SPECIAL REPORT
THE POWER 100 Who’s really running Washington (and the world)
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nowledge is power. Influence is power. Access is power. The perception of this attribute is even quite powerful. It is the currency for those with an enhanced ability to manifest, motivate, listen and influence decisions. In this, Washington Life’s 7th annual Power Issue, we look at the many faces of power and its impact on the country. The major arc of this year’s Power 100 includes 80 political players — some of whom are enjoying the fruits of unlimited fundraising activities — while the remaining 20 are equal opportunity non-partisans and standout business leaders. As in past years, we continue the tradition of eliminating anyone drawing a government paycheck (as this is not intended to be a government directory), and we never assume that wealth necessarily begets power, as it ultimately depends on how one uses it. Those who wield the “power of the pen” with considerable influence include syndicated columnist George Will, Politico’s Mike Allen, The Wall Street Journal’s Gerald Sieb, AOL Huffington Post Media Group’s Arianna Huffington and Howard Fineman, The Washington Post’s Ezra Klein and CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. This is undeniably a “political year” — a point driven home by the appearance of more high-impact political players on this year’s list than usual. Notable on the right are Republicanled “Super PACs” such as American Crossroads, led by Karl
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Rove, Steven Law and Carl Forti, which currently has a 10-to1 money advantage over its Democratic rival Priorities USA Action headed by Bill Burton. Other new additions on the right include Prime Policy Group’s Charlie Black, Republican Jewish Coalition’s Mark Isakowitz, the Chamber of Commerce’s Scott Reed, attorney Paul Clement, Ogilvy’s Drew Maloney and messaging maven Russ Schriefer. New additions on the left include David Axelrod, the Obama campaign’s Jim Messina and Julianna Smoot. These individuals have the knowhow, savvy and connections to stock election arsenals and ultimately influence the outcome. The persistent need for jobs and stability has brought some relatively unknown figures from outside Washington’s traditional political landscape onto the forefront of the new power map. Two of these dynamic figures — the International Monetary Fund’s Christine Lagarde and the World Bank’s Jim Yong Kim — will have their mettle tested as they steer the reshaping of the global economy. Other new additions to this year’s list include Brookings’ Martin Indyk, Johns Hopkins’ Vali Nasr, Friends of the Earth’s Erich Pica, MSNBC’s Chuck Todd, American Action Forum’s Douglas Holtz Eakin, Facebook’s Marne Levine and Joel Kaplan, SAIC’s John Jumper, Demos’ Heather McGhee, Hilton’s Christopher Nassetta, Center for American Progress’ Neera Tanden, J Street’s Jeremy BenAmi, Google’s Susan Molinari, Vital Voices’ Alyse Nelson and National Council of La Raza’s Janet Murguía, among others. These individuals show the depth and breadth of power in Washington and beyond. Read on for the full list.
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THE POWER 100 ROBERT ALLBRITTON CHAIRMAN AND CEO ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS
FRED RYAN PRESIDENT
recently described in the new Republic as one of Washington’s “most powerful, least famous” people, Allbritton exerts influence through control of a media empire that includes two local TV stations; Politico, the successful online/print journal; and TBD, a rather less successful local news website that recently laid off much of its staff. Detail man Fred Ryan, Ronald Reagan’s post-presidential chief of staff and the chairman of the Reagan Foundation, tends to operations with notable skill and quiet efficiency.
MIKE ALLEN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT POLITICO
dubbed by the new york times “the man the White House wakes up to,” Allen is an intrepid national politics reporter with deep sources. His sevenday-a-week email newsletter “Playbook,” which reportedly generated $700,000plus in ad revenue last year, continues to be widely read by Washington insiders — including Democrats, despite his Republican leanings.
TOM ANDERSON DANA LANDRY WILLIAM F X MOODY MARC SCHAPPELL FOUNDERS WASHINGTON FINE PROPERTIES
the capital region’s preeminent carriage trade real estate firm was ranked number one in America for “Highest Sales Production Per Agent” in 2009, 2010 and again in 2011 by the national Real Trends annual research report. With over $1.4 billion in sales last year, the company was also recognized for the “Highest Average Sales Price” in the nation.What makes this high-sales volume remarkable is that the firm has
Martin Indyk (left). (AP Photos/Maneesh Bakshi) only 100 agents, a testament to how market knowledge is power.The firm had a banner year in 2011 with the sale of some of the most venerable Georgetown properties ever, including Evermay and Halcyon House, as well as Marwood in Potomac and Ferry’s Landing in Alexandria. In addition to the founders’ business acumen and commitment to remain locally independent, Mark McFadden, Nancy Taylor Bubes and Mathew McCormick are three of the area’s standout agents who consistently prove their sales prowess in the luxury market.
path to the White House has a well-honed knack for defining the political zeitgeist and taking on the disciplined Republican message machine. He highlights the president’s accomplishments with memorable refrains such as “General Motors is alive and Osama is dead.” The key to re-election in 2012 is convincing the electorate that the economy is improving for working Americans, and energizing a Democratic base even though few have been held to account for the financial malfeasance that led to the 2008 meltdown.
DAVID AXELROD
JEREMY BEN-AMI
CHIEF STRATEGIST OBAMA
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT J STREET
Arguably the most important person in the Obama camp, the genius strategist who engineered the first African-American president’s
in just four short years, j street’s savvy founder has steered this pro-Israel, pro-peace group into the center of the Middle East discussion. Ben-Ami’s no-compromises stance on a two-state solution has earned the wrath of some on the more vocal far-right. Although J Street doesn’t yet wield the lobbying power of AIPAC, it is likely to continue its exponential growth and mobilize even greater support from “the majority of Jewish-Americans who believe that the hard line policies of Binyamin Netanyahu endanger Israeli security.” J Street’s PAC represents 30 percent
“Once, power was considered a masculine attribute. In fact, power has no sex.” — KATHARINE GRAHAM
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of all pro-Israel PAC funds. In 2010, it endorsed 61 candidates and distributed over $1.5 million to their campaigns, the most in history by a pro-Israel PAC. The growing appeal of its centrist message on college campuses resonates with the next generation of Jewish leaders, a testament to J Street’s expanding influence.
ROBERT S ‘BOB’ BENNETT PARTNER HOGAN LOVELLS
the “go-to” man for pols with prosecutors breathing down their necks, Bennett has represented some
Jim Yong Kim (Rex Features via AP Images)
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Bono and former President Bill Clinton (Photo by Tony Powell)
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THE POWER 100 of the biggest names in town over the years, including President Bill Clinton and two former secretaries of defense, Clark Clifford and Caspar Weinberger. Most recently, he made headlines for representing D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray when a former city employee accused him of electorial corruption. On a more unusual note, Bennett has also taken on the case of Megaupload, a filesharing website that has been charged with a massive online piracy scheme.
WAYNE BERMAN MANAGING DIRECTOR OGILVY GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
a quietly influential presence at the crossroads of policy, politics and lobbying, Berman’s many years of experience in Washington include substantive roles in the campaigns, transition teams and administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. Since merging his successful lobbying/ management consulting firm with Ogilvy Government Relations in 2004, he concentrates on advising major financial, insurance, telecommunications and energy firms. Berman successfully lobbied Republicans to help United Technologies Pratt division triumph over GE in the battle to build the F35 Joint Strike Fighter program. He also serves as one of three national finance chairmen on Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.
CHARLES R ‘CHARLIE’ BLACK CHAIRMAN PRIME POLICY GROUP
a veteran of nine presidential campaigns dating back to Gerald R. Ford’s in 1976, this “super lobbyist” and talking head became an early advisor to the Romney campaign where he is counted upon to provide invaluable back-channel information and savvy advice regarding messaging, endorsements and strategic planning in battleground states.
WOLF BLITZER HOST ‘THE SITUATION ROOM ’ CNN
blitzer was the man who “didn’t back down” when pressing a resistant Newt Gingrich to answer tough questions during the 2012 GOP primary debates. The Republican candidates resoundingly agreed that this wellregarded news personality was the
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Xavier Giocanti and Christine Lagarde (Courtesy of ABACAUSA)
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CHRISTINE LAGARDE DIRECTS BILLION FOR GLOBAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY Setting a stable foundation for the global economy is no small feat for the first woman to ascend to the top job of the 188-member International Monetary Fund
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hristine Lagarde has made history in many ways. A class act on both sides of the Atlantic, the 6-foot former synchronized swimming champion who never drinks alcohol and is a vegetarian, cuts a striking presence in Washington. “I’m going to make a difference,” the trailblazing managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) joked recently at a National Portrait Gallery event, “because I’ve got much more white hair than many of you here.” According to Lagarde, an impeccably dressed labor lawyer turned politician, “the degree of risk taking among women is significantly lower than among men.”
