Lobbying World

• WilmerHale has hired Matthew Jones as a member of its growing investigations and criminal litigation practice. He previously served as counsel and chief of staff to two U.S. attorneys for the District of Columbia, including Ronald C. Machen Jr., who is now a partner at the firm. Jones held a range of duties in his former position, including representing the U.S. attorney in talks with the Justice Department. 

• Andrej Suskavcevic has been named the president and CEO of Financial Executives International (FEI), a trade group with members who hold top positions at corporations. Suskavcevic, who most recently served as the president and CEO of the Craft and Hobby Association, begins his new role on Sept. 8. He had previously worked as the vice president of operations at FEI, from 1999 to 2007, and expanded member services for the organization. Prior to working at the Craft and Hobby Association, Suskavcevic was CEO of the Commercial Finance Association.  

• The Golf Course Superintendents Association has hired Robert Helland as the director of congressional and federal affairs. He has previously been a contract lobbyist for the organization from the law firm of Reed Smith for a decade. The most pressing issue for the industry at the moment is a clean water rule from the Environmental Protection Agency. 

• Sabrina De Santiago is leaving the office of Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), where she has worked as a senior legislative aide, to become the director of government affairs for the Center for American Progress. She has worked on Capitol Hill for more than a decade, serving in posts in the House and Senate.

• The American Frozen Food Institute has promoted one member of its staff and added new members to the team. Kaitlyn Palatucci has become the vice president of conferences. She most recently served as manager of meetings and expositions for the National Apartment Association and also has experience at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as the senior coordinator of medical meetings. Emma Gregory is joining the trade group as manager of nutrition and regulatory affairs. Prior to that, she worked as a dietetic intern at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Ron Davis, who has been with the group since October 2013, has been promoted to manager of communications and government affairs.