(850) 671-4401
Po Box 10570, Tallahassee, FL, 32302-2570, 
Subjects: All Subjects
Links:Website
1) Alliance for Adult Education Foundation
2) Association of Florida Colleges, Inc
4) Beer Industry of Florida, Inc
11) City of Palmetto
13) City of Sarasota
15) Desoto County Board of Commissioners
16) DSM Technology Consultants
17) Employer Direct Healthcare
18) Florida Polytechnic University Foundation, Inc
19) Gator Dredging
Laura Boehmer brings a wide range of experience in local, state, and federal policy to Southern Strategy Group's Tampa Bay office. Having worked in and around government for over 16 years, Laura has assisted elected officials, community organizations, governments, and businesses in achieving their goals.
Prior to joining Southern Strategy Group, Laura served as the chief lobbyist for the City of St. Petersburg (City). Laura was responsible for all policy and appropriation issues. In that role, Laura directed the federal appropriations process for the City and succeeded in securing millions of dollars in federal grants and earmarks. In addition to her federal work for the City, Laura was also responsible for developing, strategizing, and advocating for the City's State Legislative Program and was also instrumental in the creation and implementation of the City's Sustainability Program.
In her role at the City, Laura served as staff for former Mayor Rick Baker in his roles as the Chairman of the Century Commission of a Sustainable Florida, Vice Chair of the Governor's Action Team on Energy and Climate Change, and Group Leader of Governor Crist's Transition Team. This experience gave Laura extensive exposure to numerous policy issues and the opportunity to build statewide relationships with political and business leaders.
Prior to working for the City, Laura served as legislative staff in the Florida House of Representatives. Laura also worked for a private lobbying firm representing clients on a wide variety of issues. Laura has staffed and volunteered on various campaigns and worked with a national corporation on nation-wide grass roots efforts to pass legislation. Having analyzed patterns of Congress and maintained PAC communications between a corporate government relations department and PAC members, Laura is well versed in the political efforts of both private and public sectors.
(850) 671-4401
Po Box 10570, Tallahassee, FL, 32302-2570, 
Subjects: All Subjects
Links:Website
1) AJM Conservation and Cattle LLC
2) Association of Florida Colleges, Inc
3) Beer Industry of Florida, Inc
7) Citizens for Hillsborough County, LLC
11) City of Sarasota
13) Desoto County Board of Commissioners
14) Dex Imaging Inc.
15) DSM Technology Consultants
16) Employer Direct Healthcare
17) Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association
18) Florida Turfgrass Association
20) Gopher Resource
21) Harrell's, LLC
22) Hillsborough Community College Foundation, Inc.
24) Junior Achievement of Florida Foundation, Inc.
25) Kinder Morgan
26) Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP
27) Lakeland Regional Health Systems
31) Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners
32) Polk County Clerk of Court
35) Sarasota County Government
36) South Central Florida Express, Inc
38) Southern Gardens Citrus Groves Corporation
39) Southern Gardens Citrus Holding Corporation
40) Southern Gardens Citrus Nursery Corporation
41) Tall Timbers Research, Inc.
42) Tax Collector's Office for Polk County
44) The Lunz Group
45) The Mahaffey Apartment Company
48) United States Sugar Corporation
Seth McKeel recently concluded a long and distinguished career in public service that began in 2000 with his election to the Lakeland City Commission at the age of 24. Seth was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2006 and re-elected subsequently until the conclusion of his eight year term limit in November of 2014. A Tampa Bay area native, Seth's among the fifth generation in his family to call Florida home.
Early in his legislative career, Seth tackled tough issues including higher education reform as well as energy, agriculture, and natural resources policy. A strong commitment to fiscal responsibility earned Seth the trust of House Speaker Will Weatherford. In 2012 the Speaker tapped Seth to be the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee where he led the Florida House's efforts to balance the $77 billion budget of the third largest state in the Union. Under his leadership Florida maintained AAA bond rating and set aside more than $3 billion in healthy reserves.
