0-5 years

Greg led the school bond campaign for Phoenix-Talent School District on a small budget and a limited time frame which resulted in the passage of a $68,000,000 facilities bond.

Greg has helped the marijuana and hemp industries in particular successfully navigate the world of laws and regulations by providing guidance and utilizing his decades long relationships with local and state government officials to effectively represent his clients. His work has provided legitimate companies an influential voice within the industry and that government officials and the greater business community listen to.

Greg worked to successfully changed local land use laws at the request of his clients, which allowed for the use of specialized security systems in commercial zones and also enhanced livability of the communities.

Oregon Capitol Club
Ashland City Council 2008-2018
Southern Oregon Humane Society Board Member 2016 - Present
Ashland Emergency Food Bank Board President 2009-2018
Paul Harris Fellow - Ashland Lithia Springs Rotary Club

With two decades of experience in law enforcement and experience in international business development, non-profit leadership and as an elected official himself, Greg has a background and skill set that can help people and organizations achieve their goals.

A native Oregonian, born in Portland, raised in Salem and a resident of Southern Oregon for over 20 years, Greg has a strong connection to our state and a deep and varied background. After spending two decades in law enforcement, Greg worked for a local start-up, conducting international business development by opening up new markets and working with foreign governments to create strong partnerships. He has also served in leadership positions for local non-profits, assisting each in expanding their services, building relationships and strengthening their organizations.

Greg has served as an elected official, elected to the Ashland City Council in 2008 and re-elected in 2012 and 2016. Greg dealt with complex issues in a very politically active community, with great success by focusing on the problem, building relationships and finding a solution that satisfied all parties and benefited the community.

As the Vice President for Client Relations with JWA Pubic Affairs, Greg helped grow the firm exponentially while helping individuals and organizations achieve their legislative goals through effective issue advocacy with elected officials and government agencies.
Greg also worked with organizations to achieve their goals by providing consultation in public affairs, government relations and fundraising. In the fall of 2019, with the blessing of JWA's founder, Greg founded United Strategies.

United Strategies serves clients in Southern Oregon and clients from out of state in the areas of health care, cannabis regulations (marijuana and hemp), land use, non-profit issues and general business related issues.

In addition, Greg has previously been successful in assisting school districts pass multi-mullion dollar school bonds and represented their issues in front of the Oregon legislation to great success.

Greg utilizes his unique background in law enforcement, international business development and politics to provide risk assessment and mitigation services for clients.

Greg has created a vast personal network of relationships with individuals and organizations in Southern Oregon and throughout the state. These relationships have built over two decades on trust and respect. Greg is able to utilize his network to assist his clients in accomplishing their goals.

Greg and his wife Jessica have been married since 1997 and currently have three children, with two in college and one in high school. Greg is a lifelong lover of sports and coaches high school football in his spare time.

20+ years

Bruce is the founder of Sheehan Phinney Capitol Group. Having worked the halls and hearing rooms of the State House for more than 40 years, he is one of the most experienced lobbyists in Concord and has developed deep relationships with key policy makers.

Bruce began his work in state government in 1980 as a college intern and later served as a legislative assistant to the New Hampshire House Majority Leader. He began his lobbying career as the Legislative Counsel to the Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire, the state's leading business advocacy organization.

Bruce has represented clients in a wide variety of policy issues during his career including taxation, environmental regulation, electric utility restructuring and health policy.

He has also been involved in political campaigns for the past 40 years and is a sought-after advisor to candidates during each election cycle.

15-20 years

Jim O'Brien, the founder of the firm, has been involved in Connecticut politics and government for the last 20 years. Jim began his political career in college by working as an intern on Capitol Hill. After college, Jim continued to pursue his interest in politics by working on several campaigns and political events and in 1994, Jim went to work in the Connecticut Governor's office as a Legislative Liaison. Jim helped organize the Governor's legislative agenda and his responsibilities included both editing proposed legislation as well as developing and executing a strategy to pass the legislation. He also represented the Governor's office on the Electric Deregulation Working Group, a group formed to analyze ways in which to deregulate the electric utility industry.
Upon leaving the Governor's office in 1997, Jim joined an investment firm. Also, in that year, Jim ran and was elected to the West Hartford Town Council where he served two terms. In 2004, Jim started his own government relations firm, J. O'Brien & Associates, LLC.
Jim received his B.A. in History from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and his J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 1995.