B3 Strategies Government Relations and Public Affairs Firm Launches in Phoenix

PHOENIX, Ariz. (July 22, 2013) – Jennings, Strouss & Salmon announces the formation of B3 Strategies, a full-service government relations and public affairs firm. Positioned as “The Public Policy Architects,” B3 Strategies will provide clients with the development and implementation of public policy strategy at the local, state, and federal levels.

“Jennings, Strouss & Salmon has a long and distinguished history of public policy representation,” stated J. Scott Rhodes, the firm’s Managing Attorney. “We are excited about extending our ability to assist clients with all kinds of legislative and public policy concerns through B3 Strategies.”

B3 Strategies Chief Executive Officer, Russell D.Smoldon, has over 30 years of public policy experience focused on energy, water, taxation, environmental, health care and economic development issues. The relationships he has with government officials, legislators and the business community in Arizona, across the country and at the federal level in Washington, D.C. are extensive.

A former legislative assistant to Congressman Thomas S. Foley, Smoldon has been involved with nearly every public policy issue affecting Arizona over the past 25 years in his role as Manager of Government Relations with Salt River Project (SRP) in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to joining SRP, he served as the government relations representative for Idaho and Montana with Spokane, Washington-based Avista Corporation.

As a respected leader in the Phoenix business community, Smoldon serves on the board of the Arizona Tax Research Association (ATRA), the Western Business Roundtable, the Greater Phoenix Urban League, the American Legislative Exchange Council and the National Conference of State Legislators’ Advisory Council on Energy and National Tax Partnership. He has assisted numerous non-profit organizations, including the Arizona Trails Association, and serves as a member of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Child Support Guidelines and Domestic Relations Committees and the Arizona Highway Users’ Association.

Smoldon received a B.S. in Political Science and History from Gonzaga University. While attending Gonzaga University School of Law, he left to accept the position with Avista, becoming the youngest utility lobbyist in the country at the time. Smoldon also completed a number of post-graduate courses in Theory and Political Science at Eastern Washington University before being recruited by SRP and moving to Arizona.

The vast government relations and public affairs experience Smoldon brings to B3 Strategies, united with the legal prowess of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, provides clients with the knowledge and tools needed to present, support and implement public policy that addresses the issues affecting their businesses. Both firms assist clients in a multitude of industries, providing a wide-range of legal and lobbying services. In addition, Jennings, Strouss & Salmon’s office in Washington, D.C. will enable B3 Strategies to address federal issues at the nation’s capitol.

“I am very excited to be leading B3 Strategies,” stated Smoldon. “I’ve had a successful career managing government affairs at the corporate level and now look forward to being involved with public policy issues on a grander scale. Being affiliated with Jennings Strouss enables me to expand beyond policy issues focused on utilities. I look forward to utilizing my experience to represent a wide-range of industries at the local and state level, as well as having an impact on the national policy arena.”

About B3 Strategies

“Building Public Policy Brick-By-Brick”

Positioned as “The Public Policy Architects,” B3 Strategies, an affiliate of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon law firm, provides clients with the knowledge and tools needed to present, support and implement public policy to address issues affecting their businesses. B3 Strategies leverages relationships with an extensive network of government officials, legislators and the business community to develop and implement public policy strategies at the local state, and federal levels for a wide-range of industries, including those focused on energy, water, taxation, environmental, health care and economic development issues.

For additional information please visit www.B3strategies.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About Jennings, Strouss & Salmon

Jennings Strouss & Salmon is one of the Southwest’s leading law firms, providing business, litigation and regulatory legal counsel for over 70 years through its offices in Phoenix and Peoria, and Yuma, Arizona; and Washington, D.C. For additional information please visit www.jsslaw.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

~JSS~