6-10 years

Served on the Georgia Department of Revenue Local Government Advisory Group. As a member of this group, Joel provided the Revenue Commissioner with feedback and suggestions on the impact of important tax issues on local governments.

Joel has developed extensive relationships with elected and appointed officials at the state and local level. Many of these relationships are concentrated in revenue and finance with strong relationships with finance directors all across Georgia's 538 cities and 159 counties. In addition to these local relationships, Joel has done extensive work with the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Joel began his career in local government by providing planning, zoning, and land use support with over 63 cities and 17 counties for one of Georgia's Regional Commissions. Joel then moved to Talladega, AL where he assisted the city manager in all planning and community development projects. It was in this capacity that Joel first started learning municipal budgeting and operations. Joel's work in Talladega caught the eye of a state trade association, and Joel got his introduction to lobbying with the Alabama Manufactured Housing Association (AMHA) in 2013.

As AMHA's Deputy Director, Joel learned the business operations of one of Alabama's major industries and lobbied on their behalf both locally and on the state level. After nearly four years with AMHA, Joel decided to combine his local government and lobbying experience by taking a job with Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). While at GMA, Joel specialized in a wide array of tax issues and lobbied on behalf of Georgia's 538 cities. Joel's knowledge of local government operations, business operations, and public policy development allowed him to develop a broad array of relationships at the General Assembly, while effectively advocating for all of Georgia's cities.

Joel graduated from Georgia College and State University with a BA in political science and Masters of Public Administration. Joel grew up in Byron, Georgia and currently resides in Atlanta with his wife Lucy and daughter Willow.

20+ years

Logan Gray has a unique background for a lobbyist/governmental consultant. For over 35 years, Logan was employed by SouthTrust Corporation, Alabama's largest bank holding company. During that time, Logan served in various capacities including President/C.E.O. for the Lee County/Macon County market for 13 years and the head of Governmental Affairs from 1990 to 2005. These assignments allowed Logan to fully appreciate what state government can do for and can do to a company.

From 1990 until 2005, Logan also served on the City of Auburn's (City) City Council. In that position, Logan was an effective member of a forward looking team of elected and appointed official who moved the City forward economically, educationally, and financially without losing the City's charm and character.

Logan's first run for office ended in a tie vote. This unusual experience engrained in Logan the importance of each vote during an election.

In 2005, Logan retired from SouthTrust and moved to Montgomery to form Southern Strategy Group's Alabama office. Since that time, the office has successfully served its clients at the legislative, regulatory, and local levels of Alabama government. Legislatively, Logan has passed several bills for clients and has been very instrumental in defeating legislation that would be harmful to them. In the regulatory arena, Logan has successfully represented clients before the Departments of Revenue, Banking, Insurance, Environmental Management, Conservation and Natural Resources, the Governor's Finance Department, and Accountancy. Logan has also opened the doors for clients dealing with various city and county governments, making sure that they were in front of the right person who could make or influence a favorable decision.

20+ years

A founding partner of our Alabama office, Carol Brown has spent more than 25 years lobbying and working within her home state's ever-changing business and health care arenas. Before joining The Southern Group, Carol served as Vice President of Governmental Affairs and Manager of Federal Affairs for the Business Council of Alabama, the state's largest and most diverse business trade organization.Carol has worked on both sides of the political aisle, assisting Republican and Democratic candidates with their re-election bids and developing key relationships throughout the halls of government. A 1985 Auburn University graduate, Carol began her career in journalism covering politics and health care issues for the state's capital city newspaper, The Montgomery Advertiser.Since joining Southern Strategy Group, Carol continues representing clients throughout the business spectrum, including the energy, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as health care providers, telecommunications, and disaster recovery arenas. Carol has excellent working relationships with both the legislative and executive branches of government as well as strong relationships throughout Alabama's business and trade association communities. Carol's contacts include many of Alabama's regulatory agencies, such as the Insurance Department, Public Health, Medicaid, the State Health Planning and Development Agency, Industrial Relations, Homeland Security, and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

She has most recently played a key role in working toward broadband accessibility for all Alabamians, a policy initiative that helped garner $100 million in CARES Act Funding for low-income students.