Rod provides industry leaders with strategic advice on how public policy trends and decisions impact their core interests, and helps shape these policy debates at the highest levels of government. Rod manages clients’ relationships with the nation’s state Attorneys General, the US Congress and numerous federal agencies. He also partners with industries in the energy, natural resources, mining, electric utility, e-commerce, retail and financial sectors.

A major focus of his work is to represent clients before state Attorneys General, where he brings voice to clients’ concerns and helps to shape and protect their business interests.

His work includes assisting clients with their outreach to Attorneys General on federal agency rulemakings and state investigations. Many of these matters have been decided at federal appellate courts and the US Supreme Court.

Rod devises and implements legislative and regulatory strategies related to energy initiatives, electric utility restructuring, environmental rules, transmission policies and consumer protection rules. He also organizes and maintains industry coalitions on these matters, helping policymakers and regulators understand the compliance costs, planning challenges and opportunities these rules present.

Bar Admissions

Education
BS, Public Administration, Auburn University, 1982

• Provided support in securing state amicus briefs at both the appellate court level and the US Supreme Court in sensitive environmental cases.
• Works closely with the Nation’s State Attorneys General on numerous issues. Has successfully assisted clients with sensitive inquiries and investigations by State Attorneys General.
• As Director of Government Relations for a $5.1 billion electric generation corporation and affiliated transmission company, he devised and implemented legislative strategies related to electric utility restructuring, stranded investment, nuclear power, clean air regulations, environmental policies, the Endangered Species Act, utility financing, wholesale power wheeling, and FERC orders.
• Assisted in the successful Senate confirmation campaigns of federal agency administrators.
• Served in the White House as a liaison between President Reagan and locally elected officials around the nation and advised senior White House officials on economic development policies as they impacted various constituencies. Helped win political support for President Reagan's policies related to state and local governments. Directly involved in arbitrating conflicts between federal and local agencies.