Peter Schorsch
Southern Strategy Group announced Monday that Carlo Fassi has joined the firm in its Jacksonville office.
Fassi, a political operative with experience in campaigns across the state, joins the Jacksonville team after a successful 2019 Jacksonville election cycle.
He successfully managed three countywide councilmembers’ reelection efforts.
Among his wins was the re-election of at-large Jacksonville City Councilman Sam Newby, whom he helped garner a decisive fundraising lead.
“We’re excited to bring Carlo onboard,” said Deno Hicks, Southern Strategy Group’s Jacksonville managing partner.
“He brings a wealth of experience and relationships to the table and will be a valuable member of the Southern Strategy Group team as we continue growing our Florida practice.”
Outside the political sphere, Fassi also served as a public affairs assistant to Jacksonville State Attorney Melissa Nelson. In that role, he led Nelson’s 2017 efforts to secure state funding for the state’s first Conviction Integrity Unit.
And earlier in his career, Fassi was a public affairs consultant for one of the nation’s largest energy infrastructure companies on a three-state, 320-mile, $1 billion energy pipeline.
The South Florida native attended the University of North Florida where he served as student body president from 2012-2014.
During his second term, he was elected chairman of the Florida Student Association and served as the student representative on the Florida Board of Governors, the State University System’s gubernatorially-appointed governing board.
Fassi currently serves on the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees and is active in the Jacksonville community.
Southern Strategy Group is a multistate lobbying firm based out of Tallahassee, with five offices servicing every major market in Florida.
With more than 250 principals, the firm is among the most lucrative in the state.
In 2018, SSG earned up to $21.2 million in legislative and executive lobbying fees, and in the first quarter of 2019 it was the No. 2 earning firm with as much as $3.45 million in legislative lobbying pay with another $2.33 million coming in through its executive efforts.
Fassi is SSG’s second major hire of the year, following the addition of Erin Rock — a veteran of three Governors’ administrations and the Florida House — in mid-January.
