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Ross Barnhardt's years of experience allow him to offer clients a superior understanding of State Government and help them navigate legislative and executive agency solutions to their particular goals. After graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in political science, Ross spent several years working in the North Carolina Senate. Working for a Senior Appropriations Chairman, Ross has assisted businesses both big and small to secure State funding and desired legislative outcomes. Ross was a lead staffer in Senate leadership for the State Budget process, regulatory reform, economic development, tort reform, and agriculture policy.

Ross has helped clients meet their goals through lobbying for legislative action at the General Assembly, building legislative strategies and coalitions, and interacting with executive agencies. He has the skills and relationships to present his clients, their needs, and their messaging in front of the correct decision makers. Ross has represented clients involved in the areas of economic development, healthcare, technology, engineering, transportation, education, public safety, finance, local government, entertainment, agriculture, food and beverage, and broad industry associations.

When Ross is not at the legislature, he enjoys saltwater fishing, weight lifting, and home improvement projects.

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LISA MARTIN

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LISA MARTIN

(North Carolina, )

Capitol Advantage Associates, Inc.

lisa@cap-ad.com
(919) 880-2955
745 Powell Drive, Raleigh, NC, 27606,

Subjects: All Subjects

Links:Website

Lisa has over 20 years experience in government and private sector work. Prior to joining Capitol Advantage, she served as Director of Government Affairs for a large statewide trade association. She has experience building and executing strategy for a wide range of issues such as environmental, tax, workers compensation, land use and professional licensing. Lisa is highly respected and has a successful track record advocating before the Legislature, Executive Branch agencies and various commissions and licensing boards. She is also consistently ranked on the list of "Most Influential Lobbyists in the General Assembly."

1) Amazon.com Services LLC

2) Amplify Education, Inc.

3) CHAMP Titles, Inc.

4) Copart

5) EQT Corporation

6) JM Family Enterprises, Inc.

7) Metrc LLC

8) North Carolina Public Library Directors Association

9) Orijin

10) Smithfield Foods, Inc.

11) StubHub, Inc.

12) URAC

13) Wonderschool, Inc.

20+ years

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JOHN COOPER

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JOHN COOPER

(North Carolina, )

Connect C, LLC

jcooper@connectc.org
(919) 861-9783
150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1130, Raleigh, NC, 27601,

Connect C, LLC is a full-service government relations and lobbying firm that assists clients in developing strategies and programs to win passage of legislation, modify regulations and establish allies to support public policy objectives that protect brand reputations in the halls of North Carolina's General Assembly. Using our experience, policy knowledge, procedural expertise, and planning and facilitation skills, we tailor our work to meet our clients' individual needs and goals. Our experience and expertise in providing government affairs services allow us to see around the corner for our clients, and to respond accordingly. The partners have extensive knowledge of the legislative and regulatory process in Raleigh and Washington, D.C. Our team has been involved in the political landscape at the local, state and federal level for the past forty years.

1) Agricultural Alliance of North Carolina

2) Bellsouth Telecommunications, LLC d/b/a AT&,T North Carolina

3) Blue Ridge Day Surgery Center, L.P.

4) Crumpler Plastic Pipe, Inc

5) eDealer Services LLC

6) Great Trails State Coalition c/o American Council of Engineering Companies of NC

7) Hemp HoldCo, LLC

8) Honeywell International, Inc.

9) Molina Healthcare, Inc.

10) NC Job Creators Forum, Inc.

11) North Carolina Amateur Sports

12) North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fairs

13) North Carolina Biotechnology Center

14) North Carolina Horse Council

15) North Carolina SweetPotato Commission

16) Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Inc. d/b/a ECU Health Medical Center

17) Resident Lenders of North Carolina

18) Ripe Inc.

19) Sampson County

20) Smith's Farm

21) Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC

22) T &, J Panels, Inc.

23) The Gordian Group

24) Town of Boone

25) Unite USA Inc.

26) Valleygate Dental Holdings, LLC

27) Village Care Group, LLC

11-15 years

John has over 45 years of experience working as a corporate CEO and government agency administrator. John served in the administrations of three United States Presidents. He served as State Executive Director of the North Carolina Farm Service Agency from 1981 to 1992, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. In April 2001, John was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as the State Director of USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Rural Development for North Carolina.

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KEVIN WILKINSON

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KEVIN WILKINSON

(North Carolina, )

The Southern Group

wilkinson@thesoutherngroup.com
704.763.3642
209 Fayetteville Street, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC, 27601,

Subjects: All Subjects

Links:Website, LinkedIn

1) Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolinas, Inc.

