Terry D. Lawler

Experience

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  Georgia Tax Reform Commission

  Jan 1978 - Jan 1980

  Staff Analyst

  Produced first tax burden analysis of Georgia's income, property and sales taxes on Georgia residents. Assisted legislators with analysis of tax legislation.Office of the GovernorOffice of Planning and BudgetDemographer

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  Georgia House of Representatives

  Jan 1983 - Jan 1989

  State Representative

  Served on the House committees on Education, Retirement, Industry and Banking.Chairman of the Education Finance Subcommittee, Vice-Chairman of Teacher Availability and Compensation Subcommittee, Secretary of House Retirement Committee. Chose not to seek re-election in 1988.Honors received: Legislator of the Year, Georgia Association for Retarded Citizens; Honorary Member, Georgia Retired Teachers Association; Five Outstanding Young Georgians, Georgia Jaycee’s; Honorary Lifetime Member, Georgia PTA. Show less

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  MCI Telecommunications

  Jan 1988 - Jan 1999

  Regional Governmental Affairs Manager

  Responsible for development and implementation of state governmental affairs in nine southeastern states. Performed regulatory duties before the Mississippi PSC. Responsible for managing outside lobbyists in each state capital to achieve MCI's public policy goals. Successful in passing major legislation on key MCI public policies; Tennessee. Successfully obtained Governor's veto of legislation in Florida. Negotiated legislation in Tennessee that provided millions of dollars of reduced expenses for MCI, which was upheld in U.S. District Court. Managed MCI sponsored events at regional and national public policy organizations including NCSL, SLC, SGA and ALEC. Georgia House of RepresentativesState Representative, District 20, Post 5 Show less

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  Georgians for Better Transportation

  Jan 2000 - Jan 2003

  President

  Responsible for operating a non-profit organization of over 100 Georgia businesses, associations and individuals. Coordinated lobbying efforts between the Georgia General Assembly, municipal and county government associations, Georgia Department of Transportation, Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, local and state chambers of commerce, state university system and transportation construction industry to educate and garner support for passage of a Transportation Infrastructure Fee on motor fuels and funding of a State Infrastructure Bank. Became public spokesman in support of the Northern Arc, a proposed highway to bypass metro Atlanta interstate traffic. Appointed co-chair of Georgia Regional Transportation Authority’s Value Pricing Task Force, and provided expert witness testimony supporting construction of a fifth runway at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Show less

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  MCI Telecommunications/Verizon Communications

  Jan 2003 - Jan 2006

  Regional Governmental Affairs Director

  2003 to 2006Responsible for development and implementation of state governmental affairs in nine southeastern states. Responsible for managing outside lobbyists in each state capital to achieve corporate public policy goals. Administer MCI Employees North Carolina PAC and MCI Employees Southern Region PAC and advise management on appropriate corporate political contributions. Design and produce state specific public relations products for use in media and legislative education efforts. Consult legal staff to determine appropriate political strategies for state public service commissions. Negotiate legislative language with competitors and appropriate legislative members and staff. Represent company at regional and national legislative public policy organization's conferences including SGA, SLC and NCSL. Show less

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  CompuCredit

  Oct 2006 - Oct 2008

  Executive Director of Governmental Affairs

  Responsible for managing all aspects of state governmental affairs nationwide for the nation’s third largest provider of sub-prime credit cards. Represented CompuCredit before national public policy organizations including NAAG, RGA, DGA, NCSL, NBCSL, NHCSL and ALEC. Managed contract lobbyists in key states to protect corporate interests. Shepherded resolutions and model legislation supporting CompuCredit business model through ALEC and NHCSL which endorsed CompuCredit legislative efforts in North Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Wisconsin, New York, Ohio and Florida. Wrote “State Factor” white paper for ALEC on importance of providing access to credit for unbanked and underbanked consumers. Monitored, analyzed and educated senior management of federal, state and local legislation that impacted CompuCredit’s employee benefits and business model. Coordinated public and external affairs messaging with Public/Investor Relations to maintain a consistent public policy message. Show less

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  Blue Ridge Strategies

  Oct 2008 - Dec 2009

  Partner

  Represents numerous companies before the Georgia General Assembly and other public policy making bodies in Georgia by providing strategic lobbying advice to clients including making PAC contributions, securing sponsors for proposed legislation and determining state legislative objectives. Clients included AT&T, Underground Atlanta, Elstat Americas, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, CompuCredit Corporation and Augusta Newsprint.

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  Georgia Grant Writers

  Nov 2009 - now

  Principal

  Georgia Grant Writers provides grant writing and technical assistance services to local governments to assist them in receiving funds from state, federal and foundation funding sources. Georgia Grant Writers has relationships with multiple subject matter experts, so our clients receive grant writing services from individuals with specific knowledge of their program areas. Clients who use the services of Georgia Grant Writers effectively have a whole team of grant writers with specific experience in the area where the grant funds are made available. Georgia Grant Writers has provided contractual grant writing assistance and/or grants research and administration to the cities of College Park, Hapeville, Union City, Jonesboro, Chamblee and Dunwoody. As the principal at Georgia Grant Writers, I have earned a Certificate of Grant Writing from the University of Georgia. Show less

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  Regional Business Coalition of Metro Atlanta

  Dec 2009 - Jul 2014

  Executive Director

  Performed duties as the executive director of the Regional Business Coalition (RBC), an organization of over a dozen of the largest and most active Chambers of Commerce throughout the metro Atlanta region. RBC member chambers represent over 15,000 member companies who employ millions of metro Atlanta residents. The RBC’s primary goal is to represent the interests of RBC Chamber members before decision makers on regional public policy issues impacting transportation, water and air quality and to advocate for solutions that improve metro Atlanta’s quality of life and economic vitality. Show less

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  Encore Capital Group

  Jan 2014 - Apr 2016

  National Director of State Government Affairs

  Director of Government Affairs for Encore Capital Group and its subsidiaries. Responsible for managing government affairs efforts before state legislative and regulatory bodies in all 50 states as well as national and regional legislative organizations. Encore Capital Group, an international specialty finance company with operations spanning seven countries, provides debt recovery solutions for consumers and property owners across a broad range of assets. Through its subsidiaries, the Company purchases portfolios of consumer receivables from major banks, credit unions, and utility providers, and partners with individuals as they repay their obligations and work toward financial recovery. Show less

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  Greene County Chamber of Commerce, Greensboro, Ga

  Jul 2018 - now

  President

  Performs duties as required for president of Greene County Chamber of Commerce in the heart of Georgia's Lake Country.