• APPROPRIATIONS. Appareo Systems, an electronics manufacturing company based in North Dakota, hired McGuireWoods Consulting to work on appropriations and defense policy matters. Ryan Bernstein, former chief of staff to Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Michael Drobac, former legislative director to ex-Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), will work on the account.
iRobot, a technology company, also hired McGuireWoods Consulting to work on spectrum access for robotic devices. Drobac will also work on this account.
• TECHNOLOGY. Louisiana-based EPIC Oil Extractors hired Crossroads Strategies to work on outreach, education and advocacy on oil extraction technologies. Jason Gleason, former chief of staff to Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), and Wally Burnett, former clerk for the Senate Appropriations Committee, will work on the account.
Intellia Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, also hired Crossroads Strategies to work on education and advocacy related to gene therapy. Gleason will work on the account, as will Jason Van Pelt, former legislative director to ex-Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), and Marc Numedahl, former legislative director to Rep. David Loebsack (D-Iowa).
• GAMING.Trend Gaming Texas hired The Normandy Group to work on advancing legislation relating to gaming. Former Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-Texas) and Ron Eritano, former legislative correspondent to ex-Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), will work on the account.
• ENERGY. Innovative Natural Resource Solutions, a company that consults on renewable energy and land protection, among other issues, hired O’Neill and Associates to work on tax credits for biomass fuel. Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, and others will work on the account.