Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs Expands Washington State Governmental Affairs Group

TACOMA, Wash., Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs announced today that Don Brunell and Diana Carlen will join the firm effective January 1, 2014.   Both will primarily focus on providing governmental affairs services to selected clients through the Washington State Group of Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs.    

Don Brunell comes to the firm after an extraordinary 28 years as President of the Association of Washington Business (AWB).  AWB is Washington's oldest and largest statewide business organization whose 8,200 members employ more than 700,000 workers in our state's private sector.  During Don's distinguished career at AWB, he achieved countless successes for AWB and served on many state and national boards and commissions, including as chair of the National Association for State Chambers of Commerce, and the State Associations Group of the National Association of Manufacturers.  Don also served on the US Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, and the National Association of Manufacturing Board of Directors.  Prior to joining AWB, Don was employed in key communication roles, including as a congressional press aide.  Don is also a business columnist whose articles are published regularly in over 35 newspapers and business journals. 

Don will become a Vice President of the firm and will focus on providing business clients with governmental affairs and communications services.  "Don's unique understanding of Washington's business community will position him to create unmatched solutions for our business clients," said Tim Schellberg, President of Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs.  "His services will be invaluable in advancing specific business opportunities in Washington State where decisions about business location and expansion require significant and complex negotiations between business, interest groups and the highest levels of government. Don will be a natural leader on these types of projects," said Schellberg.

Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs is also pleased to announce that Diana Carlen will join the firm.  Diana is leaving a senior post in the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus where she served as senior staff counsel analyzing legislation on environment, water, energy, land use, natural resources, and agricultural issues.  During her last year with the Senate, Diana was promoted to serve as Leadership Counsel for the Senate Republican Caucus, a senior staff position that attends all leadership and caucus meetings, and provides legal and legislative advice.  Prior to working in the Washington State Senate, Diana practiced law for several years focusing on environmental and land use law.  She also served as a law clerk to the Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. 

Diana will primarily represent clients in Olympia, focusing on legislative and executive office lobbying.   Diana intends to use her extraordinary legal and legislative knowledge of energy and natural resource related issues, along with her deep understanding of the legislative institution to provide highly professionalized services to utilities, natural resource industry clients, and other types of clients.     

"The addition of Don Brunell and Diana Carlen to the Washington State Group of Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental affairs will be a major asset to our clients," said Major General (Ret.) Tim Lowenberg, who now serves as a Vice President for Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs working primarily in the Washington DC and Multi-State groups of the firm.  "The firm continues to attract recognized subject matter experts whose experience and judgment provide dynamic solutions for our clients," said General Lowenberg. 

SOURCE Gordon Thomas Honeywell