As a former City Commissioner, Seth understands regional issues and excels at achieving local consensus. Legislative colleagues trusted Seth to chair the Polk County Legislative Delegation, Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation for two years in a row, and larger 9-county Bay Area Legislative Delegation.
A graduate of the University of Florida (UF), Seth recently was awarded the Presidential Medallion, one of the university's highest awards, for his contributions and service to UF and higher education in our state. Seth is a Graduate of Leadership Florida, Leadership Lakeland, and a member of Florida Blue Key -- "Florida's oldest and most prestigious Leadership Honorary since 1923."
Seth credits the YMCA's Youth in Government program for sparking his interest in public service and his respect for civic engagement. Seth has a knack for solving problems and excels at building relationships.
Seth proudly serves on the Board of Directors of the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida and is a member of Leadership Florida's West Central Florida Regional Council.
Seth and his wife Kim, who's also a Tampa Bay native, live in Lakeland with their two children Seth, III and Caroline.
(850) 671-4401
Po Box 10570, Tallahassee, FL, 32302-2570, 
Subjects: All Subjects
Links:Website
3) Apple Inc
4) Artificial Intelligence for Manufacturing, Inc. (AIM)
6) AtkinsRealis
7) Bay County Board of County Commissioners
9) Beep, Inc.
14) EcoLandCo, LLC
17) Florida Senior Living Association
18) Florida Sheriffs Association
19) Florida Trucking Association
20) Gopher Resource
21) IBM
22) International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
23) JAX Chamber
24) Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC and Affiliates
25) Lake Wales Property Holdings, LLC
29) NASCAR, LLC
30) Neal Communities
33) OnSolve, LLC.
34) Osceola County
36) Punam, LLC.
37) Raydient LLC
38) ReCap, LLC
41) Second Harvest of the Big Bend
44) Tall Timbers Research, Inc.
46) TECO Energy, Inc
47) The Mahaffey Apartment Company
49) Tom Thumb Food Stores, Inc.
50) TSG Public Safety Advisors, LLC.
51) Urban SDK
Rachel Cone joins Southern Strategy Group after more than a decade of service in the highest levels of local and state governments. Rachel served as the Interim Secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), where she successfully shepherded the department's policy agenda and $11 billion budget across the finish line of the 2017 legislative session.
During her time at FDOT she also served as the Assistant Secretary for Finance and Administration, overseeing the offices of work program and budget, finance, procurement, technology, human resources, performance management and other administrative functions. She managed three of the largest transportation work programs in state history and represented the department in front of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Treasury, Fitch and Moody's rating agencies.
Rachel also directed changes to how the department finances the work program, and successfully advocated for statutory changes that resulted in a new financing vehicle for the department. This allows the department to fund additional, major transportation projects at a lower cost. She also oversaw the reorganization of the department's technology offices, which resulted in a culture shift for the department in how it prioritizes, spends and manages transportation-specific and traditional technologies.
In 2012, Governor Rick Scott appointed Rachel to serve as his Deputy Chief of Staff, where she was responsible for advising him on statewide issues, appointments to boards and commissions and providing guidance and direction to 14 state and quasi-governmental agencies on operational and management issues, including policy, budget, communication, legislative strategy and agency priorities. Those agencies were the Departments of Business and Professional Regulation, Citrus, Emergency Management, Economic Opportunity, Environmental Protection (and Water Management Districts) and Transportation. Also included under her purview were Florida Wildlife Commission, Space Florida, Visit Florida, Volunteer Florida and CareerSource Florida.
Rachel previously served as the External Affairs Director for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection where she directed planning and statewide communications strategies for the department, and coordinated communications efforts with Florida's five water management districts. This included topics such as renewed water management district oversight, various departmental restructuring, the health of Florida's springs, Governor Scott's Everglades Restoration Strategies plan and Florida's ongoing recovery after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Prior to her family's move to Tallahassee, Rachel served on the executive leadership team in the Mayor John Peyton administration in Jacksonville. Rachel began her career as a military reporter at the Florida Times-Union.