“Optimism must not lull us into a false sense of security. There are still major economic and financial vulnerabilities we must confront … and we must not forget that there are still too many people in too many countries who are enduring the hardship of unemployment. It is o en said that a reputation is ‘gained in inches and lost in miles.’ The same could be said of economic progress. All countries must persevere with their policy efforts if the progress of yesterday is to translate into the promise of a brighter tomorrow. Finally, if I had one piece of advice for policymakers around the world, I might borrow the words of Confucius: ‘In all things, success depends on previous preparation.’ Today’s risks are still very much global. We are all interconnected and we are all affected by each other’s policy actions. We need to prepare for success together. If we stand together, the whole will be more than the sum of the parts.” — Christine Lagarde, addressing the China Development Forum 2012, Beijing
ACHIEVEMENTS ➡ First woman ever to head the IMF in its 60-year history
CALLING ON THE INTERNATIONAL community to take urgent collective action, she has said “2012 must be a year of healing.The longer we wait, the worse it will get. The only solution is to move forward together. Our collective future depends on it.” Under her leadership, the IMF’s lending firepower has doubled by an additional $430 billion to safeguard the world economy (although the U.S. did not provide any extra loans), but her optimism remains tempered. She has declared this a “Washington moment” for countries and institutions to
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cooperate and learn from each other, leading the charge for a “collective approach.” The global economic situation is slowly improving but remains very fragile. A new foundation, Lagarde says, must be based on education, creative thinking and new policies. “I am reasonably optimistic and sometimes desperately optimistic; I want to be desperately optimistic and I want to believe that countries will understand that they can actually change the course of things.” At the end of the day, she says, “what matters is people with jobs.”
➡ First female finance minister in the G8 ➡ First woman to head the French Finance Ministry ➡ First woman to chair the international law firm Baker & McKenzie ➡ Ranked the best minister of finance in the Euro zone ➡ Consistently ranked one of the most powerful women in the world
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THE POWER 100
PAY TO PLAY Super PACs — mostly funded by wealthy individuals who have promised to give even more — are raining cash on this year’s race to the White House.
ON THE LEFT* PRIORITIES USA ACTION ★
★
ON THE RIGHT** ★
MILLION MILLION
MILLION ★
AMERICAN BRIDGE ★ 21ST CENTURY
MILLION ★
(PLEDGED FROM DONORS)
AMERICANS FOR ★ PROSPERITY/AFP FOUNDATION ★
MILLION MILLION
MAJORITY PAC ★
(SENATE DEMOCRATS)
(PLEDGED FROM DONORS)
MILLION ★
HOUSE MAJORITY PAC ★ (HOUSE DEMOCRATS)
MILLION TOTAL
MILLION
AMERICAN CROSSROADS/GPS ★
★
RESTORE OUR FUTURE★
MILLION ★
AMERICAN ACTION NETWORK★ (HOUSE REPUBLICANS)
MILLION TOTAL
MILLION
HEY BIG SPENDER!
best of the various debate moderators. As host of “The Situation Room,� he continues to shape the nightly news for millions of Americans.
THOMAS ‘TOMMY’ HALE BOGGS JR CHAIRMAN PATTON BOGGS
boggs continues to have a major impact on legislation as he commands operations at one of the nation’s biggest and most important law and lobbying firms. His impeccable political credentials, lengthy experience (40-plus years on the job) and low-key profile are the reason foreign governments, banks and major corporations rely on his influence and access to get the job done.
DAVID BRADLEY CHAIRMAN ATLANTIC MEDIA COMPANY
bradley’s atlantic media group continued its expansion this year, bringing local Washingtonian Sommer Mathis aboard as editor of Atlantic Cities, a web-based news site focusing on urban development planning and culture. Bradley continues to focus his attention on his most profitable entities such as The National Journal Group that houses six successful publications under its umbrella including The Atlantic. Bradley‘s Potomac Research Group continues to strengthen its market position with many Wall Street clients.
JOHN B BREAUX Deep-pocketed campaign supporters in 2012 SHELDON ADELSON casino magnate
MILLION (WITH PROMISES TO GIVE $100 MILLION TO REPUBLICANS) HAROLD SIMMONS chemical company billionaire
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BOB PERRY homebuilding millionaire
MILLION
Wealthy Democratic supporters have yet to weigh in. *Total receipts reported to FEC as of April 27, 2012. **Reportedly in the bank with estimated donor promises, according to inside sources.
SENIOR COUNSEL PATTON BOGGS BREAUX-LOTT LEADERSHIP GROUP
TRENT LOTT SENIOR COUNSEL
former senator john breaux and former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott jumped through the revolving door and came out on the other side with the Breaux-Lott Leadership Group, one of the most powerful lobbying outfits on K Street with $8.3 million in fees in 2011, according to CQ Press. In 2010, Patton Boggs bought the firm (which employed their sons, John Breaux Jr. and Chester Trent Lott), adding Raytheon, Tyson Foods and General Electric to its portfolio of Fortune 100 companies.
BILL BURTON CO-FOUNDER AND SENIOR STRATEGIST PRIORITIES USA ACTION
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“The measure of a man is what he does with power.� — PLATO
does the obama campaign need Super PAC contributions to win reelection? Given the billion-plus dollars Republican Super PACs are expected to raise, much rests on Burton’s ability to bring home the bacon. When he didn’t secure the White House press secretary post, he stepped in with Sean Sweeney to form the operation that Democrats hope can counter Karl Rove’s well-oiled Republican Super PAC machine American Crossroads, not to mention Romney’s Super PAC and the big dollars that will be deployed by Tom Donohue’s Chamber of Commerce. Although Burton is likely to be outspent dramatically, he will draw on his resources and sharp political messaging skills to focus voters on “a Romney Republican agenda that rewards the wealthiest few at the expense of middle-class families.� So far, Priorities USA has garnered less than a tenth of the Republican war chests, but a $1 million personal check from TV host and political commentator Bill Maher and $2 million from DreamWorks Animation’s CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg may help move the cause forward.
A JAMES CLARK CHAIRMAN CLARK ENTERPRISES INC
cei continues to be a real estate powerhouse, both commercially and in residential properties. The Clark Construction Group, under the CEI umbrella, was responsible for the Arena Stage restoration as well as building the Harman Center for the Arts. Currently, the Clark Construction Group has joined forces with the charitable arm of CEI (Clark Charitable Foundation) to pledge $500,000 toward the
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construction of Boulder Crest Retreat, a recovery facility for wounded veterans in Virginia.
PAUL CLEMENT ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF LAW GEORGETOWN LAW CENTER
if you’re arguing one of the country’s most important legal cases before the Supreme Court, you go from being a capable lawyer to a “lion of the law� overnight. Clement received rave reviews for his performance during the oral arguments over health care insurance reform before the highest court in the land and if Romney wins the presidential election, he is likely to be in the mix for a top job at the Justice Department. Unlike Chief Justice John Roberts, who was careful not to take controversial cases during his years as a top Supreme Court lawyer, Clement has done the opposite as lead counsel on many polarizing issues (health care, immigration, gay marriage, gun control and redistricting), casting him — perhaps incorrectly — as someone with a hard-right agenda.
BILL CLINTON CHAIRMAN WILLIAM J CLINTON FOUNDATION
as one of only four living u.s. presidents, he doesn’t merely coast on his former glory days as leader of the free world, but instead uses his eponymous foundation to bring freedom, awareness and economic aid to the world’s most impoverished nations. He has helped 19 million students around the world receive nutrition and health care. Rumor has it that he will soon be helping Bill Burton catch up with the Republican Super PACs’ formidable fundraising lead.
