House Appropriations Staff Director & Clerk Will Smith to Join Firm this Month
WASHINGTON – Cornerstone Government Affairs announced Monday that Will Smith, the former U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations Staff Director and 22-year veteran of Capitol Hill will join the firm on March 20th.
Will, a native of Beattyville, Kentucky joins the firm as a Senior Vice President. He started his career in Washington, DC in 1994 working for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in a variety of capacities, including as professional staff on the Senate Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee. Will joined Congressman Hal Rogers (R-KY) staff in February of 1998 as a Senior Legislative Assistant and was promoted to Legislative Director one year later. He became Rogers’ Chief of Staff in March of 2002.
“Will has been my right hand in the halls of Congress for nearly two decades, and I cannot imagine a more thoughtful advisor, a more capable strategist, or a more loyal friend. His professionalism and commitment to the task at hand are truly unmatched,” said U.S. Representative Hal Rogers. “Congress as an institution will not be the same without Will’s strong leadership and steady hand, but Cornerstone is fortunate to have such a talented and hard-working individual join its ranks. I wish him, and his family, all the best as he embarks on this next chapter in his already very distinguished career.”
In January 2011, Congressman Rogers became the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and Will moved to the Committee as the Deputy Staff Director. In April 2013, Will became the Committee on Appropriations Clerk and Staff Director.
“Will is the consummate professional and a class act. Will’s well-deserved and excellent reputation on both sides of the Capitol, and amongst both parties, brings tremendous value to our clients on a multitude of fronts,” said Cornerstone Principal & Director Jim Richards. “We are truly honored that Will and Kim have chosen to join the Cornerstone family.”
“After 22 years serving the Congress and Chairman Hal Rogers, I’m excited and honored to start the next chapter of my career with Cornerstone Government Affairs, said Smith. “Creating partnerships, trust, and real, tangible solutions on a bi-partisan basis is the hallmark of the House Appropriations Committee, and I intend to take this very same approach in my new role. I look forward to utilizing my skills and this results-oriented philosophy to be an advocate for causes and important policy issues that can impact millions of Americans every day.”
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Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc. is a full-service, bipartisan public affairs firm with 60+ professionals and offices in Washington, DC, Annapolis, MD, Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Baton Rouge, LA, Chicago, IL, Des Moines, IA, Houston, TX, Jackson, MS, Richmond, VA, and Springfield, IL. Cornerstone represents a diverse group of clients from myriad industries and sectors, and maintains expertise in a wide range of issue areas, including agriculture, cyber security, defense, education, energy, health, homeland security, international affairs, tax policy, telecommunications, and transportation and infrastructure. For more information, please visit Cornerstone’s website at www.cgagroup.com.