qm_winter_2017

The PoorMans Dinner: Southwest Virginia’s Big Event

This (21 year) life time achievement award in excellence to the Commonwealth of Virginia award was presented to Marty Hall by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Marcy Hernick, Marty Hall, Senator Vogel and son, and Judy Brannock.

The crowd over 300 at the PoorMans Dinner at the 2016 Galax Fiddlers Convention.

Marty Hall, past chairman of PoorMans dinner and Megan M. Brown, tourism department of Tazewell County.

elected and appointed representatives. They serve a much needed purpose; they work hard; they deserve our respect. That was part of the thinking behind the creation of the Virginia Association of Professional Lobbyists (VAPL), of which I am proud to be a founding member. I will miss my colleagues. I will miss the drama. I may even miss some of the panic, as the Session draws to a close, and one follows his bill like a hound dog after a fox. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. There is also a lively lobbying community, and, yes, there is retirement. I don’t care for the word or the action (or inaction) that it implies. What’s next? Death? Maybe there’s a bill stuck in a committee, with an amendment revoking retirement. As soon as I mentioned “the R-Word,” I felt a freedom, but I also felt a loss. Therefore I have added the term “semi” in front of the R-Word, to soften the blow. I will see you again at Capitol Square. Look for the guy in the floppy hat, soaking up the atmosphere at Ground Zero of the great Commonwealth of Virginia, watching the sausage get made, and enjoying my friends in the wonderful world of lobbying.

Ken Jessup is author of the book, “It was just a phase,” which tells more about his adventures in lobbying and life. The book can be purchased through Kenjessup@cox.net or Bonatwood@ verizon.net .

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888-729-7428 • shavoffice@shav.org • shav.org

V irginia C apitol C onnections , W inter 2017

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