G WAYNE CLOUGH SECRETARY SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
the 12th secretary of the smithsonian Institution has testified before Congress in the struggle to turn around a $2.5 billion shortfall that now impacts the world’s largest museum and research complex. Despite having to ask many of the institution’s 6,000 federal employees (including about 700 scientists) to consider buyouts or early retirement, Clough should be credited for somehow being able to maintain the
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POLITICS
PARTISAN POWER These heavyweights hail from both sides of the aisle and, with election year in sight, will square off in a battle for the White House. A mixed bag of political operatives and campaign financiers, they collectively represent some of the most persuasive and influential voices on Washington’s political scene. (AP Images)
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JIM MESSINA
CARL FORTI
ANITA DUNN Managing Director SKD Knickerbocker Consulting
BILL BURTON
Co-Founder and Senior Strategist Priorities USA Action
DEBORAH WASSERMAN SCHULTZ
Chairman Democratic National Committee
Campaign Manager Obama 2012
JOHN PODESTA Chair and Counselor Center for American Progress
JULIANNA SMOOT
Deputy Campaign Manager Obama 2012
Political Director American Crossroads Founder Black Rock Group
ED GILLESPIE Founder Gillespie Strategies
KARL ROVE
Political Operative and Commentator
PAUL CLEMENT
Adjunct Professor of Law Georgetown Law Center
REINCE PRIEBUS
Chairman Republican National Committee
RUSS SCHRIEFFER
Principal Stevens & Schriefer Group
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THE POWER 100 Smithsonian’s global influence and run research centers all over the world.
CHRIS DODD CHAIRMAN AND CEO MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
although dodd may not have yet fully adapted from senator to advocate, that doesn’t mean he isn’t making headway as the head of the entertainment industry’s most powerful lobbying shop. Despite the rather swift defeat of anti-piracy bills SOPA/PIPA (which led Dodd to threaten to cut off campaign contributions to candidates who opposed the controversial legislation), he is pushing for a comeback. On the ground, the former Democratic senator is focusing his antipiracy efforts on China, which recently agreed to play a bit more fairly with Hollywood by permitting more foreign films and upping the percentage it pays American moviemakers.
THOMAS DONOHUE PRESIDENT AND CEO U S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SCOTT REED SENIOR POLITICAL STRATEGIST
under donohue’s leadership, the chamber has stepped-up its advocacy role, raising millions of undisclosed dollars that are funneled into political advertising to defeat progressives and elect hard-right candidates. Together with former Republican presidential advisor Scott Reed, who directs the chamber’s “political education” campaign, these heavy hitters are operating as a virtual Super PAC, spending huge sums on behalf of large multinational corporations, while drawing criticism from local chambers across the country that have distanced themselves over accusations that it “doesn’t really represent the small business community.” Documents released by the online activist group,
“Anonymous,” suggest that the chamber’s political activities were perhaps deeper than previously known, allegedly entertaining discussions with security contractor HB Gary Federal for plans to “target its opponents with an apparently nefarious slime campaign.” Regardless, the chamber will be a major player in the upcoming election.
LAWRENCE ‘LARRY’ DUNCAN III VICE PRESIDENT FOR FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND PAC AFFAIRS LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
a heavy-hitter for the world’s largest defense contractor, which also happens to be the industry leader in lobbying expenditures and campaign contributions, Duncan promotes Lockheed Martin’s suite of warrelated products, from the new Joint Strike Fighter and Hellfire missile to the widely popular BLU-109 warhead. While raising millions for the company’s political action committee, he remains active in the Washington, D.C. community, serving as a trustee of Ford’s Theatre, The Phillips Collection, the USO; and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington.
ANITA DUNN MANAGING DIRECTOR SKD KNICKERBOCKER CONSULTING
this former Obama senior advisor and White House communications director now advises Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits and political candidates. One of her party’s top five strategists, she will play a significant role in the planning and organization of this year’s Democratic National Convention. Her most recent coup: the upset victory of John Delaney over the heavily favored Rob Garagiola in the Maryland 6th District Democratic congressional primary.
“Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” Cecile Richards (Marc Dimov/Patrick McMullen.com Sipa via AP Images)
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— MARGARET THATCHER
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makes Capital One the fifth-largest consumer bank in the country. While the merger may upset many ING customers, Fairbank’s influence is exemplified by virtue of Fed approval — no easy task after the 2008 Wall Street meltdown.
MIKE FELDMAN AND CARTER ESKEW FOUNDING PARTNERS GLOVER PARK GROUP
SUSAN BROPHY MANAGING DIRECTOR
JOEL JOHNSON MANAGING DIRECTOR
Bob Gates (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool) DOUGLAS HOLTZ EAKEN PRESIDENT AMERICAN ACTION FORUM
eaken, a former top advisor to both George W. Bush and John McCain, is an established presence in the economic think-tank world. In 2010, he helped establish the American Action Forum, sister-organization of the Republicanrun American Action Network (led by Brian O’Walsh). With significant influence among those on the right, both organizations have shared more than office space with Karl Rove’s American Crossroads and count local power player Fred Malek as chairman of the groups’ boards.
JOHN ENGLER PRESIDENT THE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
michigan’s former three-term Republican governor ended up in the private sector at the Business Roundtable where he is credited with shepherding a substantial increase in corporate membership and activity. Although he is known as a ferocious partisan, he regularly manages to corral Democratic support for businessfriendly measures. Having moved his group’s headquarters to Capitol Hill,
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he’s likely to remain a major player for years to come.
JOHN FAHEY CHAIRMAN AND CEO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
TIM KELLY PRESIDENT
both fahey and kelly were integral to National Geographic’s impressive expansion, both in terms of diversifying media and extending its international reach. The society’s current membership now stands at 8.5 million, the magazine is published in 34 languages and the National Geographic Channel airs in over 143 countries. If that weren’t example enough of Fahey and Kelly’s power, we also hear that they exert considerable influence over the Alfalfa Club Dinner invites and membership.
competition. The former GOP chairman (from 1983-1989) gets extra points this year for retaining his post as co-chairman of the Commission for Presidential Debates.
RICHARD FAIRBANK CEO CAPITAL ONE
the year 2012 has already been huge for Capital One, with the Federal Reserve approving its acquisition of ING Direct in February. The $9.2 billion deal, which follows on the acquisition of Chevy Chase Bank,
FRANK FAHRENKOPF PRESIDENT AND CEO AMERICAN GAMING ASSOCIATION
after 16 years on the job, fahrenkopf continues in his quest to persuade the federal government to regulate online poker and prevent states with gambling from legislating “a patchwork of laws” that would result in unbridled
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Neera Tanden (Courtesy Center for American Progress)
this go-to public affairs firm synthesizes strategic communication, government relations and advertising with ease. Founded 10 years ago by Feldman and Eskew, GPG was recently acquired by media conglomerate WPP. Johnson is known for having the confidence of many influential CEOs, while Brophy adds gravitas from legislative affairs experience in the Clinton administration. Two additional heavy-hitters at the firm are Republican Alex Mistri, who spent five years as special assistant to President George W. Bush, and Dee Dee Myers, who broke the glass ceiling when she served under President Clinton as the White House’s first female press secretary. Glover Park’s clients include numerous corporations as well as The Alliance for Climate Protection, the Committee to Modernize Voter Registration and the Campaign for Women’s Lives.
CARL FORTI POLITICAL DIRECTOR AMERICAN CROSSROADS FOUNDER BLACK ROCK GROUP
known as the “alexander the great” of the Republican independent expenditure world,” Forti allegedly doesn’t waver from testing the boundaries of campaign finance laws. Considered number two at Rove’s American Crossroads Super PAC, which along with its sister nonprofit, Crossroads GPS – anticipated to raise between $500 million to one billion dollars for the election cycle – this “outside-money man” is focused on “maintaining discipline” to enlarge the Republican majority in the House and give Republicans control of the Senate and White House. He is intricately
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THE POWER 100 involved in the maze of outside groups transforming electoral politics by using the Super PAC’s “independent fundraising” ability to gather and spend unlimited funds from corporations and individuals. He has aided a number of other “anti-progressive” special interest groups such as the 60 Plus Association (“a farther-right version of the AARP”) and the euphemistically named Americans for Job Security.
P WESLEY FOSTER JR CHAIRMAN AND CEO LONG & FOSTER COMPANIES
MARC FLEISHER HANS AND STEVE WYDLER TOP AGENTS
foster has built the largest independent brokerage in the U.S., with 12,000 agents selling more homes priced at more than $1 million than any competitor. Long & Foster also flexes its market power by providing a full range of mortgage, insurance and title services as well as managing a billion dollars in the property rental/management sector. Fleisher, who generated $180 million in sales last year was the force behind three major sales in Montgomery County this past year, selling one Bethesda property for $5.8 million, another for $10 million and the historic “Marwood” estate in Potomac for a cool $20 million. Another powerhouse team includes the hardcharging market-savvy Wydler brothers, Hans (who has a master’s in business from Harvard) and Steve who is the number one agent in the McLean office (and has a law degree from Vanderbilt).They are on track to sell over $100 million in 2012, including the Cafritz estate property on Chain Bridge Road, and were recently ranked in the top 100 out of 1.1 million agents by The Wall Street Journal.