Rachel is a proud graduate of Auburn University. She and her family are active members of Trinity United Methodist Church, and Rachel serves as a member of the Board of Trustees at Holy Comforter Episcopal School in Tallahassee.
(850) 671-4401
Po Box 10570, Tallahassee, FL, 32302-2570, 
Subjects: All Subjects
Links:Website
1) Association of Florida Colleges, Inc
2) Beer Industry of Florida, Inc
4) Central Florida Development Council
10) Desoto County Board of Commissioners
11) DSM Technology Consultants
12) Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association
13) Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, Inc.
14) Florida Polytechnic University Foundation, Inc
15) Florida Turfgrass Association
16) Forty Carrots Family Center
17) GMF Construction, LLC dba GMF Steel Group
18) Gopher Resource
19) Harrell's, LLC
20) Hillsborough Community College Foundation, Inc.
22) Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc
25) Pasco County Tax Collector's Office
27) Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners
28) Polk County Clerk of Court
29) Polk County Sheriff's Office
30) Sarasota County Government
33) Tall Timbers Research, Inc.
34) Tax Collector's Office for Polk County
35) The Lunz Group
David Shepp joins Southern Strategy Group after leading Florida Strategic Group, a full-service government affairs consulting firm, for 13 years. David provides services to state and local governments, businesses, educational institutions, economic development entities, national companies, and statewide trade associations. Activities include legislative and agency monitoring and advocacy, research and analysis, resource development and strategic communications. Throughout his years lobbying, David has secured tens of millions of dollars for clients in the Florida budget.
With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Florida State University, David started his practical experience in Florida politics in 1996. David learned the intricacies of the Florida Legislature while assisting the lobbying efforts for multiple clients of the Fowler White Law Firm. Later that year, David accepted a position as a field representative with the Republican Party acting as a liaison to Central Florida candidates, including then-candidate Adam Putnam.
After Rep. Putnam's 1996 campaign, David was retained in the position of Legislative Assistant where he enjoyed four years of relationship building both in Polk County and in Tallahassee before managing now-Commissioner of Agriculture Putnam's victorious Congressional campaign in 2000.
David is skilled at developing, maintaining, and strengthening relationships essential to governmental representation before the Legislature and state agencies. David works very closely with the DeSoto, Charlotte, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota legislative delegations.
In addition to his comprehensive institutional knowledge of the Florida Legislature, David enjoys personal and professional relationships with legislative leaders and key Chairmen and Chairwomen at every level of the legislative committee structure. David also enjoys strong working relationships with many of the staff behind the scenes of public policymaking.
(850) 671-4401
Po Box 10570, Tallahassee, FL, 32302-2570, 
Subjects: All Subjects
Links:Website
2) Airbnb, Inc.
3) Altria Client Services LLC and its Affiliates
4) Aucilla Research Institute, Inc.
5) Bay County Board of County Commissioners
6) Beer Industry of Florida, Inc
9) Caesars Enterprise Services, LLC
10) Citizens for Hillsborough County, LLC
13) Clay County District Schools
16) Daytona State College Foundation, Inc
17) Desoto County Board of Commissioners
18) Dex Imaging Inc.
19) Dixie Board of Public Education/Dixie District School Board
21) Edmentum, Inc.
22) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
23) Emergent BioSolutions, Inc.
25) Florida Polytechnic University Foundation, Inc
26) Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Inc
27) Florida SouthWestern State College Foundation
29) Gopher Resource
30) H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center
31) Harrell's, LLC
32) Hillsborough Community College Foundation, Inc.
33) I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, Inc
34) iEnable, Inc.
35) IMG Academy LLC
38) Indian River State College Foundation, Inc.
40) Junior Achievement of Florida Foundation, Inc.
