Georgia360 Delivers Fully Integrated Public Affairs Capabilities
7/24/2008
New Firm Offers Full Range of Services and Broad Georgia Connections
Atlanta, GA -- Brad Alexander, Heath Garrett, Jud Turner and the Gilbert Harrell Law Firm announced today the formation of a new company to provide fully integrated public affairs services to corporate and associational clients across Georgia.
The new firm is named Georgia360 and will have staff based in both metro Atlanta and coastal Georgia, providing strong public affairs coverage across the state. The firm offers the unique capability of providing a full suite of public affairs services to clients, including lobbying, strategic consulting, government procurement services, media relations, marketing communications and public opinion research. Additionally, the firm offers a full range of advertising services, including media placement, television and radio production, direct mail, graphic design and website development.
“We hope to provide something unique for clients, by using a full range of advocacy services and combining them into custom solutions that will deliver strong results and represent a great value proposition. Additionally, our close affiliation with several top tier attorneys gives us the ability to seamlessly manage issues if they move into the legal sphere. We look forward to strongly advocating for public policies that make government more efficient, bring jobs to Georgia, and allow businesses large and small to grow here,” said partner Brad Alexander.
More information about the firm is available online at www.georgia360.net. Founded in 1871, the Gilbert Harrell Law Firm is one of the oldest and most respected in Georgia, and is located online at www.gilbertharrelllaw.com. Following are brief biographical sketches on each principal in the new firm:
BRAD ALEXANDER recently completed a tenure as Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor Casey Cagle with a focus on operating all aspects of the Georgia State Senate and the Lt. Governor’s office. In that position, Brad played a role in virtually every piece of legislation passed by the General Assembly (as well as shaping an $18 billion state budget). His service included a heavy focus on state taxation, appropriations, telecommunications, energy, financial services and health care. Brad also spent over a decade as a congressional press secretary, political consultant and corporate communicator. Among other things, he played a key strategic role for several campaigns including U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson and Lt. Governor Cagle. He has also served as spokesman for a high profile U.S. House member, and consulted for companies, associations, and non-profits. A native of Covington, GA, Brad is a graduate of Berry College and Emory University who lives in Decatur, GA with his wife Nicole.
HEATH GARRETT served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson during his House and Senate service. He has also served as a policy advisor to the Georgia Board of Education and a private attorney. He focuses his work on producing award-winning corporate television and radio advertising, providing public affairs strategic consulting and working closely with Georgia360 clients to find creative new ways to grow their businesses. In addition to his Georgia360 work, Heath works with a television advertising firm whose clients include President Bush, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Alabama Governor Bob Riley, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson and numerous major corporate entities. A native of Albany GA, Heath is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the University of Georgia School of Law who lives in Marietta with his wife Lee and their children.
BEN HARTMAN, a veteran corporate attorney and active member of the St. Simons community, provides strategic counsel and government relations representation to corporate and community clients of Georgia360. Many of the largest companies in southeast Georgia rely on his role as a trusted advisor as they work to grow their businesses. And, Ben’s deep understanding of Georgia tax law enables him to help all of our clients quickly decode the often vaguely written -- but broadly impactful -- changes to tax law that move through the legislature each year. In addition to government relations, Ben helps clients grow their businesses through his extensive network of contacts across Georgia, and his deep understanding of the issues that uniquely impact clients working on Georgia’s coast. Ben graduated from Furman University and the University of Georgia School of Law, and resides in St. Simons with his wife Leslie and their children.
MARK JOHNSON is an experienced litigator who, ironically, works with many Georgia360 clients to help defuse the kinds of issues that would otherwise lead to expensive lawsuits. Based in St. Simons, Mark represents clients on government relations issues, and brings the intellect of an experienced attorney with an active legal practice to the public policy. Mark has detailed knowledge of state and federal laws in such areas as environment and natural resources, product liability, personal injury, legal process, insurance and financial services. This background gives him the ability to instantly understand how a potential law or regulation will impact a client, and translate that knowledge into terms understood by executives, legislators and policy makers. A native of Parrott GA, Mark graduated from the University of Georgia and the University of Georgia School of Law and resides in St. Simons with his wife Ginny and their children.
JUD TURNER most recently served as Executive Counsel to Governor Sonny Perdue, where he advised the Governor on the full gamut of executive branch legal matters, including issues related to the state budget process, judicial appointments, government procurements, education policy, retirement pensions and other post employment benefits, ethics and litigation. Prior to his work for the Governor, Jud served as General Counsel at the Georgia Department of Education from 2003 to 2005. As General Counsel, Jud worked closely with the department’s testing and technology divisions on the successful design and procurement of several sophisticated assessment and technology contracts, and helped direct the implementation of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, including the development of a single statewide accountability system for all Georgia public schools. An Albany GA native, Jud is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the University of Virginia School of Law who lives in Griffin with his wife Courtney and their children.
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