Ezra Klein do with the economy of the greater Washington region.
BOB GATES CHANCELLOR COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY
despite taking on a full-time role as chancellor of William & Mary, Gates, a former defense secretary for both Republican and Democratic administrations, retains his commanding voice in military discourse and foreign policy. Often referred to as the “soldier’s secretary,” his comments
STEPHEN FULLER DIRECTOR GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR REGIONAL ANALYSIS
the economy remains the main isssue of the day and Fuller has cornered the market on that discussion more than most. A longtime economics scholar, he is counted on by business and government leaders both here and abroad who rely on his easily digestible yet pristine research on economic subjects, especially data having to
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Fareed Zakaria (SylvainGaboury/Patrick McMullen.com Sipa via AP Images)
to West Point cadets made headlines last February, when he said that expanding conflicts from Iraq and Afghanistan to Iran would create a “full-blown crisis, requiring costly — and controversial — large-scale American military intervention.”
JACK GERARD PRESIDENT AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE
the highest-paid lobbyist in washington, this “force majeure” behind big oil has apparently never lost a legislative or political battle against pro-environmental security and cleanenergy lawmakers. Count on this fellow Mormon Romney supporter to spend millions of ad dollars to pressure Congress to keep billions of dollars in energy tax breaks in place while pushing the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline. Even though experts predict this would dramatically speed climate destabilization and contaminate groundwater with dirty tar sands oils (a corrosive fuel source that emits three times more carbon pollution than oil), Gerard rarely loses a battle.
ED GILLESPIE FOUNDER GILLESPIE STRATEGIES
gillespie, a longtime political operative, was the first RNC chairman in 80 years to preside over the GOP’s takeover of the presidency and both houses of Congress in 2004. He recently left American Crossroads, the right-wing mega-PAC he founded with Karl Rove, to (as one Republican wag put it) help provide “adult supervision” to the Romney campaign and focus its message on economic rather than social issues in an attempt to lure back moderate and independent voters who were turned off by the Tea Party tone of the Republican primaries.
DONALD GRAHAM CHAIRMAN THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY
KATHARINE WEYMOUTH PUBLISHER
despite a recent rather nasty vanity Fair article, the Washington Post remains a power paper with strong reach both inside the Beltway and nationally. Under Katharine Zaleski’s leadership of digital news, it is becoming increasingly influential in new media as well, boasting impressive traffic and up-to-the-minute articles, blogs and content to further enhance what is published each day in print.
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ROBERT GREENSTEIN FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CENTER ON BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES
since founding this non-partisan budget think tank in 1981, Greenstein has earned a reputation as a fair and thoughtful financial expert, often called upon to slice and dice the numbers and then weigh in on their cumulative effects, a talent he recently exhibited when he exposed the inconsistencies and errors in Paul Ryan’s proposed budget plan. As a key architect of the 1977 Food Stamp Act and a fullthroated advocate for the country’s working poor, his findings are usually framed in terms of this oft-underserved demographic.
COMMUNICATION
MEDIA ELITE As the gatekeepers of news from web, to print and television, these media leaders keep you in the know, providing insight into the impact and cultural relevance of the nation’s events and issues. (Huffington, Will and Zaslav AP Images)
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DAVID GREGORY
CHRIS MATTHEWS
KATHARINE WEYMOUTH
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON
CHUCK TODD
GEORGE WILL
DAVID GREGORY HOST ‘MEET THE PRESS ’ NBC
“meet the press,� the titan of the Sunday morning news for 60 years, continues to make headlines in 2012 with a roster of high-profile guests and a shorter list of no-shows. Although replacing the legendary Tim Russert has been no easy task, Gregory deftly pinpoints the heart of current political debate.
J STEVEN HART CHAIRMAN AND CEO WILLIAMS & JENSEN
well-established in gop circles as the go-to guy for groups “wanting help dealing with labor unions,� he remains a top lobbyist for clients that include the American Council of Life Insurers, Stanley Black and Decker,Visa Inc., Comcast, General Dynamics and CocaCola, who paid the firm $7 million in 2011. Notably, General Electric sought his lobbying assistance for the Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine it was developing with Rolls Royce.
MARY KAY HENRY PRESIDENT SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION SEIU
the top woman in the u.s. labor movement took the reins of SEIU in 2010 after 30 years of waiting in the wings. She is adamant on the need for reform in the health care industry and has spoken in favor of fairness for the working poor and against the everwidening gap in income inequality and
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MIKE ALLEN
Chief White House Correspondent Politico
WOLF BLITZER Host “The Situation Room,� CNN
DONALD GRAHAM
Chairman The Washington Post Company
Host “Meet the Press,� NBC
President/Editor-inChief AOL Huffington Post Media Group
DEBRA LEE
Chairman Black Entertainment Television
Host “Hardball,� MSNBC Political Director, NBC Host,“The Rundown,� MSNBC
CHRIS WALLACE Host “Fox News Sunday,� Fox News
Publisher Washington Post
Syndicated Columnist
DAVID ZASLAV President/CEO Discovery Communications
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THE POWER 100 KAREN IGNAGNI PRESIDENT AND CEO AMERICA’S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS
with health care spending at an alltime high (18.2 percent of the current U.S. GDP), count on it to be one of the most hotly debated issues in this year’s presidential race. This explains why Ignagni has been speaking out in defense of her members, downplaying their responsibility for rising costs. Although the industry is viewed as “akin to poison” for many, she has managed to exert influence to ensure that legislation and regulations continue to benefit the companies she represents.
MARTIN INDYK VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN POLICY THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
with a well-known background as a former U.S. ambassador to Israel,and assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs under Bill Clinton, Indyk is widely considered an expert on Iran and Israel policy. He is influential with Republicans and Democrats alike on some of the most vexing foreign policy matters concerning Iran, Israel and the United States.
WALTER ISAACSON PRESIDENT AND CEO ASPEN INSTITUTE
Vali Nasr other gross inequities in our society. With 250,000 potential “foot soldiers” at her disposal, Henry will be a player in the November election.
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON PRESIDENT AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AOL HUFFINGTON POST MEDIA GROUP
HOWARD FINEMAN EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
it’s fair to say that huffington scored two major “gets”: when AOL purchased the site in 2011 for $315 million, installing her as president and editor-inchief of all content for both companies. She brought celebrated veteran journalist Howard Fineman on board earlier to manage the day’s top political news.With the added prestige of its recent Pulitzer (the first for an online daily), the Internet giant is proving itself as a formidable source of original reporting.
the silver-maned journalist came to this well-respected nonprofit educational center by way of CNN and Time Magazine. Under Isaacson’s stewardship, the institute’s many intellectual conferences draw the
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MARK ISAKOWITZ BOARD MEMBER REPUBLICAN JEWISH COALITION
isakowitz balances his work as president of consulting firm Fierce, Isakowitz and Blalock with a seat on the Republican Jewish Coalition’s board of directors, whose members reportedly account for 40 percent of the top Republican political money bundlers and include Josh Bolton, Ari Fleischer, Wayne Berman and Sam Fox. With Republicans on a mission to defeat Obama at any cost, Isakowitz and his co-directors will be a force to reckon with as they push Republicans to take hard-right positions on Middle East policy.
BENJAMIN JACOBS DONALD BROWN JOSEPH GILDENHORN PARTNERS JBG COMPANIES
this year marks jbg’s 50th anniversary and its founders seem to be marking the milestone with projects galore. It’s hard to drive around Washington without seeing JBG’s trademark navy logo covering a construction site. Current projects include The Artisan Condominium in Penn Quarter and the eye-catching 300 New Jersey Avenue, a 10-story structure with floor-to-ceiling windows that joins the historic Acacia Building with its 1950s addition. The company’s Marriot Wardman Park apartment project is slated for delivery in 2014.
JAY JOHNSON CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND CEO GENERAL DYNAMICS
“Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true.” — HONORÉ DE BALZAC
world’s most revered minds. A prolific writer and Rhodes Scholar, Isaacson has penned several insightful books on leading historic figures, but his most recent effort on Apple innovator Steve Jobs is likely to be his biggest hit and most lasting literary contribution.
