HillCo Partners LLC
According to the June 19, 1998, Austin Chronicle, Neal T. (Buddy) Jones, "a former state representative, is teaming with Austin lobbyist Bill Miller" to create HillCo Partners LLC. [1]
Prior to forming HillCo, Miller's PR firm was called MEM Hubble Communications Inc.. Texas first lady Anita Perry, wife of Governor Rick Perry, worked for Miller at MEM in the early 1990s. [2]
In the November 19, 2002, Austin Star-Telegram article "Lobbyists to fill key state jobs," Jay Root reported that Bill Miller, 51, had been appointed as Rep. Tom Craddick's "speaker transition team". Miller's experience was cited as "Co-founder, HillCo Partners corporate consulting firm; former political consultant." [3]
Root identified HillCo's lobby clients as including: "Alcoa Corp.; Koch Industries, an oil and gas company; Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a drug company umbrella group (HillCo, but not Miller specifically, represents Farmers Insurance Group, accused by the state of deceptive business practices and of overcharging customers up to $140 million.)" [4]
HillCo Partners was described in 2003 as "one of Austin's most influential lobby firms." [5] The public relations and lobbying firm has its principal office and place of business located in Austin, Texas. [6][7]
HillCo "Partnerships"
- "The Austin-based public relations firm HillCo Partners has a joint venture agreement with Carol Reed Associates of Dallas to work on statewide and national projects. Partners in HillCo are Bill Miller and Neal T. Buddy' Jones, two veteran state lobbyists. Carol Reed also does political consulting as well as corporate public relations." Austin Business Journal, January 28, 1999.
- "HillCo, in turn, employs the grassroots organization called the PIPE coalition (Protecting Individuals, Protecting Environment), headed by political consultant Jeff Heckler." Austin Chronicle, November 11, 1999.
- HillCo PAC [8]
Contact
The HillCo Partners web site (www.hillcopartners.com) was under construction February 24, 2004.
On further checking on July 14, 2005, it not only was not under construction, but also timed out when attempting to contact that URL.
SourceWatch Resources
External links
- Robert Riggs was one of the nation's premier investigative reporters before recently joining HillCo Partners as a media relation's consultant, Success North Dallas, June 20, 2001. See article for remainder of bio.
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Names Hector Gutierrez, Jr., to Affiliate Board, BCBSTX.com, December 23, 2002.
- Marc Samuels "Directs HillCo Partners health care and pharmaceutical practice in Austin, Tallahassee and Washington, DC, representing the business interests of clients before state and federal legislators, regulators and other elected officials." See article for link to extended profile.
- F.Y.I., Publishers Resource Group, Inc., Spring/Summer 2003: "David D. Anderson joined HillCo Partners earlier this spring after spending the last five years as the director of curriculum and professional development with the Texas Education Agency (TEA). He currently focuses much of his time and energy on the Texas Legislature and the legislative initiatives that address public education for clients ranging from school districts and coalitions to private companies with educational products and services. Prior to joining the TEA, he held positions with Holt, Rinehart & Winston and D.C. Heath."
