Ab Basu has worked for the biotechnology and chemical industries for the past 18 years, often planning strategies in support of risk-based policies to regulate new and cutting-edge technologies. He has directly managed issues in almost every state in the country.  States Strategies works through an extensive partnership of professionals in most states and many localities.

Ab Basu has been quoted in national newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post and the NY Times, and many other local and regional news outlets.

For nearly 30 years, Randy has built coalitions & consensus for clients on a broad variety of issues. He has created programs to empower farmers, workers, patients, small business owners and appropriate community and civic leaders to communicate with elected officials in a constructive and meaningful manner in order to demonstrate broad-based support for clients’ positions.

As a starting point, Randy specializes in harnessing a client’s business relationships and turning them into the constituent human faces that helps an elected official understand how his or her vote impacts the lives of ordinary people in their home district.

Over the past few decades, Randy has worked in over 30 states on both federal and state issues ranging from taxation to patients-rights, regulatory acts & international trade.

Jim Brown is an experienced public policy expert adept at driving legislative and regulatory solutions to emerging complex issues through coalition consensus building. Prior to his work with States Strategies, for over a decade Jim led Capital One Credit Card & Banking’s state and local government affairs team interaction with policy makers nationwide. He particularly focused his own efforts on Capital One’s government and community affairs needs in California and other western states. During his time with Capital One Jim worked extensively on privacy, evolving digital technology, cyber-security, data breach and tax issues. Jim also served 10 years as General Counsel and Washington Director of The Council of State Governments (CSG). While at CSG Jim was the primary intermediary between various state elected officials and their federal counterparts working in Congress and the President’s administration in Washington, D.C. Jim graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor’s degree in English and Political Science. He earned his law degree at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri, and is licensed to practice law in Illinois and the District of Columbia. Jim spent his youth growing up active in 4-H and FFA on a family farm in Illinois. Following college and law school Jim pursued his career in Washington, DC before moving to Northern California where he lives today.

Cresswell “Cress” A. Hizer owns INAg LLC, a full-service advocacy and public affairs firm that provides solutions to the challenges facing communities, business and organizations.  Hizer has many years of experience both working as a top public official and representing clients to the public and to government at the federal, state and local levels.

Most of his career Hizer has served Indiana as a leader and spokesman for one the largest industries in the state—agriculture. Most recently, as the President of the Agribusiness Council of Indiana, he performed as chief public affairs officer/lobbyist and led the regulatory/legislative affairs of the Council.

Prior to leading the Agribusiness Council, Hizer served five years in Governor Bayh’s administration as then Indiana Lt. Gov. Frank O’Bannon’s top appointee for agriculture. As Indiana’s Commissioner of Agriculture’s COO, Hizer worked to improve Indiana agriculture’s access to government. He also represented the Lt. Governor on the State Fair Commission and Board. Hizer was the also Co-chair of the first Indiana Rural Development Council.  For his public service, Hizer was awarded Indiana’s highest honor, the Sagamore of the Wabash, by both Governor Evan Bayh and Governor Joe Kernan.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Hizer has done graduate work at Indiana and Penn State Universities. He earned his Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 1998 and is a graduate of the Indiana Agricultural Leadership Development Program (Class 2). He is active in professional groups, including the the Government Affairs Society of Indiana and served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Agricultural Association Executive’s Council. Hizer represented Monterey Indiana, as a member of the Town Board and also has served on several Boards of Directors.

Cress and his wife Lynn have four children and live in Indianapolis.