The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has expanded its federal legislative affairs team with the hiring of Chris Chwastyk, former chief of staff to Texas Congressman Chet Edwards, as vice president of federal legislative affairs.
AWEA also recently hired Jim Martin as director of strategic policy initiatives. Martin is a veteran of Republican campaigns and has worked on projects for the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
AWEA also promoted Rob Gramlich from policy director, where he oversaw regulatory affairs, policy analysis and transmission policy, to senior vice president for public policy. He will also oversee legislative issues and work with AWEA's board of directors and policy committees on developing policy positions and priorities. Gramlich will represent the association, along with AWEA CEO Denise Bode, with the media and energy industry and policy groups.
‘We were lucky to entice Chris away from the Hill after 11 years,’ says Gramlich. ‘He has a deep understanding of the process in Congress and has the ability to leverage an extensive collection of contacts both on and off Capitol Hill.’
The announcement of Chwastyk's and Martin's hiring completes a reorganization of AWEA's public policy area that took place over the summer. The reorganization also included the creation of a regulatory affairs group headed by Tom Vinson, a data and analysis group headed by Liz Salerno, and a state policy group headed by Hans Detweiler, each of whom also report to Gramlich. AWEA is in the process of hiring a vice president of public affairs, who will report to Bode.
SOURCE: American Wind Energy Association
