20+ years

I hold a Ph.D. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University.

I served on the commission established to achieve long-term viability of the New Hampshire Retirement System, and was appointed by two Governors to serve as the Chairperson of the Board of the New Hampshire Retirement System, an office I held for five years. I am a former member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's New England Public Policy Center Advisory Board, and the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. I have also served on a number of legislatively-established study commissions, including electric utility property taxes and education funding.

I have a PhD in Economics and have been an economist at Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell, in Concord, New Hampshire for more than 25 years.

I regularly testify before the New Hampshire Legislature on behalf of a range of business and non-profit clients. I work on matters before regulatory agencies and have appeared as an expert witness regarding fiscal and economic impacts of energy infrastructure projects. I have also authored studies and provided strategic advice on the effects of a statewide property tax, various business tax proposals, and public investments and infrastructure.

20+ years

James M. Demers is the founder of The Demers Group and Demers, Blaisdell Inc., he presently serves as President & CEO of Demers, Blaisdell & Prasol Inc. Mr. Demers is a former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and former congressional candidate. He has over 40 years of experience in the legislative, regulatory and political fields. He has been a political commentator for numerous media outlets including ABC News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News as well as NH news stations WMUR-TV, WBIN-TV and New England Cable News. He has been actively involved in advising presidential campaigns, serving as co-chairman of President Barack Obama's NH campaign in 2008. He presently serves on the advisory board of the NH Institute of Politics at St. Anselm College, chairman of the NH International Trade Advisory Commission and he is a "political insider" for Politico and the National Journal. He was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the US Senate to serve on the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which is the country's development financial institution. He has been recognized by numerous state and national publications as one of New Hampshire's "most influential" and "most powerful" people. He is a graduate of the University of Miami (FL) and he holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. He served three terms in the NH House where he served as the Assistant Minority Whip. He has also served as President and Executive Director of the New England-New York-New Jersey Financial Services Association and the National Card Coalition after doing corporate government affairs work for two national financial services companies. He is a resident of Concord, NH.

Robert P. Blaisdell serves as Managing Partner of Demers, Blaisdell & Prasol Inc. He has been a professional legislative and regulatory lobbyist since 1998 when he started with The Demers Group. He is responsible for managing and overseeing client development and assisting clients with strategy and implementation of comprehensive government affairs activities, including advocacy and association management. He comes from a family with a long history of serving the Keene, NH area as well as NH state government. He has served on several trade group committees and in 2005 he was named to the NH Union Leader newspapers 40 Under 40 list, an award recognizing residents under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions to the state and show strong growth potential for the future. He has been recognized by Business NH Magazine as one of 25 people who will lead and shape the Granite State for the next 25 years. He has been appointed to serve on numerous local boards including the Manchester Parks & Recreation Commission as well as the Manchester Task Force on Efficiencies & Consolidations and the Mill Falls Charter School Foundation. He holds a Bachelors degree from the University of New Hampshire. He lives in Manchester with his wife Molly and their three children.

DAVID G. COLLINS is the Director of Government Relations for Rath, Young and Pignatelli, P.C. and leads the firm's Government Relations Practice Group. Prior to RYP, David was the Director of Government Relations for Public Service Company of New Hampshire and in an earlier life, a Biologist for New Hampshire Fish & Game. A veteran lobbyist, well known and well respected, David has a wealth of front line lobbying and public affairs experience.

He has served as a trusted advisor to leaders of a wide variety of industries including electric utilities, insurance, telecommunications, oil and gas, financial service and health care companies. Among a few of his current clients, in addition to the New Hampshire Credit Union League, are Comcast, PSNH, Anthem, Dartmouth College, the American Petroleum Institute and American Express. David currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the New Hampshire Air Resources Council and on the Board of Directors of The Advocacy Group, a select group of nationally recognized public affairs professionals.

His public service has included serving as Trustee of the Manchester VNA, President of the Queen City Kiwanis, Chairman of the Bedford Conservation Commission and Director of the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation.

He is an avid golfer, a passionate fly tyer and an admittedly addicted fly fisherman. He resides in Bow with his wife Lucie and they have three grown children and two grandchildren.

Thomas Prasol serves as the Managing Director for Demers, Blaisdell & Prasol Inc. He has been providing strategy, lobbying, and association management for clients since 2011. He brings a myriad of experience in State and Federal government beginning his professional career as a Project Assistant to U.S. Senator Judd Gregg and as Policy and Field Coordinator for several State and Federal campaigns. In 2008 he transitioned to the position of Project Director for Senator Gregg where he handled federal appropriations in the areas of first responders. Upon Senator Gregg's retirement, he moved to the New Hampshire State Senate where he was a Legislative Aide to the Senate Education Committee. With his experience in federal and state government, Mr. Prasol brings another dimension to the firm in areas of strategy, management of special projects, and government affairs implementation. He continues to bring his experience and knowledge to assist State and Federal campaigns with strategy and policy research. In addition to his work for Demers, Blaisdell & Prasol, he serves on the Town Planning Board and has previously served as Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in his local community He received his Bachelor's degree in Politics from Saint Anselm College where he served as an Ambassador to the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, and his Master's degree in Criminal Justice from Boston University. He currently resides in Hooksett, NH with his fiance' Maria and two dogs Zeus and Tyson.