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.

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.

20+ years

John has drafted, amended and secured passage of more than 100 Pennsylvania laws in areas as diverse as liquor law, dairy products, chemicals, manufacturing, workplace safety, renewable energy and health care/health insurance. He has led coalitions of as many as 350 disparate organizations, and in just one instance, those efforts yielded more than $3.5 billion in funding for conservation, environment, preservation, libraries and zoos.

He served as a spokesman for the Commonwealth during the Three Mile Island nuclear accident and has coordinated national and international news media pools for major events.

With more than 40 years of experience inside and outside state government, John has developed thousands of professional relationships that can be brought to bear for clients. His professional experiences include private and public sectors, businesses and associations, C-level positions and client consulting. Those experiences and relationships cover issues from policy and program development to association management, and from key legislation to state agency regulations.

John Nikoloff has been providing advice, support, and hands on services in public affairs, public relations, politics and government relations since 1972. He is cofounder and President ERG Partners and Pennsylvania Energy Resources Group, serving companies on the East Coast and Washington, DC.

Since 2007, the ERG companies have assisted in development of energy and expansion projects and business development for 32 Pennsylvania companies. In the last five years, ERG secured more than $150 million in government grants, loans and contracts for energy and transportation clients. ERG is focused on providing services, strategic consulting, government relations and project support to firms involved in energy and alternative energy, transportation and manufacturing.

Nikoloff has more than 35 years of experience in energy, environment, economic development, agribusiness, health care public policy and business issues. He served from 2004-2006 as executive vice president and COO of a research and development firm, after 17 years as President and CEO of two Harrisburg-based public affairs and government relations firms. Nikoloff is widely recognized for his experience and unequaled legislative, regulatory, policy and funding successes for agriculture, environmental, energy and business clients.

He has represented more than 50 corporations, including Fortune 100 companies like Kodak, Procter & Gamble, Syngenta, Motorola, UPS and Novartis, as well as state and national business, trade and professional associations. John has also served as executive director of five trade and professional associations and chaired several statewide coalitions on issues.

Before he began strategic and public affairs consulting, Nikoloff served as chief of staff for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. From 1971-1987, John served on communications and legislative staff in the Pennsylvania State House, the State Senate, and in executive positions under three Governors. He served in state agencies as press secretary and director of communications, director of legislative relations, director of policy and planning, director of marketing and chief of economic development.

He serves on the Board of the Penn State Ag Council and recently left the board of the SMC Small Business Council after 12 years. He was a founder of the Pennsylvania Association for Government Relations, and the Pennsylvania chapter of 25 x 25. John is active in the American Council on Renewable Energy, the National Small Business Association, and a member of the American Lobbying Association and the Pennsylvania Public Relations Society.

Throughout his career, John has remained actively involved in politics, managing local and state political and referendum campaigns, and on staff for national campaigns.

He received his B.A. degree in political science from Lebanon Valley College.