Ken Keck

Experience

• 

  US House of Representatives

  Aug 1996 - Dec 1999

  Legislative Director

  Served Congressman Sanford Bishop (Albany, GA). Oversaw staff of four implementing Memberʼs legislative program and positions on federal policy areas including agriculture, Medicare/Medicaid, senior and low-income housing, veterans and rural issues. Legislative Assistant through May 1998, then Legislative Director.

• 

  Florida Citrus Mutual

  Dec 1999 - Aug 2002

  Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs

  Served as 8000 member, $3 million citrus grower trade associationʼs in-house legal counsel, overseeing board governance and by-law changes; compliance with IRS regulations governing not-for-profit trade associations; registration and reporting requirements for affiliated state and federal PACs. Conducted federal lobbying activities and provided statute/rule interpretation and drafting. Areas of responsibility also included state- federal PAC fundraising (combined $350 M annual) among members and allied members. Show less

• 

  Florida Department of Citrus

  Aug 2002 - Jan 2012

  Administered $50 million annual budget and 50 employees dedicated to consumer marketing, research and government relations programs on behalf of 12-member board. Served in dual capacity as General Counsel, oversaw day-to-day legal/regulatory matters including bid/proposal processes in compliance with state and federal cooperative agreement and contract rules. Managed activities of outside legal counsel in areas of patent and trademark, FDA/FTC advertising claim review, and general litigation. Drafted, negotiated and reviewed, for commission approval contracts with outside vendors covering all facets of commodity promotion and research (advertising, PR, media buying, shopper marketing, food service and in-school marketing; market and economic research, health and wellness clinical studies, and joint development agreements). Managed and ensured execution of contracts consistent with budgets, programs and policies. Show less

  • Executive Director/ General Counsel

    Jun 2006 - Jan 2012

  • General Counsel/ Director of Government Relations

    Aug 2002 - Jun 2006
• 

  Ken Keck Consulting

  Jan 2012 - Jun 2013

  Principal

  Offered strategic government, community and public relations services to outdoor marketing clients seeking concession agreements for placement of interactive media in public spaces. Work included planning and execution of operations in new markets; interactions with local and state elected officials; presentations of clients' concepts in public meetings; and new media strategies

• 

  California Citrus Research Board

  Jun 2013 - Nov 2014

  President / CEO

  Executed programs that seek out and fund world-class basic and applied citrus pest, disease and horticultural research. Managed a $10 million citrus research program organized under the state commodity marketing order act, comprised of 24-member board of citrus producers, handlers and marketers. Primary mission was to fund sponsored research conducted by university, state and federal agricultural research institutions, and provide communications and continuing education services to citrus industry stakeholders. Show less

• 

  USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service

  Mar 2015 - Jan 2023

  Director

  Retired from Federal Service at the end of 2022