Drew Wilson
The half-dozen lobbyists at Strategos Public Affairs collected an estimated $2.1 million in pay last year, according to newly filed compensation reports.
The team of Adam Giery, Jim Horne, Nicholas Mortellaro, Orlando Pryor, Tara Reid and Trey Traviesa represented more than 30 clients, netting more than $1 million in legislative lobbying fees and another $1 million in executive branch lobbying fees.
Florida lobbyists report their pay in ranges covering $10,000 increments. Florida Politics uses the middle number of each range to estimate overall pay.
Firms also list a range for their overall pay. Half of Strategos’ legislative reports fell between $100,000 and $250,000 and the others fell between $250,000 and $500,000. It was the same split for the firm’s executive branch reports.
The sum of the bottom-line ranges indicate Strategos earned no less than $1.4 million last year. If each of the firm’s clients paid top dollar, the team could have as much as $2.9 million.
The firm’s top client last year was Bridg-it, which offers school leaders a private social network where students can practice positive digital communication and build more healthy relationships. The company chipped in $220,000 to Strategos’ overall total.
K12 Inc. and Educational Testing Service split second place, with each sending an estimated $200,000 in payments last year. Educational services companies made up most of Strategos’ client list. Other major contracts included Teachers of Tomorrow, ClassWallet and Education Corporation of America.
Strategos’ compensation reports grew over the course of the year. In the second quarter, median estimates placed the firm’s earnings at $425,000. Reports for the fourth quarter show median earnings of $640,000 overall, $320,000 in the Legislature and $320,000 in the executive branch.
Florida lobbyists and lobbying firms faced a Feb. 14 deadline to file compensation reports for the period covering Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. Compensation reports for the first quarter of 2020 are due to the state in mid-April.
