Announcements – May 6, 2009

Livingston Group continues to expand bipartisan influence: The Livingston Group will expand its bipartisan influence with the affiliation of former Rep. Larry LaRocco (D-Idaho). While teaming up with Livingston, LaRocco will also continue working at LaRocco & Associates Inc., the public-affairs firm he founded nine years ago. While at TLG, LaRocco will serve in the energy and environment, financial services and tax arenas.

National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts adds new senior director: The National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) announced the addition of Kirk Freeman as senior director of government relations. Freeman will conduct outreach on Capitol Hill. Since 2005, Freeman worked for Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) as legislative director and, before that, legislative assistant. From 2003 to 2005, Freeman worked for Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) as a legislative correspondent and systems administrator.

{mosads}Rep. Filner names new majority staff director for Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations: Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) named Lt. Col. (retired) Martin L. Herbert majority staff director for the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. In his new position, Herbert will direct oversight efforts on programs and operations that involved the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as other federal agencies that pertain to veterans.

Herbert retired from the U.S. Army in 2005 after a distinguished military career of 20 years, including commanding soldiers in Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He also served as Homeland Defense Analyst in the Office of the Undersecretary for Defense for Booz Allen Hamilton.