Government relations today
requires a full-contact team approach.
At The Vectre Corporation, our advocates work in a collegial style and are responsive to clients on a 24/7 basis. Every principal in our firm is familiar with our clients’ goals and status. During the General Assembly sessions, our advocates have access to the status of all the bills of importance to our clients through our proprietary online bill-tracking system. It is updated daily as changes occur. In addition to frequent updates during the week, the entire staff meets every weekend during the General Assembly session and reviews every client to prepare for the week ahead.
Unlike larger firms, at Vectre the advocate you hire is responsible for your project. That advocate can call for additional informed lobbying support within the firm as needed, but responsibility for the client’s interest is never handed off to another advocate.
Having six full-time advocates allows Vectre to monitor all key committee meetings and votes that take place at the General Assembly. This in-depth coverage sets us apart from smaller solo practitioners. It provides the breadth of advocacy available only from larger law firms and organizations. It means that when one of our advocates is in a meeting and hears a casual comment that could affect another client’s interests, that insight is recognized and passed along quickly to that client’s lead advocate.
It is a thorough approach to the Art of Contact.
Vectre Team
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H. Benson Dendy III
President
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Philip F. Abraham
Director and General Counsel
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Christopher J. Whyte
Government Affairs Manager
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Richard K. Grossman
Manager, State Government Affairs & Grassroots Strategies
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M. David Skiles
Director of Northern Virginia Client Services
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Sarah L. Thomas
Manager, State & Federal Government Relations
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Dominique McKenzie
Associate, State & Local Government Relations
Vectre Company History
The Vectre Corporation was established in 1989 as a subsidiary of the Virginia law firm of Hazel & Thomas, P.C., with offices in Northern Virginia and Richmond, to provide necessary, highly-specialized non-legal services in the area of government relations. Hazel & Thomas merged with ReedSmith LLP in 1999.
The firm has grown to the point that today it is widely acknowledged for its expertise and communication abilities by federal, state and local government officials as one of its leading government relations resources.
In 1992, The Vectre Corporation expanded its range of services when it became the Virginia member of The Advocacy Group (TAG), an international network of law and government relations firms providing advocacy services at State Capitols throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. In 1995, The Vectre Corporation became an independent firm, owned by members of its Board of Directors.
Today, The Vectre Corporation is headquartered at 919 East Main Street, an easy walk from the Virginia's Capitol Square. The firm includes six full-time professional government affairs advocates with more than eight decades of cumulative experience. The Vectre Corporation expanded by opening an office in Northern Virginia.
The Vectre Corporation's Board of Directors
H. Benson Dendy III, Philip F. Abraham, Richard K. Grossman, David Skiles, Christopher J. Whyte, and Sarah L. Thomas serve on The Vectre Corporation's Board of Directors.