Thomas Donohue (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
credit this outgoing admiral and former chief of Naval Operations to keep the defense dollars flowing and the military-industrial complex strong as head honcho of the nation’s largest defense firm. Although the company also makes the best private jets (Gulfstream) in the business, a full 70 percent of its sales come from contracts for combat,
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marine, information, technology and command control systems.
“I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.”
JOHN JUMPER PRESIDENT AND CEO SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION SAIC
the former senior advisor for private equity firms including the Carlyle Group is now at the helm of a company that conducts more “black science” analysis for intelligence and security purposes than any other. The company, which employs 45,000 workers worldwide, has moved its corporate headquarters from La Jolla, Calif. to McLean,Va., migrating much of its work force to the nation’s capital in part because a vast majority of its work comes from government contracts, particularly with the Department of Defense. A period of major changes and some controversy in the corporate structure seems to have settled down after the once second-largest majority employee-owned company in the U.S. completed its IPO, effectively eliminating employee control.
FRANK KEATING PRESIDENT AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION
as head of the seemingly all-powerful American Bankers Association since 2010, Keating spent the last year as the public face of the ABA’s fight against the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer-Protection Act, fighting to remove the teeth from recent regulatory protections. He is credited for seeing the “writing on the wall” early enough to re-focus his industry’s strategic efforts on fighting DoddFrank through the rule-making process rather than head on in the face of overwhelming public support.
— THOMAS JEFFERSON
Trent Lott (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) excelled as a managing partner and chairman of the board at Timmons & Company before running Honeywell International’s lobbying efforts.
BOBBIE KILBERG PRESIDENT AND CEO NORTHERN VIRGINIA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
as the leader of the country’s largest tech council representing 1,000 businesses and 200,000 employees, Kilberg’s clout is undeniable. She also represents the region’s government contractors, who are feeling the heat with looming defense cuts. Her recent appointment as chair of de facto Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s technical advisory committee (not to mention being cochair of his campaign for Northern Virginia) puts her in a good position when it comes to accomplishing the
council’s legislative goals. A longtime party stalwart with experience dating from the Nixon to the George W. Bush administrations, Kilberg is no stranger to the political game, leading us to believe that she will remain a key player if Romney wins.
JIM YONG KIM PRESIDENT THE WORLD BANK
president obama’s surprise nominee recently secured the top job at the 187nation development agency. A graduate of Harvard Medical School and former president of Dartmouth College, Kim broke the mold of World Bank presidents, all of whom were political insiders drawn from government and finance. The first Asian-American to head the institution, he made his bid for the post by presenting himself as someone who asks hard questions about the status quo, isn’t afraid to challenge existing orthodoxies and is well-versed in developing new partnerships to address transnational challenges. He will oversee a staff of 9,000 economists and development experts, and a loan portfolio that hit $258 billion last year.
TIM KEATING SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS THE BOEING COMPANY
a behemoth in the aerospace and defense field, the Boeing Company, under the guidance of CEO Jim McNerney, has continued to expand its reach worldwide. Here in Washington, Keating brings home the bacon. A former special assistant to former President Bill Clinton and a former staff director for White House legislative affairs, he previously
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EZRA KLEIN COLUMNIST ‘WONKBLOG ’ THE WASHINGTON POST POLICY ANALYST MSNBC
how long will it be before he has his own television show? At 27, the youngest person on this year’s Power 100 list has advanced to the front of the line as the “genius wünderkind” so adept at knowing his facts, reporting on “domestic and economic policymaking, as well as the political system that’s constantly screwing it up,” and boiling down complex policy issues to readily understandable sound bites and graphs that other political commentators rely on. The Week Magazine has already named this influential and prolific writer and tweeter “Blogger of the Year’’ and Time Magazine has credited him with having “one of the best financial blogs.”
HOWARD KOHR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
the head of one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington commands the attention and support of both political parties as well as the president, giving Kohr enhanced power in an election year. He doesn’t shrink from taking on those whose policies he determines are not sufficiently “pro-Israel” and he has lobbied Congress to impose ever stronger and “smarter” sanctions against Iran, regardless of the costs.
CHRISTINE LAGARDE MANAGING DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
Grover Norquist (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
known for being “a bit daring” in both substance and style, Lagarde personifies the ascension of women in power in the 21st century. Although the lawyer and former French finance minister isn’t an economist, the first
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THE POWER 100 woman tapped to head the IMF was chosen for her extraordinary mix of alliance-building skills and a canny ability to communicate lessons learned from the world’s developing and developed nations. Centerstage in facing down worldwide recession, she has at times been vocal about her disdain for America’s “political bickering,” regarding it as an impediment to building strong markets.
WAYNE LA PIERRE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION
the outspoken nra advocate will surely have his guns blazing throughout this year’s election season. La Pierre has made his share of incendiary remarks, most recently classifying the Trayvon Martin incident — a case that has reignited debates regarding gun statutes — as “sensationalized by the media.” The NRA was behind the effort to establish state-by-state “stand your ground laws,” which many critics say were at the core of Martin’s tragic death. La Pierre is thought to have been instrumental in killing gun control in Washington, D.C.
STEVEN LAW PRESIDENT AMERICAN CROSSROADS/ CROSSROADS GPS
karl rove may be the “mad genius” and big money fundraiser of this operation, but Steve Law is said to be the “glue” who heads both Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (the secretive “advocacy group” that doesn’t disclose its donors) and American Crossroads (the Super PAC that already has $90 million in the bank and is expected to raise between $500 million and $1 billion to defeat President Obama). Rove and Law have already raised 10 times more than their closest Democratic rivals. Known for being the one who “makes the
Karen Ignani (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari) trains run on time,” the former deputy secretary of labor for President George W. Bush also served as chief legal officer and general counsel of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
DEBRA LEE CHAIRMAN BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION
though there is debate among fans over whether BET has improved its programming over the years, there’s no denying that its chairman continues to be one of the most powerful AfricanAmerican voices in the country.The nation’s top political and business leaders regularly tap the Harvard Law School grad to expand the national conversation on diversity in the media and in business, and let’s face it, the BET Honors continues to be one of the hottest
“What it lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.” — ARISTOTLE
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ticket in town, drawing the biggest and brightest stars in Hollywood.
TED LEONSIS ENTREPRENEUR
the owner of the Verizon Center and the Washington Capitals, Mystics and Wizards sits on the boards of leading corporations that range from American Express to Groupon and has had considerable success in film with SnagFilms, the Internet’s leading site for documentary films (of which he has produced three, including “Kicking It” and “Nanking,” both of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival). He has supported both Republicans and Democrats, more philanthropic causes than we can count and has the support of thousands of everyday Washingtonians for his authentic human touch and a winning hockey team in the nation’s capital.
White Flint and many other wellknown shopping centers and office buildings. These days, the Lerner name also brings to mind the Washington Nationals, DC’s first Major League baseball team since the departure of the Washington Senators in 1960. National’s Stadium has breathed life into Washington’s Southwest/Southeast quadrant, giving fans another majorleague sports team to cheer.
THEODORE N ‘TED’ LERNER FOUNDER LERNER ENTERPRISES MANAGING OWNER NATIONALS
the lerner name has long been synonymous with real estate in the Washington area as the 60-year-old company that developed Tysons Corner,
Jeremy Ben-Ami
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He has been a long-time advisor to political figures, such as Rep. Ed Bryant (R-Tenn.), for whom he acted as counsel on judiciary matters, including the impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton. He currently provides government relations counsel to numerous Fortune 500 companies, including Chevron,Viacom and Hilton.
“I am not interested in power for power’s sake, but I’m interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.” — MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
J W ‘BILL’ MARRIOTT EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL
Randi Weingarten (Rex Features via AP Images) MARNE LEVINE VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL PUBLIC POLICY FACEBOOK
JOE LOCKHART VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
JOEL KAPLAN VICE PRESIDENT OF U S PUBLIC POLICY
set to go public this month with a $5 billion IPO, Facebook, reportedly valued as high as $100 billion, is the wonder of Internet startups, garnering worldwide attention and unprecedented cultural impact.The “go big or go home” mindset is now backed by Facebook’s recently established presence in Washington and the communication and political wrangling skills of Lockhart (a former press secretary to Bill Clinton), Levine (former chief of staff to Larry Summers), and Kaplan (former deputy chief of staff to George W. Bush).With ties on both sides of the aisle, these three will likely exert considerable influence in the ongoing controversies regarding technology and privacy.
