• Ira Sockowitz, Esq.                                                                                                          ira@hfgenterprises.com

      PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERIENCE

      President

      HFG Enterprises Inc., Washington D.C., 2010 – present

      Managing Partner and General Counsel

      Book Hill Partners, Washington, D.C., 2008-2010

      President

      Phoenix Consulting Group, Washington, D.C., 1998-2007

      ·      Provide strategic policy analysis, counsel and representational services to clients with regards to policy, legislative and regulatory matters on a wide variety of subjects at all levels of government.

      ·      Establish and maintain productive working relationships with legislators, regulators and their staffs to promote, advocate for or defend client positions and new initiatives.

      ·      Develop relationships and manage client affairs with leading associations of elected officials (National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislators, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities) as well as various industry and trade organizations to promote client issues and advance their business and legislative agendas.

      ·      Craft and execute public affairs and communications campaigns on behalf of client causes and issues, including press relations, internal and external stakeholder communications and public relations. Present, testify and speak before legislative committees, regulatory commissions and at conferences and meetings of national organizations and associations of policy makers and influencers.

      ·      Build and manage stakeholder coalitions, advocacy, grassroots and outreach campaigns to advance client goals and objectives. Coordinate these campaigns with communications, public affairs and public relations programs of the client organizations.

      ·      Manage PAC fundraising, contribution programs, and reporting. Plan “Hill Days” and in district visits for interactions with elected officials.

      ·      Develop thought leadership programs to create speaking and earned media opportunities for clients’ leadership teams and key staff to raise their profile as experts in their respective fields, thus promoting client interests.

      ·      Organize conferences, special events and press events for clients; develop agendas,create strong issue panels, recruit speakers, and organize logistical teams.

      ·      Responsible for and manage P&L, personnel, budget forecasting and management, and various reporting requirements.

      Executive and managerial positions for clients include:

      ·      Project Management for a major philanthropic organization on the development of a business plan and launch of a membership-based learning and career-development organization, that will have four integrated areas: services, products, grassroots engagement, and advocacy. Duties included providing strategic insight and direction to the initiative, developing and managing an overarching timeframe and milestones for decision-making and budgeting, organizing and coordinating the work of partners and outside experts and advisors, ensuring the integration of disparate sources of information into a single, cogent plan, and overseeing the development of a presentation to organizational leadership and potential investors.

      ·      Executive Director, managed the day-to-day operations of a multimillion dollar educational not for profit organization (Learning Games Network); responsible for all financial, accountability, and personnel responsibilities. Developed, negotiated, and managed grant and contract opportunities with outside partners for the development of new educational software and hardware solutions. Partners and funders included federal agencies, national philanthropic organizations, international publishers, and private sector school operators.

      ·      CEO of a social enterprise startup (Learning Games Studios) developing and selling game-based learning software. Managed the day-to-day operations, had P&L responsibilities for the company, hired and managed staff. Developed strategic partnerships with education service providers from various sectors, including industry, postsecondary, and K-12 education for the advancement of the company’s social and commercial missions.

      ·      Project Director and federal liaison for three public-private partnership that received U.S. Department of Education awards totaling over $130 million. Was responsible for day-to-day operations, including budget and program forecasting and management. Built and maintained partnerships and coalitions with key stakeholders, including federal, state and locally elected and appointed officials, funders, state and local school administrations, advocacy groups, and caregivers and parents. Planned and effectuated a successful national outreach campaign targeted to low-income and rural communities to provide free educational tools.

       
      Consultant to Executive Office of the Mayor
      Mayor Anthony A. Williams, Washington, D.C. 2003 – 2005

      ·      Led successful effort to bring Major League Baseball to Washington, D.C. through the writing and negotiation of $1.1 billion legislation to finance a new stadium, master planning the development of the Near Southeast neighborhood, the creation of a Tax Increment Financing District to use the proceeds of the resulting economic development to benefit the city’s low-income communities and constituencies, and develop job creation programs for underserved workers and communities.

      ·      Advised on and participated in the negotiation of the $1.2 billion sale of, and master development planning for, the 10-acre “City Center” in downtown D.C.

      ·      Provided strategic counsel to the Mayor, Chief of Staff, and City Administrator on budgetary, policy and legislative agendas and the development of citywide policy initiatives.

      ·      Led the communications “War Room,” an interagency effort to coordinate public and media activities on the Mayor’s top legislative and policy priorities. Duties included developing media materials, organizing public education, outreach and communications efforts, and building coalitions with business, faith and community organizations to garner advocacy for Mayoral initiatives.

      ·      Organized and led foreign trade missions and Sister City exchanges to Belgium, China, Senegal, South Africa, and Thailand for the Mayor and business leader delegations. Duties included negotiating agendas with foreign governments, liaising to U.S. Embassies, NGOs, trade organizations and counterpart businesses in the countries visited, preparing briefing materials for participants, writing speeches and talking points for Mayor and other officials, and handling logistical requirements.

      PUBLIC SECTOR EXPERIENCE

      Public Affairs Specialist

      U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C., 1996-1998

      ·      Developed public affairs strategies of Agency workforce development and youth programs with elected and administration officials at all levels of government, community-based organizations, and service providers to raise awareness and increase usage of resources.

      ·      Built and managed coalitions of stakeholders and grassroots organizations for the adoption and advancement of workforce development programs on the local, regional and national levels.

