Firm Personnel
Lester Abberger joined J. Keith Arnold and Curt Blair in 2001 as Managing Partner of the newly formed Florida Lobby Associates, Inc. Mr. Abberger brings a wealth of lobbying knowledge to the firm, with over twenty years of experience in public and private sector advocacy. He has represented clients with healthcare, environmental, growth management, insurance, water utility, and cultural affairs interests. Mr. Abberger was vice president/public affairs of the Florida Hospital Association, and currently serves as vice-chairman of the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Board, and is a director of the State University System's Institute for Child Health Policy. He is a Diplomat of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and holds a courtesy appointment as associate professor of health policy and management at University of South Florida’s College of Public Health. He is also active in the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Mr. Abberger is a graduate of Davidson College, where he serves on the Board of Visitors, is a Knight Fellow at the University of Miami School of Architecture, and has completed executive education programs at Yale School of Management, the Harvard School of Public Health, the Stanford School of Business and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
J. Keith Arnold is a fifth generation Floridian from Ft. Myers who served in the Florida House of Representatives for 16 years. In 1982, At 23 years old, he was the youngest member elected to the House, and at the age of 28 became the youngest majority leader in state history. He has served in a number of other leadership posts, including Chairman of the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Committee and Chairman of the Postsecondary Education Committee. From 1992 through 1996 he was Chairman of the Appropriations Sub-committee on Education, responsible for the state's $14 billion education budget including all Pre K, K-12, Community College, and State University funding. He has been recognized and awarded by dozens of organizations for his commitment to education, the environment, and the arts. Keith joined the firm in November of 1998, and plays a critical role in the development of the firm's strategic positioning in dealing with legislative and executive issues. He also focuses on clients' administration needs and their relationship with state government.
Curt Blair is a former County Commissioner from Monroe County Florida. He has a degree from Florida International University with a major in Health Sciences. Mr. Blair has worked for over thirty years with governmental advocacy organizations including the Associations for Retarded Children, the Sierra Club , hospital associations, educational and local government organizations. He has been active in the state association for counties and the South Florida Regional Planning Council. He is president of Allyn Associates, Inc., a governmental consulting firm specializing in resource development for political campaigns. For the last twelve years, Mr. Blair has represented clients before the Florida Legislature and administrative bodies. Highlights of his legislative career include the creation of the Florida Communities Trust, acquisition projects with the state's CARL program, funding for a specialized insurance program for persons with AIDs and a variety of health related initiatives.
Brett Bacot is a graduate of Florida State University with a masters degree in Applied American Politics. He has worked as an aide in the Florida House of Representatives and has done grass roots advocacy work on public interest issues with the California Public Interest Research Group. Brett is a registered lobbyist, oversees the legislative tracking, conducts issue research, and heads reporting services for the firm.
Florida Lobby
Associates
210 S. Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone (850)222-6333 Fax (850)222-8826
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