DREW MALONEY CEO OGILVY GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
the former chief of staff to thenMajority Whip Tom DeLay now runs congressional relations for Mitt Romney while serving as the chief strategist in one of Washington’s most successful lobbying firms. Maloney has bundled big dollars for Romney, while helping his firm top $20 million in lobbying fees for 2011, a 14 percent revenue increase over the prior year.
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ARNE SORENSON DIRECTOR PRESIDENT AND CEO
marriott, who has a direct mentormentee relationship with his fellow Mormon Mitt Romney, still wields considerable power despite stepping down as the head of his family’s gargantuan hotel empire.While he will be keeping an eye on operations (and his clan’s controlling stock interest), the reins have now been turned over to Sorenson, a former litigator who joined the company in 1996 after representing it in a lawsuit.The first non-Marriott to run the company in 86 years says his major goal is to increase occupancy rates to pre2007 levels, especially by focusing on visa reform to reduce long waiting times for international visitors to the U.S.
CHRIS MATTHEWS HOST ‘HARDBALL ’ MSNBC
matthews, the sound-bite king of political media, hosts — with great panache — two major network mainstays, the weekly syndicated “Hardball with Chris Matthews” and the 10-year-old “Chris Matthews Show.” The brainy TV personality is known for his quick wit and deep understanding of American political history, which he uses to directly and effectively challenge partisan spin. His mastery of “the power of the pen” includes being the author of seven books, most recently,“Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero.” Catch him this month as a contender on “Jeopardy: Power Players.”
for financial reforms and consumer protection with a keen focus on motivating “Millennials” — 80plus million Americans who were born between 1978 and 2000 and are getting hit hard by economic circumstances created over the past 30 years — to become “a very politically engaged” generation. She is influential with the grassroots on the left, writing widely on debt, financial services regulation, retirement and inequality. McGhee was chairman of the Systemic Risk and Resolution Authority Policy Task Force for the Americans for Financial Reform (AFR) coalition, where she provided expertise on issues ranging from “Too Big to Fail” financial institutions to the Volcker Rule, and she was co-chairman for an Americans for Financial Reform task force that helped shape key provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
JIM MESSINA CAMPAIGN MANAGER OBAMA
a firebrand from the rahm emanuel school of politicking (who once served as his deputy), Messina has earned a reputation
as a no-holds-barred operative who isn’t afraid to punch back, even if that means alienating supporters — skills he honed as chief of staff to Sen. Max Baucus. Insiders tell us he is likely to give the Obama reelection campaign the “bare knuckles” capability it will likely need to overcome the Republican money machine and a major attack from the right.
SUSAN MOLINARI VICE PRESIDENT GOVERNMENT RELATIONS GOOGLE INC
a longtime republican who spent seven years on Capitol Hill in her father Guy Molinari’s former seat and the wife of former Republican Rep. Bill Paxon, Molinari appears to be just the well-connected power broker Google needs at a time when the Internet search company is facing mounting scrutiny and a federal probe over possible anti-trust issues. If she succeeds, this already impressive lobbyist will be an even greater force in maintaining the Internet giant’s global position.
JANET MURGUÍA PRESIDENT AND CEO NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA
HEATHER MCGHEE DIRECTOR WASHINGTON OFFICE DEMOS
mcgee turned 30 last year, making her one of the youngest people on this year’s Power 100 list. She fights
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Erich Pica (right) (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
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SPECIAL FEATURE | THE POWER as head of the nation’s largest latino civil rights organization, Murguía has a powerful loudspeaker at her disposal and she uses it well. Murguía has harnessed key relationships to register 200,000 new Latino voters in 2008 and assisted a whopping 1.5 million eligible Hispanics in applying for citizenship. She is regularly sought out by the media to weigh in on issues that are important to this increasingly important constituency who will certainly play an important role in deciding who occupies the White House in January.
protection of his anti-tax cloak as they run for re-election.
MARK PENN WORLDWIDE CEO BURSONMARSTELLER PRESIDENT PENN SCHOEN BERLAND
DONALD BAER WORLDWIDE VICE CHAIR AND CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER BURSON-MARSTELLER
the two senior burson-marsteller counselors have won major corporate, marketing and political battles for large corporations, Ford Motor Company, Merck, BP, Sony, McDonald’s and Microsoft among them. Penn has been advisor to corporate leaders such as Bill Gates, Sir Howard Stringer and Bill Ford, and helped elect over 25 leaders in the U.S., Asia, Latin America and Europe. Burson-Marsteller is a subsidiary of WPP, the world’s largest communications group with billings of $71 billion, revenues of $16 billion, and a suite of worldwide companies including Hill+Knowlton, Ogilvy, and most recently, the Glover Park Group. In all, the parent company provides communications services to 344 of the Fortune Global 500.
VALI NASR DEAN PAUL NITZE SCHOOL OF ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL STUDIES JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
this middle east expert, best-selling author and mentee of the late great Richard Holbrooke is much soughtafter by reporters, academics and political leaders concerned with our thorniest foreign policy challenges, no matter where they find themselves on the political spectrum. His books “Shia Revival” and “Forces of Fortune,” which predicted sectarianism in Iraq and the rise of a new democracyminded middle class, were required reading for Republicans in George W. Bush’s cabinet as well as for Democrats like Sen. John Kerry. More recently, Nasr was a senior advisor to the Obama administration on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and he currently serves on the Foreign Affairs Policy Board at the State Department. A regular commentator on critical foreign policy issues, a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings and a columnist for “Bloomberg View,” the new head of SAIS will now be shaping the next generation of foreign policy leaders.
John Breaux (AP Photo/Bill Haber) East, North Africa and South Asia through public-private partnerships. Under his leadership last year, Hilton experienced record growth with significant expansion in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia as well as Iraq, where the company plans to open its first hotel by the end of 2013.
ALYSE NELSON PRESIDENT AND CEO VITAL VOICES GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP
CHRISTOPHER NASSETTA PRESIDENT AND CEO HILTON WORLDWIDE
leveraging its position as the fastestgrowing major hotel company with a global footprint in 88 countries, this “political animal,” who is also the sonin-law of a congressman, recently moved Hilton’s worldwide headquarters from California to northern Virginia. Nassetta serves on the steering committee for Partners for a New Beginning which strives to deepen connections between the U.S. and local communities in the Middle
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MILT PETERSON as co-founder of the leading global women’s advocacy organization (founded by Melanne Verveer with bipartisan support from Hillary Clinton and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson), Nelson is a powerful force for good in helping women in developing countries rise above their socioeconomic circumstances. The proof is in the results — women who have “graduated” from Vital Voices’ programs migrate to its annual Washington celebration to tell their success stories of improved lives and communities, oftentimes in terms of dollars and cents.
PRINCIPAL AND CHAIRMAN THE PETERSON COMPANY
GROVER NORQUIST
ERICH PICA
PRESIDENT AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM
Frank Keating (AP Photo)
norquist remains a quick-trigger anti-tax ideologue and a major force among Republicans. Although a few congressmen have publicly disaffiliated themselves from his draconian “taxivist” pledge, his influence remains indisputable, especially with freshmen GOP congressmen who seek the
JON PETERSON SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
the peterson company, a family venture founded by Milt Peterson in 1970, is synonymous with prime real estate in the Washington metropolitan area. Currently managing 8 million square feet of retail and office space, the business has a net worth of $100 million. The Petersons are set to open the $100 million Tanger Outlets at the National Harbor in 2013.
PRESIDENT FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
under pica’s savvy leadership, foe recently showed what a dedicated group of environmentalists can achieve by leading a campaign that put the Obama administration in a position where it could not approve the Keystone XL pipeline. They deployed a smart Freedom of Information Act strategy exposing a possible conflict of interest,
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and generated pointed press coverage and public pressure. Climate and Energy Project director Damon Moglen, who came to FOE from Greenpeace USA, was instrumental in the campaign. Pica and FOE also flexed their media muscle in the nuclear power sector during the Fukushima meltdown (Japan has now shut down 52 of 54 reactors without electrical disruptions) and is raising an enviable war chest to take on nuclear challenges at home.
JOHN PODESTA CHAIR AND COUNSELOR CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS
NEERA TANDEN PRESIDENT
respected for his sophisticated command of progressive policy issues, Podesta remains at the pinnacle of the city’s Democratic power structure. The former chairman of President Obama’s transition team and Bill Clinton’s final White House chief of staff created the Center for American Progress (CAP) and co-authored “The Power of Progress,” a stinging critique of the Bush administration and current Republican policies. Although he has relinquished the reigns at CAP to Neera Tanden, expect Podesta to provide longterm leadership and support to
the progressive movement while assisting former President Clinton with his foundation. Tanden, who served as Senator Hillary Clinton’s legislative director, worked the Obama-Biden campaign trail in 2008, and helped craft and pass the Affordable Care Act while serving at Department of Health and Human Services. She knows how to deliver a sharp political message that can be readily understood and win the day. Democratic pols will continue to seek this duo’s savvy political and policy advice.