2) Betson Gaming

3) Cash Titan

4) Confianz Global Inc. DBA StackBench

5) Dealer Services Network, LLC

6) Encompass Health Corporation

7) Everway, LLC

8) Eviden

9) Firstfloor, Inc.

10) GL Partners, Inc

11) HeyTutor Inc.

12) Hillpointe Construction LLC

13) International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM")

14) JLC Services, Inc.

15) Knautz Capital LLC

16) LifeStance Health

17) Mooresville Btr Developers, LLC

18) North Carolina Sports Legacy Foundation

19) Prontoblock Inc.

20) Reconnect, Inc.

21) RedSpeed USA

22) Riverbend Preserve, LLC

23) SeatGeek, Inc.

24) Securly, Inc.

25) simplySOLV

26) Starmount Healthcare Management

27) Stiegler EdTech LLC

28) TickPick, LLC

29) Town of Elizabethtown

30) Town of Troutman

31) Treenail Development, Inc.

32) Vapor Technology Association

33) Windstream Services, LLC on behalf of its operating companies in NC

2021 NC Top 25 Lobbyist

2019 NCED Leadership Award

Kevin Wilkinson joined The Southern Group in 2024, expanding the firm's footprint in Raleigh, North Carolina. He brings extensive legislative and executive experience from roles in both the public and private sectors.

As a proud North Carolinian, Kevin's professional path has been largely dedicated to molding and promoting key policies at local, state, and national levels. From 2016 to 2019, he held leadership roles in North Carolina's public education sector. First, as the Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to the N.C. State Superintendent at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, then later as the Executive Director of External Affairs at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. In these roles, Kevin helped design and gather support for the organization's policy priorities and initiatives.

Before that, Kevin served as a Policy Advisor to Senator Robert Bryan. He led and implemented several education reforms and staffed various committees such as Appropriations, Education, Judiciary, Pension, and Retirement. Kevin also worked on Capitol Hill as a staff member for U.S. Representative Robert Pittenger, supporting and advocating for the needs of constituents across his district.

Most recently, Kevin took his experience in North Carolina's government to the private sector, serving as SVP of Government Affairs at EQV Strategic. In that capacity, Kevin worked directly with policymakers on the state and federal levels to advocate for his clients. His range of policy areas includes education, economic and business development, technology, transportation, telecommunications, healthcare, gaming, sports, and local government.

Outside his day-to-day work, Kevin uses his expertise to give back to his community as Vice Chair of the Board of Visitors for Appalachian State University.

Kevin has received numerous awards and recognition for his work, including being named one of the top lobbyists in North Carolina by the North State Journal since 2020 and receiving the North Carolina Education Leadership Award in 2018.

Kevin studied political science and economics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and earned an M.B.A. from Liberty University. He resides in Raleigh with his wife Megan and their daughter Margot.

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AMANDA FALKENBURY

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AMANDA FALKENBURY

(North Carolina, )

McGuireWoods Consulting

afalkenbury@mwcllc.com
919-836-4004
501 Fayetteville Street, Suite 500, Raleigh, NC, 27601,

Subjects: All Subjects, Appropriations/Budgets, Business/Commerce, Education, Housing/Real Estate/Development/Construction, Manufacturing, Non-Profit, Tourism/Hospitality

Links:Website

Amanda is a vice president on McGuireWoods Consulting's North Carolina government relations team, representing clients in the state legislature and executive branch and developing and executing government relations strategies carefully tailored to meet each client's needs.

1) Apartment Association of North Carolina

2) Charter Schools USA

3) City of Winston-Salem

4) Corning Incorporated

5) Durham County Government

6) IDDU INC. d/b/a JULIA'S COMMUNITY

7) Instructure, Inc.

8) Investors Title Insurance Company

9) Kleo Inc

10) North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools, Inc.

11) RISEPOINT, LLC

12) Sea &, Shoreline, LLC

13) SME Education Foundation

14) Stride, Inc.

15) Teach For America

16) The Learning Internet, Inc. DBA Learning.com

17) United Healthcare Services, Inc.

18) University Industry Demonstration Partnership Inc

19) Zscaler, Inc.

