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Question of the day: 2023 Golden Horseshoe Awards

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Illinois

* The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Contract Lobbyist is a tie. Liz Brown-Reeves…

Liz Brown is everywhere all the time. If you need something done you can call her and know it’s handled. She’s a superstar staffer turned lobbyist who knows everyone and knows who to call to ensure your issue is at the top of the list. If you’re looking to succeed in Springfield she’s someone you need to have on your side.

And Dave Sullivan…

Just take a walk around the Capitol early morning or late into the evening you will see him. He ALWAYS greets everyone with a smile and very respectful to Staff & LA’s all while working multiple clients difficult agendas.

* The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best In-House Lobbyist is also a tie. Mark Denzler with the Illinois Manufacturers Association…

He spent 2,000 miles on a bus to promote manufacturing. Traveled to London with the Governor on a trade mission. Helped lead efforts on REV to land Gotion and Stellantis with 7,000 good jobs. And his peers named him Speaker of the Third House. Not a bad year.

* And Jen Walling with the Illinois Environmental Council…

I cannot think of another lobbyist that is more passionate about their cause than Jen. Professional and knowledgeable, Jen has taken on some heavy hitters on big issues and prevailed. I couldn’t think of a better leader for the environmental movement.

Congratulations to our winners and to everyone who was nominated!

* On to today’s categories…

Best Legislative Liaison

As always, explain your nominations or they won’t count. And please do your very best to nominate in both categories. Thanks!

* And here’s your daily reminder to click here and help buy Christmas presents for foster kids served by Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. Thanks!

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 11:05 am

Comments

Best Do-Gooder Lobbyist: Phil Milsk. There hasn’t been a bill that dealt with those with disabilities passed in the last 30 years Phil hasn’t been part of. An expert on special education legislation and how services for human services are funded, Phil is a “one-stop-shop” of information and advice. And, he has no ego, he simply wants to get things done whether in committee or behind the scenes. Always ready to help and always a kind word, Phil is one of the best.

Best Legislative Liaison: Allison Neckrent at DPH. She always returns calls and willing to try and track down information.

During the COVID lockdowns, Allison kept providers informed of events and the ever changing procedures. She was often the only person in state government you could get an answer from. She was remarkable for her calm demeanor and abilities to knock down rumors and faulty information.

This year she has been dealing with the issue of how background checks are impacting human service providers. At times she’s had to respond to numerous issues when the Healthcare Worker Registry is causing considerable issues for those trying to work through layers of state agency rules and regulations. She is a pro and DPH is lucky to have her.

Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 11:47 am
Mona Martin is not only exceptionally good at what she does, she is a friend, mentor, and advocate to countless individuals under the dome and elsewhere. The world would be better off with more people like Mona.

Allison Nickrent at DPH is single-handedly one of the most talented professionals in the business. DPH is a behemoth of an agency and the level of institutional knowledge she has is impressive. Allison was tasked with negotiating the bylaws of a newly created board with its (*sometimes pushbacky*) membership and she handled it with precision, intuition, and class. She is no stranger to JCAR and knows her way around every square inch of DPH’s rules and regs. Allison’s unique skill set makes her a pleasure to work with. She takes a hands-on approach to mentoring her team and truly is one of the best.

Comment by Recovering Minion Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 12:10 pm
Matt Maloney- He reps Mental Health America, School Psychologists, community mental health, etc. He does it all. Furthermore, he has balance, lets policy makers know both sides of an issue, knows everybody in the Senate, and fixed a terrible glitch in the state referenda law regarding specialty districts (2022). Plus, does anyone know more about smoke-free-Illinois? Matt Maloney=Do Gooder

Comment by John-on-the-spot Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 12:40 pm
Best Legislative Liaison - Allison Nickrent at IDPH is supremely professional, effective, and just a great person to work with. She does both legislative and JCAR work and does both very well.

Best Do-Gooder Lobbyist - Niya Kelly at Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is always a joy to see under the Dome, and is a fierce and effective advocate.

Comment by Incandenza Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:00 pm
For Liaison: Wendy Miller Butler at CMS, and not just because she’s got such awesome style! Her portfolio is huge, and she’s always able to figure out the right path forward for any problem, which is no small feat considering how many truly knotty issues fall under her purview. She’s unflappable, gracious, and witty - 3 critical traits for such a role.

Comment by NotMe Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:23 pm
If you were to look up Do-Gooder Lobbyist in the dictionary (or Wikipedia) you would likely find the image of William McNary, the consumate do-gooder lobbyist who has been unwavering in his do-gooder status throughout a career of do-gooder lobbying. Anyone and everyone at the Capitol knows who he is and what he stands for. As he heads off into retirement, a golden horseshoe recognition for his years of do-gooder lobbying would be a fitting tribute.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:28 pm
Oops. Forgot Do-Gooder: I second Niya Kelly at CCH. She does an amazing job building understanding and consensus around an incredibly complex issue and often while helping leader members of her organization navigate the campus, making sure they get to know the legislators and the process.

Comment by NotMe Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:29 pm
Do-gooder: Another vote for Niya Kelly at Coalition for the Homeless - she does incredible work on really difficult issues that are often not election-friendly. There’s been a lot of turnover (and just folks leaving) of people who work in the same policy areas, so Niya has continued to carry more and more of the work and continues to get big things done.

Liason: Wendy Butler at CMS - Wendy has survived multiple administrations, and that alone deserves an award. But she’s great to work with — she’s responsive, decent, and honest; she knows what she’s talking about and won’t lie to you. She says retiring soon (I’ll believe it when I see it), and if and when she does leave she’ll be sorely missed at CMS and in the Capitol.