“Before we acquire great power we must acquire wisdom to use it well.” — RALPH WALDO EMERSON
JOHN RAFFAELLI FOUNDING PARTNER CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC
JAMES MCCRERY III PARTNER
TONY PODESTA FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN PODESTA GROUP INC
HEATHER PODESTA FOUNDER HEATHER PODESTA PARTNERS
“how much time can your company afford to not spend on politics?” asks high-tech lobbyist and renowned political operative Tony Podesta, who is recognized by decision-makers as one of Washington’s best-connected and most effective dealmakers. He knows who’s important and what they need, and his firm, which brings in upwards of $12 million a year, exercises an influential role in policy advocacy for clients such as General Dynamics,
Jack Gerard (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) General Motors, Wal-Mart, Wells Fargo and Lockheed Martin. The other half of this power player is an influential lobbyist and Democratic fundraiser in her own right.
REINCE PRIEBUS CHAIRMAN REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
REP DEBORAH WASSERMAN SCHULTZ CHAIRMAN DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Mary Kay Henry (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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with the “super pacs” dominating the airwaves with much of this election season’s media advertising, the two major party chairmen are focusing more on the “ground game” to turn out the vote. Priebus, a successful Republican fundraiser from Wisconsin, took the RNC from near bankruptcy to all-time records for fundraising in 2011. A savvy manager, he has introduced new communications strategies and innovative technology for voter outreach and is trying to staunch the substantial loss of female voters repelled by right-wing positions on women’s health issues. His Democratic counterpart, WassermanSchultz, is an effective fundraiser and hard-charging Florida congresswoman with a knack for challenging Republicans on jobs, healthcare, voting rights and women’s issues.
together, they run the premier tax-lobbying firm in Washington, with a roster that exceeds 90 clients and $13 million in revenue. Raffaelli, who is respected by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers and has 25 years of experience in federal policymaking, is also a longtime political strategist and fundraiser. Reports indicate that last year alone, General Electric (which avoided taxes altogether in 2010 and claimed a tax benefit of $3.2 billion) paid more than a half-million dollars for lobbying on tax issues. McCreery, the former Republican congressman from Louisiana known as “Gentleman Jim,” is a former minority ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee and has capitalized on his ties to the Gulf Coast energy industry, representing clients such as the Edison Electric Institute and the American Petroleum Institute.
A BARRY RAND CEO AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS
heard much about the congressional investigation led by Rep. Darrell Issa on AARP? Few have, as it was kept under the radar of major media outlets, a testament to Rand’s power even in the face of congressional scrutiny. After making headlines for his rapid mailroomto-boardroom rise, he has proven his ability as the leader of the largest circulation magazine in the world. His influence with older voters who historically turn out in record numbers makes him a major player in the upcoming election and the legislative battles over proposed cuts to critical safety nets.
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THE POWER 100
JONATHAN TAYLOR AND MICHAEL RANKIN
JOHN F W ROGERS
FOUNDERS TTR SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
though goldman sachs is headquartered in New York City, Rogers has maintained a home base in Washington, where he serves as a chairman of the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History. Rogers seems to have the same avuncular magic of his mentor Jim Baker, which he channels while exerting Goldman’s substantial influence on both sides of the congressional aisle.
MARK LOWHAM MANAGING PARTNER
DAVID DESANTIS PARTNER AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
UNDER THE INFLUENCE Feeling the heat of energy lobbyists, the federal government is shelling out billions in subsidies that actually harm the environment and waste taxpayer dollars. Here, a breakdown of just how much money could be saved with cuts over the next five years.
ENERGY CONVENTIONAL FOSSIL FUELS
NUCLEAR
ALTERNATIVE
ENERGY TOTAL
AGRICULTURE
TRANSPORTATION
LAND AND WATER
TOTAL POTENTIAL SAVINGS
*Source: 2011 Green Scissors report by Taxpayers for Common Sense, The Heartland Institute and Friends of the Earth.
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DERRICK SWAAK PARTNER AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
the firm partnered with real estate powerhouse Sotheby’s International Realty in 2006 and has grown to be one of the top real estate firms serving the Washington Metropolitan Region with over $1 billion in sales. Over the past six years, 120 agents have joined the firm bringing extensive knowledge and market expertise. The firm has been involved in some of the region’s most notable luxury market transactions and is currently marketing a $32 million waterfront estate in Maryland, a $16 million Georgetown mansion and a $12.5 million equestrian estate in Middleburg. With offices in 47 countries, Sotheby’s dominates global luxury sales with substantial market share throughout the metropolitan area. The partners and agents have also demonstrated a consistent commitment to local philanthropy, supporting Charity Works, USO, Trust for the National Mall, Corcoran Gallery of Art and Washington Project for the Arts.
CECILE RICHARDS PRESIDENT PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA
richards will give anti-choice forces a run for their money this year, fighting proposed legislation that would affect women’s health as both sides reinvigorate the debate over women’s reproductive rights. Recently, she demonstrated her political savvy by challenging a decision by the board of Susan G. Komen to terminate funding. Her mobilizing skills, honed over years of grassroots experience, were in full force as she hit the airwaves and social media sites to generate a national public outcry that flooded PPFA’s coffers with $3 million in just three days.
PARTNER GOLDMAN SACHS
DENNIS ROSS COUNSELOR WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY WINEP
a former senior middle east advisor to four presidents, Ross recently rejoined WINEP after serving on President Obama’s National Security Council staff and as special advisor for the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He first served as NSC senior director under Ronald Reagan and then held top positions under Bush and Clinton. A master at blocking competing voices on Iran policy, Ross is credited with being the architect of the most stringent Iran sanctions ever, while keeping the administration and Congress singularly focused on “sticks” and so-called “smart sanctions.” Word is he still has Obama NSC chief Tom Donilon’s ear on Iran and Israel and is sure to be an influential player on one of the most challenging foreign policy issues of our time.
KARL ROVE POLITICAL OPERATIVE AND COMMENTATOR
Heather McGhee (Courtesy Demos)
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260 clients, including IBM, DuPont (whose government affairs office he once headed), FedEx and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, as well as a wide spectrum of colleges, universities, hospitals and local governments. Taking in more than $19 million during the first nine months of 2011, the firm ranked third in lobbying revenue among Washington companies. Once described by National Journal as “a brainy insider who sweats the details,” he runs three different firms that combined are the largest government affairs and consulting organizations independent of a law firm or corporation.
— “keeps chugging along or slides into another midyear funk.”
GARY SHAPIRO
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS
PRESIDENT AND CEO CONSUMER ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION
George Stephanopoulos (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File) better known as “bush’s brain” for his sway over “W’s” campaigns and presidency, the man some say yearns to take us back to the gilded age of robber-barons and President McKinley is now the mastermind behind GPS, the secretive Republican-run “C(4) advocacy group” and Super PAC he founded with Ed Gillespie to defeat Democrats. Although some on the left accused Crossroads of “illegal campaign improprieties” for 2010 election activities, Rove is a win-at-any-cost partisan fundraising genius who can deftly circumvent the requirement to keep his distance from the campaigns by letting team Romney know what’s on his mind through frequent appearances on Fox News and op-eds in the Wall Street Journal. His Super PAC already has a 10-1 money advantage ($90 million vs. $9 million) over his chief rival, and with his targets unlikely to turn that around soon, Rove is likely to help Romney and Republicans take the White House and possibly the Senate while holding the House.
DAVID RUBENSTEIN MANAGING DIRECTOR THE CARLYLE GROUP
said to be the most influential businessman who has ever lived in the
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nation’s capital, Rubenstein’s stature will reach even new heights with the Carlyle Group’s impending IPO, which is expected to value the private equity firm at $7.6 billion. A billionaire in his own right (as well as a noted philanthropist who has given large donations to the Trust for the National Mall and Susan G. Komen, amongst others), he recently called the inequities in the U.S. tax system “a disgrace” that is “not good for the country as a whole.”
