Lobbying world

• The Washington office of United Airlines has doubled in recent months, the company announced, hiring Tom Michels away from BlueWater Strategies to serve as its managing director of government relations. Michels previously worked as legislative director for former Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La). The company named Maura McGovern Kantakevich as the director of government relations. While on Capitol Hill, Kantakevich worked as deputy chief of staff and legislative director for former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). United has moved Adam Hepburn to be the director of strategic advocacy. He previously worked as their director of congressional affairs.

• Facebook hired away former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) staffer Josh Althouse. He has been named a public policy manager at the social media company. He served as conservative outreach director for Ryan over the last two years.

• The Portland Cement Association has brought on two to its team: Katy Hartnett and Erin Morris. Hartnett comes from PeopleForBikes, a nonprofit, and has also worked as the director of government affairs and outreach at Smart Growth America. She also has experience working for Democrats on Capitol Hill. Morris is joining the organization from the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.

• Nadeam Elshami, former chief of staff to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has joined Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Washington office. He comes from public affairs firm Signal Group.

• The Surety & Fidelity Association of America has designated J. Lee Covington as its next president, effective this October. He will be replacing Lynn Schubert, who is retiring after more than two decades. Covington is the senior vice president of governmental affairs and general counsel for the Insured Retirement Institute. 

• Firehouse Strategies is growing its team. Dave Vermillion left public relations firm Kekst to join the firm as a senior strategist and managing director. He’s previously worked at Teneo and public relations giants Edelman and Burson-Marsteller. It also hired Nick Pasternak, who has worked on political campaigns in South Carolina, to be a project director. Last month, the firm brought on John Ross to serve as chief financial and operating officer. Matt Terrill, who has been with the firm from the beginning, has been promoted to partner.