Comment by JoeMaddon Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:34 pm
I’m going to break tradition and second William McNary’s nomination.

I spoke at Will’s recent retirement dinner, as did the governor, both US Senators, several members of the congressional delegation, Chicago’s mayor, the two Democratic legislative leaders and others.

They all spoke of the big things Will did during his career. And that list is very long. I focused on the smaller things that don’t get a lot of notice, like putting a lid on payday loans, helping people pay their utility bills, etc.

Will is one of the smartest people I know. He’s also one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met. He’s honest and he’s never sold his soul. He’s also a kind, sweet man who believes that his short-term legislative defeats are only temporary.

Chuy Garcia spoke after I did. He started by saying that the person sitting next to him leaned over during my speech and said “I didn’t know Rich Miller could be so nice.”

That got a good laugh. But I was nice for a very good reason: McNary truly deserved it.

So, Will, even if you don’t win this award, just know you are greatly appreciated. We didn’t always agree, but thanks so much for being you.

- Rich

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 1:40 pm
McNary is a champ so he should win. Always enjoyed the way he would cope with setbacks. Unlike others who go B**S*** crazy
Wendy is good choice too if for no other reason than surviving the knucklehead husband’s tour through the GA

Comment by Annon'in Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 2:14 pm
Do-Gooder - Another vote for Niya Kelly. She does the work. She knows her issue inside and out, knows when to push vs. when to compromise, and is always true to the work and the people she is working on behalf of.

Comment by Montrose Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 2:18 pm
Hard to argue about the esteemed Mr McNary. The man is an institution. He encouraged a lot of young staffers and lobbyists, and helped a lot of people learn and gain confidence in a sometimes tough place to work.

Also have to add another vote for Allison Nickrent at IDPH. Has taken on some very difficult issues and done it with the kind of seriousness and professionalism required to get IDPH through the past few years. She’s also done that work with a positive outlook.

Comment by Big West Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 2:21 pm
For legislative liason, I think IDHS’s Kieran Fitzgerald deserves a nomination. IDHS is a gigantic agency and he had a lot of bills to stay on top of. That’s in addition to IDHS’s own legislative initiatives that he moved through the General Assembly.

Comment by North by Northwest Side Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 3:10 pm
One more vote for William. I’ve had the chance to work with him for 5 years. His commitment to the work and the people he represents are unwavering, and his contacts are second to none. There’s no other lobbyist in the do-gooder category I’d call before him if I wanted to try and get 15 minutes to see Speaker Welch, President Harmon, and maybe even the Governor. As William retires this would be a fitting honor.

For legislative liaison, I work most with the legislative team from IDHS as compared to any other agency, so I’ve had a chance to work with Kieran and appreciate his work there as well as his previous work with former Leader Harris.

Comment by Tough Choice Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 3:24 pm
Do gooder - This is the year for William McNary! He is so passionate about everything he works on and brings a positive energy to every interaction. The policy outcomes that he’s advanced have been meaningful to so many Illinoisans.
Legislative liaison - I love working with Wendy Butler at CMS. She’s super responsive and understands the extremely difficult machinations of procurement. She works with you to meet your goal in a way that will be effective.

Comment by Never comment Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 4:39 pm
Chipping in my $0.02 for William McNary. He’s been a relentless force for the public interest on a swath of issues. Few people can look back on a career of so much good done.

For liaison, my vote also goes to Kieran Fitzgerald at DHS. No surprise that a guy who spend so much time around Leader Greg Harris understands such a massive beast of an agency. What is more of a surprise is that a guy with so much on his plate is able to be so responsive, efficient, and friendly.

Comment by The Opinions Bureau Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 4:59 pm
Jack Cann with IDOR does a great job. He is very smart and reliable. Jack gets my vote for legislative liason.

Comment by 3rd time a charm? Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 5:15 pm
Niya Kelly from Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is a tireless advocate who does the work for all the right reasons. She not only is a subject matter expert who puts in the time and energy but she is a mentor to those emerging in the field.

Wendy Butler CMS, she has prevailed in her role through many administrations and has been great to work with.

Comment by Duh Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 5:21 pm
My nomination for best liaison is definitely Allison Nickrent at DPH. She’s a kind and competent person who works hard and represents some really tough issues that folks have strong feelings about. I always get prompt responses from her and enjoy working with her a lot.

Comment by portland Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 6:31 pm
Kieran Fitzgerald is also an Ignatius grad, and you literally cannot go wrong there.

Comment by low level Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 6:39 pm
I don’t know many lobbyists but I do know Mike Ziri. He’s one of the most tireless workers in any field I’ve ever met. He works for the LGBTQ+ community as if it’s his mission in life and has the victories to back it up.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Thursday, Dec 14, 23 @ 6:55 pm
Do-Gooder: Niya Kelly with CCH. She is very smart, always prepared for the excepted and unexpected, she preps and supports her sponsors and their staff, she’s a resource for staff generally, does substantive and budget work on an issue that can sometimes feel like fighting an uphill battle. On top of that, she’s a good person. She takes the time to develop relationships with LA’s, security and staff around the Capitol, Stratton and Howlett, and can be a blast of sunshine and fun when you see her. She also shows up every day and gets the work done. There aren’t that many lobbyists who do the work on a consistent basis that way she does. All these years of committed EFFECTIVE hard work sure merits the best do-gooder designation.

Liason: John Thompson -ISP. While we aren’t usually fully aligned on the issues, John is one of my go to Springfield people. He’s honest, willing to be a thought partner, open to negotiation, understands his issues, has relationships on both sides of the aisles, can work with any org or agency and he is a truly nice person. More people like him please!

Comment by Voting Friday, Dec 15, 23 @ 7:05 am