Lobbying World

• Jason Kratovil has been named vice president and deputy executive director of the American Bankers Association’s Card Policy Council. Before that, he worked as the vice president of congressional relations at the Independent Community Bankers of America and as the legislative director for former Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio). 

• The consulting firm 32 Advisors has added six principals and strategic partners, including Austan Goolsbee, who will serve as the head of its economic intelligence practice. Goolsbee most recently served as chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers.

{mosads}• Cozen O’Connor has hired Colin Roskey to serve as a member of its Health Care Group in its Philadelphia and Washington offices. Before that, he held a similar position at Alston & Bird and worked on the Senate Finance Committee, where he focused on healthcare-related issues. 

• Rob Van Raaphorst has become the director of communications for the Mortgage Bankers Association. Prior to that, he worked at the DCI Group, the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller and the Republican Governors Association.

• Russell Peck has become a senior vice president at Mercury Public Affairs and will serve in the firm’s new office in Raleigh, N.C. He previously served as the campaign manager for North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory. Peck also worked for the North Carolina Republican Party, the American Natural Gas Association and the Republican National Committee.

• Fleishman-Hillard has brought on Kris Balderston to serve as a senior partner for the firm, as well as the general manager for its Washington office. Prior to that, he worked as the special representative for global partnerships at the State Department. 

• Stuart Roy, Blain Rethmeier and Richard Ades have formed a bipartisan public affairs and crisis management firm, named Strategic Action Public Affairs. Roy has worked for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Rethmeier, who will work in the firm’s California office, has worked at several trade associations, including the U.S. Travel Association. Ades served in the Clinton White House and most recently worked as a partner at Prism Public Affairs.