of an immigration reform deal that closes the skill gap for manufacturers.

Stephen Ubl, Advanced Medical Technology Association.
Ubl is working to capitalize on rising opposition to ObamaCare’s medical device tax to achieve repeal in the next fiscal debate.

Rich Umbdenstock and Rick Pollack, American Hospital Association.
Hospitals have two prime advocates in Umbdenstock and Pollack, who are fighting for clarity on Medicare’s controversial “two midnights” rule.

Dirk Van Dongen, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors.
Dongen is a lobbying stalwart for the business community and a big-time GOP fundraiser.

Nathaniel Wienecke, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.
Wienecke, a former lobbyist for banking power JPMorgan Chase & Co., has his sights set on securing renewal for the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act.

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GRASSROOTS

Anna Aurilio, Environment America.
Aurilio has an environmental engineering degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and executes a mix of inside persuasion and outside grassroots pressure at the scrappy green group.

Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street.
Ben-Ami and his group are front and center as Secretary of State John Kerry renews peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, the raison d’être for the liberal pro-Israel group.

Matt Bennett, Third Way.
The centrist think tank isn’t giving up on a “grand bargain” on the budget, and is pushing members of the House-Senate budget conference to make the leap.

Larry Cohen, Communications Workers of America.
A vocal advocate for Senate rules reform, Cohen had something to celebrate when a full slate of nominees was confirmed to the National Labor Relations Board.

Ken Cook, Environmental Working Group.
Cook lives in California, but his influence spans the country; the Environmental Working Group is the tip of the green movement’s spear when it comes to agriculture and food policy.

Chris Cox, National Rifle Association.
Cox and other members of the NRA’s lobbying corps notched a hard-fought victory when background check legislation failed in the Senate.

Steve Ellis, Taxpayers for Common Sense.
Ellis is always on the lookout for lawmakers and staffers trying to sneak spending items into legislation.

Leo Gerard, United Steelworkers.
An outspoken advocate, Gerard hasn’t been afraid to call out the White House during negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

David Goldston and Scott Slesinger, Natural Resources Defense Council.
The two’s combined experience as aides on both sides of the Capitol makes for a dynamic pairing at the environmental group.

Bradley Gordon, American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Gordon has a lot on his plate with the turmoil in the Middle East, but AIPAC can count on support from both sides of the aisle.

Dave Hamilton and Melinda Pierce, Sierra Club.
The venerable Sierra Club has taken a more aggressive posture in recent years, and fields a lobbying team with the power to shape battles over energy and climate change.

Wade Henderson, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Henderson and his group are back at the forefront as lawmakers debate how best to revive the Voting Rights Act.

Mary Kay Henry, Service Employees International Union.
Henry and the grassroots forces at the SEIU are leading the charge for immigration reform and an increase in the minimum wage.

Craig Holman, Public Citizen.
Holman is a sage for the good-government groups that keep an eye on K Street firms and other moneyed interests.

Matt Kibbe, FreedomWorks.
The Tea Party group’s first-ever lobbying campaign on foreign policy was a resounding success, helping to solidify opposition in Congress to Syria strikes.

Bob King, United Auto Workers.
King was in the room when the White House met with unions about helping Detroit rebound from bankruptcy, and his UAW remains a political force.

Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund.
Krupp has spent nearly three decades at the helm of the defense fund, which is known for collaborating with industry and battling it out in the courts and Congress when their paths diverge.

Nancy LeaMond, AARP.
The seniors lobby is millions strong, giving LeaMond considerable power in the battle to protect Social Security from cuts.

Chuck Loveless, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
As chief lobbyist for the heavyweight public sector union, Loveless is working to keep entitlements away from the budget ax.

Elisa Massimino, Human Rights First.
A lawyer and philosophy professor by trade, Massimino is playing a central role as the administration takes another stab at closing Guantánamo Bay.

Bill McKibben, 350.org.
More than any other activist, McKibben is responsible for putting the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline at the top of the green movement’s agenda.

Ed Mierzwinski, U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
Mierzwinski has proven his mettle while fighting for health and safety protections in trade deals and the strict implementation of the Dodd-Frank law.

Eric Mitchell, Bread for the World.
The anti-hunger group registered to lobby for the first time late last year, and is on a mission to protect funding for social programs and foreign aid.

Laura Murphy, Michelle Richardson and Chris Calabrese, American Civil Liberties Union.
Thanks to the leaks by Edward Snowden, the ACLU has momentum on its side as it tries to persuade Congress to rein in the National Security Agency.

Matthew Myers, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
A founder of the Campaign, Myers is now seeking tough regulations on the marketing and sale of e-cigarettes.

Michael Needham, Heritage Action for America.
When Needham speaks, congressional Republicans listen; it took only a single Heritage Action release to kill Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) debt-ceiling counteroffer to President Obama.

Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform.
The father of the anti-tax pledge is a trusted counsel for Republican leaders and a master of the long game in politics.

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council.
Perkins remains the heart and soul of the family values group, which lobbied this year on budget issues and the defunding of ObamaCare.

Tim Phillips, Americans for Prosperity.
Phillips has built Americans for Prosperity into a grassroots force, and its pull with House Republicans remains strong.

Ron Pollack, Families USA.
Pollack is one of the staunchest advocates for the Affordable Care Act, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the law’s many moving parts.

Trevor Potter and Meredith McGehee, Campaign Legal Center.
Potter seized the spotlight as the personal lawyer to comedian Stephen Colbert; McGehee remains a star advocate for campaign finance reform.

Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Rieckhoff champions legislation to help veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars deal with brain trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Andrew Roth, Club for Growth.
Key-vote alerts from the Club for Growth haven’t lost their power in the House, but the group’s influence is being tested by the business backlash over the government shutdown.

Tom Schatz, Citizens Against Government Waste.
Schatz has drawn attention to wasteful spending by nominating members as “porkers,” and his influence is sure to rise if Congress returns to the regular appropriations process.

Melanie Sloan, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
Sloan directs CREW’s efforts to spotlight questionable behavior by members of Congress, culminating each year in the group’s “most corrupt” list.

Gigi Sohn, Public Knowledge.
The president and co-founder of the consumer advocacy group is a regular at congressional hearings and has the White House’s ear on technology and telecom issues.

Richard Trumka, Thea Lee and Bill Samuel, AFL-CIO.
Fresh off his reelection as AFL-CIO president, Trumka and trusted aides Lee and Samuel are moving to expand labor’s ranks.

Dennis Van Roekel, National Education Association.
As head of the country’s largest union, Van Roekel carries a megaphone in the nation’s capital.

Daniel Weiss, Center for American Progress Action Fund.
Weiss brings policy savvy and political toughness to the group, which has close White House ties and knows how to pressure friends and foes alike.

Fred Wertheimer, Democracy 21.
A tireless crusader for campaign finance reform, Wertheimer is hoping to avoid a setback in the pending Supreme Court case on contribution limits.

Read More at: http://thehill.com/business-lobbying/business-lobbying/188607-top-lobbyists-2013