      ·      Prepared, revised, and cleared documents for use by Agency officials for release to the public, including reports, press releases, speeches, talking points and web site content.

      ·      Developed branding and marketing strategy for national campaigns to enlighten public about workforce development programs; wrote and produced publications and web sites to bring campaigns to fruition.

      ·      Organized press events, conferences, meetings and other special events to further awareness campaigns; developed thought leadership roles for Agency officials and industry advocates.

      Senior Advisor to the Deputy Administrator

      U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington, D.C., 1996.

      ·      Managed program development and policy implementation for the Agency via the Deputy Administrator. Led teams in drafting of legislation, regulations and other policy documents, supervised staff assignments and tasks, and prepared materials for use by the Administrator, the White House, Administration officials, and Congress.

      ·      Developed and managed relationships with Members of Congress and their staffs as well as state and local government officials; organized and conducted intergovernmental policy-forming conferences and meetings with officials of the SBA, other Federal agencies, and elected officials; conducted stakeholder meetings with corporate, industry, and citizen groups to obtain input on proposed policies and regulations.

      ·      Prepared, revised, and cleared public affairs strategies and documents for use by Agency officials, the White House, and for release to the public, including reports, testimony, press releases, talking points and speeches.

      ·      Led a Business Development Mission of ten companies to Russia; served as the Head of Delegation in meetings with local and national Russian Government officials.

      Special Counsel, Office of General Counsel

      U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C., 1993 – 1996.

      ·      Provided strategic and legal advice to the Secretary, General Counsel and other senior Departmental officials on matters of law, policy, legislation, and regulation.

      ·      Developed policy positions internally and coordinated with other Agency offices to do so with Members of Congress and their staffs, private sector stakeholders, and industry trade associations to draft legislation, regulations and policy position statements.

      ·      Drafted regulations and accompanying Federal Register notices to implement legislative and policy initiatives; conducted stakeholder meetings to build consensus for policy positions.

      ·      Represented Commerce in various domestic and foreign business and policy fora, including domestic and international governing bodies (EU, ASEAN, OAS) and trade working groups.

      ·      Member of the policy-making Intellectual Property Rights Working Groups of the National Economic Council and the National Information Infrastructure Task Force.

      ·      Member of three bilateral treaty negotiation teams on intellectual property rights; participated in drafting and language review teams for the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties.

      ·      Developed policy positions among internal stakeholders and represented Commerce on the National Security Council’s inter-agency Task Force on Encryption.

      ·      Provided legal advice on Presidential Business Development Missions in over 30 countries worldwide, including on-site negotiation of agreements and memoranda of understanding for contracts valued at over $42 billion.

      Administrative Law Judge

      New York State Department of Labor, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1991 – 1993.

      ·      Presided over appellate hearings: evaluated the evidence, findings of fact and conclusions of law made by trial judges and rendered written opinions.

      ·      Conducted administrative trial proceedings: ruled on the relevance and admissibility of evidence; made findings of fact and applied the findings to statutes, regulations, and rules in written decisions.

      Legislative Counsel and Senior Tax Analyst

      Office of Management and Budget, City of New York, N.Y., 1988 – 1990.

      ·      Drafted legislative proposals; developed Agency positions on pending Federal, State and City legislation; coordinated policy considerations with Mayoral and City agency representatives.

      ·      Researched and authored opinions on legal and legislative matters concerning budgetary and tax enforcement matters for OMB senior management and the Mayor.

      ·      Wrote and revised sections of the City’s budget documents and bond sale “Official Statements.”

      ·      Analyzed tax revenues and economic development tax incentive programs; studied the effects of tax policy on economic behavior.

      ·      Devised, analyzed, and negotiated deals for the economic development of the City.

      Legislative Counsel

      Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn (D-Queens), Albany, N.Y., 1988 Legislative Session.

      ·      Drafted and negotiated the Assemblywoman’s legislative program with staff and Members of Assembly and Senate committees as well as the Governor’s office.

      ·      Liaison to private advocacy groups and stakeholders on legislative initiatives.

      Lobbyist

      Public Employees Federation, Albany, N.Y., 1987 Legislative Session.

      ·      Drafted and negotiated legislation, budget and policy initiatives with legislators, committee, and executive branch staffs.

      ·      Analyzed legislative proposals and prepared position memoranda and press materials.

      Legislative Staff

      Assemblywoman Gerdi Lipschutz (D-Queens), Albany, N.Y. 1984 ‑ 1987.

      ·      Liaison to elected officials, the press and community organizations on all matters.

      ·      Drafted and negotiated the Assemblywoman’s legislative program with staff and Members of Assembly and Senate committees as well as the Governor’s office.

      ·      Staffed the Member as Chair of the Leadership Committee.

      ·      Managed a staff of legislative analysts and interns.

      PUBLICATION

      New York’s Real Property Tax: The More Changes That Are Made, The More Things Stay The Same ‑ an extensive review and analysis of 200 years of public policy options, legislation, and case law regarding the real property tax in New York State was published in May, 1991 (7 Touro L. Rev. 59 (1990))

      EDUCATION

      Master of Public Administration – Baruch College, City University of New York (incomplete – left final semester to accept Presidential appointment), 1993

      Juris Doctorate – Albany Law School of Union University, 1988

      Bachelor of Art – State University of New York at Binghamton, 1982