Lobbying World

Craig Metz, who was chief of staff to former House Armed Services Committee Chairman Floyd Spence (R-S.C.), has joined the legislative group of Venable LLP. Metz most recently headed government affairs for EMC Corp., a Boston-based technology firm. He previously served as counsel to two subcommittees of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, now known as Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. He also was an adviser to the panel’s ranking member, the late Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.), on labor, health and education issues. Metz held senior posts in the administration of President George H. W. Bush in the Department of Energy and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review.

{mosads}Rhonda Bentz has joined Navigators LLC as vice president in the strategic communications practice. Bentz most recently served as director of public affairs for the Washington office of Visa USA. Prior to joining Visa, she was vice president for public affairs for APCO Worldwide.

Lucia G. Lebens, a former deputy chief of staff to Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), has joined lobbying firm mCapitol Management as vice president. Lebens served Coleman since 1999, when he was mayor of St. Paul.
The print issue of The Hill included an error in this item, which has been fixed in the online edition. Lebens joined mCapitol Management, not Capitol Management.

Chip Kunde was named vice president of government relations for Darden Restaurants, the company that operates Red Lobster, Olive Garden and other chains. Kunde comes from the International Dairy Foods Association, where he spent four years as senior vice president of legislative and economic affairs. He also served previously as a lobbyist for the Grocery Manufacturers of America.