Senator Jim Talent Joins Fleishman-Hillard

SENATOR JIM TALENT JOINS FLEISHMAN-HILLARD GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Former Missouri Senator Fuels Continued Growth at FH GR

Washington, D.C., and St. Louis, MO – March 21, 2007 – Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations today announced that former United States Senator Jim Talent has joined the firm as Co-Chairman.

Senator Talent will work from the agency’s offices in St. Louis and Washington, D.C. He will provide local and national public affairs and government relations counsel to the firm’s broad base of clients.

“During his 20-year career in Missouri and national politics, Senator Talent has a well-earned reputation for working across party lines to find mainstream, bipartisan solutions to critical public policy issues,” said Dave Senay, president and CEO. “The expertise he gained while serving on the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Energy & Natural Resources adds a new dimension to the strategic counsel Fleishman-Hillard can now offer our public affairs and government relations clients.”

Jim Talent’s career in public service began in 1984, when at the age of 28 he was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives where he served eight years, the last four as the senior Republican leader in the Missouri House. In 1992, he was elected to the first of four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives where he represented Missouri’s Second Congressional District. During his eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Talent co-authored the historic welfare reform bill, championed national security issues on the House Armed Services Committee, and enacted legislation to help revitalize urban neighborhoods and help lower healthcare costs.

In 2002, Missourians elected Talent to serve in the United States Senate where he worked with Republicans and Democrats to enact critical legislation for Missouri. Working with Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden, Senator Talent was successful in securing critical funding and construction bonds in the highway bill and with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Talent succeeded in passing the most comprehensive anti-meth bill ever enacted into law. In the summer of 2005, Senator Talent led the fight to add a renewable fuels standard to the energy bill and now, 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuels like ethanol and bio-diesel must be added to the nation’s fuel supply by 2012.

“I’m pleased to be joining such a well-respected Missouri firm as Fleishman-Hillard,” said Senator Jim Talent. “I look forward to continuing to work on important issues like increasing access to healthcare, improving our transportation infrastructure, and strengthening our military. Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations has built its reputation by providing bipartisan solutions and delivering results for its clients and I am honored to be part of their team.”

Senator Talent joins Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations as it dramatically expands its expertise and geographic reach. Led by Co-Chairmen former Congressman Max Sandlin (D-TX), former Bronx Borough President and New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Fernando Ferrer, former U.S. Representative Bill Luther (D-MN), and Michael McKeon, former Communications Director to Governor George Pataki (R-NY), Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations is a national, bipartisan, best-in-class operation with offices in Washington, D.C., New York City, Albany, Minneapolis, and St. Louis.

“I’m thrilled to welcome my friend and former colleague to Fleishman-Hillard and Fleishman Hillard Government Relations,” said Co-Chairman Max Sandlin. “Jim Talent is a respected public servant with a keen understanding of the complex issues facing our nation and our clients and with the ability to translate that knowledge into meaningful public policy solutions. He will be a powerful addition to our team.”

Fleishman-Hillard’s public affairs teams represent a wide array of clients, including businesses, nonprofit groups, trade associations, and government agencies. They specialize in grassroots coalition building and campaigns, public education programs, issues and reputation management, lobbying, media relations, public opinion research and advertising, as well as other services to help clients achieve their business and public policy objectives. The team is led by an experienced team of former elected officials and key congressional staff, political and grassroots campaign experts, news reporters, and other experienced communications experts.

About Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations
As a subsidiary of Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations works in close partnership with Fleishman-Hillard, Mercury Public Affairs, and Crosslink Strategy Group. These combined forces offer a unique one-stop shop for public affairs services including lobbying, public opinion research, grassroots organization and coalition building, crisis management, strategic counsel and management, and issues advocacy and advertising. For more information, please visit www.FHGR.com.