41) Lakeland Regional Health Systems
42) Martin County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
45) Museum of Science & History
48) Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners
49) Polk County Clerk of Court
50) Polk County Sheriff's Office
51) Putnam County
54) Rood Chartrand Partnership
55) Sarasota County Government
56) Second Harvest of the Big Bend
57) South Central Florida Express, Inc
59) Southern Gardens Citrus Groves Corporation
60) Southern Gardens Citrus Holding Corporation
61) Southern Gardens Citrus Nursery Corporation
63) TECO Energy, Inc
67) Town of Belleair
68) United States Sugar Corporation
69) University of Florida Foundation, Inc.
70) Volusia County
71) Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, U.S.
73) Workday, Inc.
Sydney Ridley brings years of legislative and political experience to Southern Strategy Group's Tampa Bay office. Sydney spent the past four years as the Chief Legislative Aide to House Majority Leader Dana Young, where she directed all priority policy and budget initiatives. Sydney's time as staff was at the highest level of the Florida House of Representatives, and she brings unmatched relationships with legislative staff, agency heads, and elected officials.
A political pro in Tampa Bay with extensive campaign management experience, Sydney guided Senator Dana Young to successive electoral victories in the Florida House and spearheaded her subsequent election to the Florida Senate. Sydney's political expertise, particularly in the Tampa Bay area, serves as a great strategic asset to our clients. In addition to her work with Senator Young, Sydney has served as both a political director and a field director on various Congressional and State Senate campaigns.
Born and raised in Tampa, Sydney is a third-generation Floridian, a graduate of the University of Virginia, a Florida Gator at heart, and a lover of history, golf, music, and football.
(850) 671-4401
Po Box 10570, Tallahassee, FL, 32302-2570, 
Subjects: All Subjects
Links:Website
1) Airbnb, Inc.
3) Altria Client Services LLC and its Affiliates
4) American Property Casualty Insurance Association
6) Apple Inc
7) Association of Florida Colleges, Inc
9) AtkinsRealis
11) Beep, Inc.
13) Breakthru Beverage Florida
16) Cengage
17) City of Orlando
19) Copart, Inc
21) CVS Health
22) Darden, Inc.
24) Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County
25) EcoLandCo, LLC
29) Fidelity National Financial, Inc
30) Flagler College
31) Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association
32) Florida Blue
33) Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority
34) Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Inc
37) Florida State Alliance of YMCA
38) Florida State College at Jacksonville Foundation
39) Florida Trucking Association
40) Friends of Florida Iron & Steel
41) G.L. Homes of Florida Corporation
42) Gopher Resource
45) International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
46) Jack and Nancy Dwyer Workforce Development Center, Inc.
49) Lake Nona Property Holdings, LLC
51) Museum of Science & History
52) NASCAR, LLC
55) Pearl Holding Group (Ocean Harbor)
57) RedSpeed USA
59) Smart Horizons Career Online Education
60) Tall Timbers Research, Inc.
62) TECO Energy, Inc
63) Tenet Healthcare Corporation
64) Tesla, Inc.
67) University of Florida Foundation, Inc.
68) Vestcor Companies, Inc., The
69) Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, U.S.
70) Wells Fargo
Chris joined the firm in November of 2000 after serving seven years in Florida government. During this time, Chris served as the Assistant to the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chief of Staff to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Prior to serving in Governor Bush's administration, Chris served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Legislative Director, and Special Assistant to former Florida Education Commissioner and former Florida Lt. Governor Frank T. Brogan. Chris also served as a legislative aide in the Florida House of Representatives. Throughout the years, Chris has worked on various state and local campaigns, including the 1998 and 2002 Bush/Brogan gubernatorial campaigns.
A devoted community activist, Chris was a finalist for Volunteer of the Year in 2007. Chris has served on the Board of Directors for the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science, where he served for two years as Chairman, the Board of Directors for the United Way of the Big Bend, and the Board of Directors for the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. Chris is currently the Chairman of the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, a not-for-profit statewide association representing agencies which serve homeless, runaway, and troubled youth. Chris also serves on the local advisory board for Hancock Bank and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Maclay School. Chris was recently appointed by Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum to the Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority, an entity created by the Florida Legislature to promote the business and hospitality interests of downtown Tallahassee.