11-15 years

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NATHANIEL HONAKER

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NATHANIEL HONAKER

(North Carolina, )

Connect C, LLC

nhonaker@connectc.org
(919) 861-9783
150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1130, Raleigh, NC, 27601,

Connect C, LLC is a full-service government relations and lobbying firm that assists clients in developing strategies and programs to win passage of legislation, modify regulations and establish allies to support public policy objectives that protect brand reputations in the halls of North Carolina's General Assembly. Using our experience, policy knowledge, procedural expertise, and planning and facilitation skills, we tailor our work to meet our clients' individual needs and goals. Our experience and expertise in providing government affairs services allow us to see around the corner for our clients, and to respond accordingly. The partners have extensive knowledge of the legislative and regulatory process in Raleigh and Washington, D.C. Our team has been involved in the political landscape at the local, state and federal level for the past forty years.

1) Agricultural Alliance of North Carolina

2) Avery County

3) Bellsouth Telecommunications, LLC d/b/a AT&,T North Carolina

4) Blue Ridge Day Surgery Center, L.P.

5) Crumpler Plastic Pipe, Inc

6) eDealer Services LLC

7) Great Trails State Coalition c/o American Council of Engineering Companies of NC

8) Hemp HoldCo, LLC

9) Honeywell International, Inc.

10) Molina Healthcare, Inc.

11) NC Job Creators Forum, Inc.

12) NC Sporting Dog Association, Inc.

13) NC Wildlife Preserve Association

14) North Carolina Amateur Sports

15) North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fairs

16) North Carolina Biotechnology Center

17) North Carolina Creditors Bar Association, Inc.

18) North Carolina Horse Council

19) North Carolina SweetPotato Commission

20) Pitt County Memorial Hospital, Inc. d/b/a ECU Health Medical Center

21) Resident Lenders of North Carolina

22) Ripe Inc.

23) Sampson County

24) Smith's Farm

25) Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC

26) T &, J Panels, Inc.

27) The Gordian Group

28) Town of Boone

29) Unite USA Inc.

Nathan Honaker is a licensed North Carolina attorney and serves as General Counsel to Connect C providing insight in legislative matters. He has several years of experience in legislative affairs, lobbying and healthcare. Nathan is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of North Carolina School of Law. During college, Nathan had internships with several legislators in the State House of Representatives and the State Senate. After completing his undergraduate degree, he worked for Sen. Phil Berger, President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate, in communications and as a law clerk. During law school, Nathan worked for several lobbyists as a research assistant and policy advisor, as well as working with the State Health Plan and the University of North Carolina System.

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A.P. "SANDY" SANDS

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A.P. "SANDY" SANDS

(North Carolina, )

Sands Law, PLLC

sandy@apsandslaw.com
919-921-8123
150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1130, Raleigh, NC, 27601,

As a former member of the North Carolina Senate, I have served as Vice-Chairman of Finance, Chair of Judiciary and Rules Committees. I have a thorough knowledge of the workings of government and the continual changing personnel in State Government. Trust and knowledge are not created overnight, but are nurtured over the years.

1) Altria Client Services LLC and its Affiliates -- Philip Morris USA Inc., John Middleton Co., and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co.

2) Better Solutions Technologies, LLC

3) CAESARS Enterprise Services, LLC

4) ChargePoint

5) Fresenius Medical Care North America

6) Molson Coors Beverage Company USA LLC

7) North Carolina Outdoor Advertising Association

8) Orsted North America, Inc.

9) Rave Mobile Safety

10) SECMED Funding, LLC

11) The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority d/b/a Atrium Health

20+ years

Designated by peers as one of the most effective lobbyists in North Carolina

Recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine

Recognized in Best Lawyers in America in the area of government
relations practice, and as Lawyer of the Year in government relations practice in Raleigh

Selected by the American Registry as the top 1% of America's Most Honored Lawyers for 2020

To be provided upon specific request

Former North Carolina State Senator Alexander "Sandy" Sands is the leader of the firm's Public Policy and Governmental Affairs Group in Raleigh. He is a Registered Lobbyist. He represents businesses and individuals who have matters before both the legislative and executive branches of government in North Carolina. He's proven himself to be quite effective. When the North Carolina Center for Public Policy surveyed members of the General Assembly and lobbyists in 2009, researchers found Sands to be the 3rd most influential lobbyist in the Tarheel state.

Sandy has used his many years as a litigator in state and federal trial and appellate courts to develop his advocacy skills, which he now uses effectively for his clients in his lobbying and administrative law practice. He served as a North Carolina State Senator from 1986 until 1994. During that service he rose to the position of Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.