Bottom line

HEALTH CARE. Global Medical Response, a medical transportation company, hired Mercury Public Affairs to work on federal government relations on health care and transportation issues. Al Simpson, former chief of staff to ex-Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.), and ex-Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) will work on the account.

On Demand Holdings, an investment company, hired Ballard Partners to work on issues related to pharmaceutical manufacturing. Brian Ballard, former chairman of Trump Victory, and Sylvester Lukis, a former attorney with the Office of the General Counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services, will work on the account.

Retrotope Inc., a pharmaceutical research and development firm based in California, hired Clark Hill to work on health research appropriations and budget issues. Kevin Kelly, former chief counsel to the secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference, and ex-Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas) will work on the account.

SmileDirectClub, an oral care company providing tele-dentistry services and related oral care products, hired The Vogel Group to work on issues around business operations. Alex Vogel, former chief counsel to ex-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), will work on the account.

TECHNOLOGY. Argo AI, a self-driving technology platform, hired Alpine Group Partners to work on autonomous vehicle research and development. Jared Weaver, former deputy chief of staff to Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), will work on the account.

The trade association representing the software industry BSA|The Software Alliance hired Capitol Hill Policy Group to work on legislative and regulatory matters related to artificial intelligence, appropriations, data, cybersecurity, data security and privacy. Todd Bertoson, former staff director of the Senate Commerce Committee, and James Reid, former chief of staff to ex-Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-N.Y.), will work on the account.

ATHLETICS. The Pac-12 Conference hired Marshall and Popp to work on developing a national solution to preserve the unique model of college sports in the U.S. while addressing issues to provide more economic opportunities for student-athletes over name, issue and likeness rights. Hazen Marshall, former policy director to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Monica Popp, former chief of staff to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), will work on the account.

The Big 12 Conference, Big Ten Conference and other collegiate sports conferences, also hired Marshall and Popp to lobby on the same issues.