RUSS SCHRIEFER PRINCIPAL STEVENS & SCHRIEFER GROUP
keeping the campaign on message is this political strategist’s role in Mitt Romney’s campaign, a responsibility he shares with Stuart Stevens, the firm’s co-founder, who writes Romney’s big speeches.Their company is a go-to media firm for the GOP’s efforts to woo moderates, swing voters and Democrats.
H STEWART ‘STU’ VAN SCOYOC PRESIDENT AND CEO VAN SCOYOC COMPANIES AND CAPITOL DECISIONS INC
experience with economic and tax matters makes this Washington lobbyist the darling of more than
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shapiro’s influence casts an everwidening net in an increasingly digital world. As head of CEA, he hosts the Consumer Electronics Show each year and is frequently quoted by the media on all issues electronic. Shapiro continues to exert influence on the ongoing anti-online piracy battle, which is sure to resurface.
GERALD SIEB WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
a leading opinion-maker with Republicans, Sieb predicts that the outcome of the 2012 presidential election will be determined before the parties gather in late summer for their conventions. In his “Capital Journal” column and regular commentary on Washington affairs for CNBC, he downplays the likelihood that the deciding factor will be “brilliant campaign speeches, tough attack ads or wily political tactics,” while posturing that the key may be whether the economy — and its output of new jobs
JULIANNA SMOOT DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER OBAMA
reports about smoot’s considerable fundraising prowess are welldocumented, but what makes this Smith grad exceptional is her ability to raise funds from both big- and small-money donors — an essential counterbalance to the hundreds of millions that Republican-oriented PACs are set to raise from billionaires targeting Obama in the post-Citizens United era of unlimited corporate donations.
HOST ‘THIS WEEK ’ ABC COANCHOR ‘GOOD MORNING AMERICA’
2012 marked stephanopoulos’ welcome return to ABC’s “This Week,” after Christiane Amanpour departed the post and returned to CNN. The respected and genial former political advisor still plays the straight man as co-anchor of “Good Morning America” and puts his expertise to work as the network’s chief political correspondent as well.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN SENIOR PARTNER WILLIAMS & CONNOLLY
washington’s most prominent corporate defense attorney came to fame when he represented Col. Oliver North during the Reagan arms-for-hostage scandal known as the “Iran Contra” affair. Highprofile clients accused of corruption (Sen. Ted Stevens, HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, and New York Stock Exchange chief Richard Grasso) have been knocking on his door ever since. He recently made headlines by taking on News Corp when the Rupert
“Power has only one duty — to secure the social welfare of the People.” — BENJAMIN DISRAELI, “Sybi”
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THE POWER 100 Murdoch-owned company’s legal crisis over phone hacking spread from Britain to the United States.
STROBE TALBOTT PRESIDENT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
a well-respected foreign policy expert and leader of one of the oldest and most respected think tanks in Washington, Talbott wields considerable influence in no small part because Brookings functions as a farm team for those moving in and out of government in both Republican and Democratic administrations. The institute’s research — among the most widely cited in the press and academia — has caused it to be consistently ranked as the number one U.S. think tank by Foreign Policy magazine. Brookings garners credibility by positioning itself as a home for centrists and with its wide reach, there is no doubt it will continue to wield influence as a power incubator.
CHUCK TODD POLITICAL DIRECTOR NBC HOST ‘THE RUNDOWN ’ MSNBC
as nbc’s senior political mastermind and a host on MSNBC, a significant portion of the networks’ political programming is infused with Todd’s insight, from “The Daily Rundown” to the hugely popular “Morning Joe.” The George Washington University graduate is also a contributor to The Atlantic and will soon be showing off his brainy side as a contender on “Jeopardy: Power Players.”
Janet Murguía (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) RICHARD L TRUMKA
PAUL VOLCKER
RANDI WEINGARTEN
PRESIDENT AFL-CIO
ECONOMIST FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE
PRESIDENT AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
even without his post at the federal Reserve,Volcker commands serious attention. His engineering of what President Obama dubbed the “Volcker Rule,” which attempts to prevent banks from making risky investments at taxpayer’s expense, goes into effect this July, and is what could give the Dodd-Frank legislation its teeth, assuming that the banking lobby doesn’t succeed in killing it during the rule-making process.
at a time when the middle class is struggling to get back on its feet, Weingarten, who represents 1.5 million AFT union members, has never been a more important advocate. She has most recently spoken out on efforts by many states to limit or deny collective bargaining rights and cut funding for public education. Word on the street is that she has President Obama’s ear on ballooning student loan debt, which this year hit the $1 trillion mark and surpassed total credit card debt for the entire nation – a situation that some economists view as the next big economic bubble.
a force for labor rights since 1982, Trumka has continued the AFLCIO’s efforts to strengthen the union movement and support working-class Americans.With its endorsement of President Obama, the organization is set to mobilize 40,000 of its members in a ground effort to gain the support of both union and non-union voters and fend off the “constant barrage of attacks from the right against working Americans.”
CHRIS WALLACE
“In order to obtain and hold power, a man must love it.”
HOST ‘FOX NEWS SUNDAY ’ FOX NEWS
— LEO TOLSTOY, “The Kingdom of God is Within You” John Jumper (Courtesy SAIC)
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fox news’ tart-tongued sunday morning host slugs it out with a deft touch that can disarm guests on all sides of the political spectrum. Wallace’s pointed eviscerations include grilling Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum on his opposition to birth control and Democrat advisor David Axelrod on his alleged use of “fear tactics.” As the presidential race heats up, this will be the show to watch for those who want a more sophisticated, deeper understanding of Republican positions.
GEORGE WILL SYNDICATED COLUMNIST
perhaps the best example of the “power of the pen,” Will has made a long and successful career as an often critical, but always thoughtprovoking columnist. Considered to be the pre-eminent media voice for traditional conservatism, he also has a reputation for unpredictability as well as a penchant for writing that skews
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GATEKEEPERS
ĂœBER CONNECTORS more toward the scathing than the celebratory. Will has recently taken more of a libertarian tone, which adds to his clout with the burgeoning antigovernment crowd.
Moving faster than the speed of the internet, these professionals know who’s worth listening to and have the power to bring them together. They have unsurpassed access to the politicians and the media who cover them, the influence to open doors, fundraise, launch notable writers and speakers, and get you into an exclusive bash by saying those magic words, “Yes, you’re on the list.� (*Not pictured)
FAREED ZAKARIA HOST ‘FAREED ZAKARIA GPS ’ CNN EDITOR-AT-LARGE TIME COLUMNIST THE WASHINGTON POST
washington listens carefully to Zakaria’s first-rate foreign policy commentary and analysis that spans the world via television, print and social media. His game-changing analysis and interviews with influential guests such as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey are credited with blunting the considerable influence of AIPAC and helping arrest the steady march to war with Iran — at least for the moment. Zakaria’s non-ideological reportage has earned the respect of many in the defense and intelligence community, including Obama’s NSC chief Tom Donilon, as well as the prestigious 2012 Peabody Award for excellence in journalism.
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NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’
*ANN KLENK
DAVID ZASLAV PRESIDENT AND CEO DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
JOHN HENDRICKS FOUNDER
as leaders of the nation’s top non-fiction media company, Zaslav and Hendricks have continued to make strides in blending entertainment and education. Discovery Communications may have struggled this past year with its OWN network — save for the gem that is “Oprah Winfrey presents Master Class� — but they are looking to trade in on America’s obsession with the heartland through a new network, Destination America, which promises “patriotic programming� as a replacement for the eco-conscious Planet Green. Zaslav (a.k.a. the “$52 million man� for his most recent compensation package) was recently honored for his contribution to Jewish causes.
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MARK ADELMAN Founder Adelman Consulting Contributing Editor Rodale Books
JULEANNA GLOVER
JILL CHAPPELL
Founding Principal The Ashcroft Group
Editorial Producer CNN’s ‘The Situation Room with Wolf Blizter’
TAMMY HADDAD
JIM COURTOVICH Managing Partner Kearsarge Global Advisers
BETSY FISCHER
Senior Producer MSNBC’s ‘Hardball’
* KELLEY MCCORMICK COO and Partner Gibraltar Associates
HILARY ROSEN
President and CEO Haddad Media
Managing Director SKDKnickerbocker
POLSON KANNETH
- JAYNE SANDMAN AND BARBARA MARTIN
ABC News Segment Producer
KIMBALL STROUD President Kimball Stroud and Associates
DAVID SUTPHEN Managing Partner Brunswick Group
* IVA ZORIK Producer ABC News ‘This Week’
Principals BrandLinkDC
Executive Producer
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