A native of Fort Myers, Florida, Chris Dudley graduated from the University of South Florida in 1993 with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. Chris, his wife Susanne, and their two sons live in Tallahassee.
(850) 671-4401
Po Box 10570, Tallahassee, FL, 32302-2570, 
Subjects: All Subjects
Links:Website
1) Airbnb, Inc.
2) Altria Client Services LLC and its Affiliates
3) Apple Inc
4) Beach Mosquito Control District
5) Beep, Inc.
6) Beer Industry of Florida, Inc
8) Caesars Enterprise Services, LLC
11) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
15) Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Inc
16) Florida Sheriffs Association
19) Gopher Resource
23) Lemon Grove Mitigation Bank
25) Management 10
26) Metro Development Group, LLC
27) National Emergency Management and Response
29) OnSolve, LLC.
32) ReCap, LLC
34) Second Harvest of the Big Bend
38) TECO Energy, Inc
39) Tesla, Inc.
41) Timberline Real Estate Partners
42) University of North Florida
43) Urban SDK
Brian Bautista advocates on behalf of his clients before the legislative and executive branches of Florida government and has experience acting as statewide spokesman and point of contact for clients. Brian has resided in Florida's capital city for over a decade, and his work spans the gambit from local initiatives to a statewide Senate campaign.
Brian received both a bachelor's degree in political science and a law degree from Florida State University. Brian uses his legal expertise and political acumen to successfully represent clients on some of the highest profile issues in Florida, in the technology, education, healthcare, and energy industries.
Brian has been named one of Florida's 30 Under 30 by Florida Politics and a NextGeneration Rising Star by Influence Magazine
(850) 671-4401
The Southern Group, 123 S. Adams Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32301, 
1) 3D Digital
3) Aon Benfield
4) Apple Inc
5) Aramark Correctional Services, LLC
7) Bay County Board of County Commissioners
10) Cengage
11) Cengage Learning
13) CGL Companies
14) Equifax
16) Gopher Resource
18) IBM
(850) 671-4401
Po Box 10570, Tallahassee, FL, 32302-2570, 
1) Advantage Behavioral Health Services
2) Airbnb, Inc.
3) Altria Client Services LLC and its Affiliates
5) American Property Casualty Insurance Association
7) Apple Inc
8) Aramark Correctional Services, LLC
9) Artificial Intelligence for Manufacturing, Inc. (AIM)
11) Baldwin Risk Partners, LLC
12) Bay County Board of County Commissioners
13) Beach Mosquito Control District
15) Beer Industry of Florida, Inc
18) Caesars Enterprise Services, LLC
20) CGL Companies
22) City of Marathon
24) Copart, Inc
26) Fidelity National Financial, Inc
27) Florida Blue
28) Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Inc
29) Florida Pulp & Paper Association
30) Florida Senior Living Association
31) Florida Sheriffs Association
33) Friends of Florida Iron & Steel
34) Gopher Resource
36) Gulfstream Natural Gas System, LLC
41) Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC and Affiliates
42) LEO Technologies
44) Metro Development Group, LLC
45) Monroe County Sheriff's Office
47) NASCAR, LLC
48) National Emergency Management and Response
49) Next Insurance
51) Nutanix, Inc.
52) On Track School c/o TSG Education Advisors
54) Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care, Inc
56) Putnam County
57) Rayonier, Inc
58) ReCap, LLC
60) Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC
62) SCI Funeral Services of Florida, Inc
65) SMG Drones, LLC dba DARIUS
66) Southern Gardens Citrus Holding Corporation
68) Talitrix LLC.
70) TECO Energy, Inc
71) The Arc of Putnam County, Inc.
73) United States Sugar Corporation
74) Universal Protection Service, LLC