Andy Blunt has been appointed as CEO of Husch Blackwell Strategies (HBS). Blunt has been a part of the firm since its inception when he and now COO Gregg Hartley founded it in 2018.
“We are positioning HBS in a way that can amplify our unique client offering of state and federal government relations with an eye on continuing our strategic growth and affirming our commitment to delivering exceptional client service and results. It is a privilege to lead such an experienced team of professionals across the country and while I am proud of what we have accomplished, I know we have an opportunity to make HBS even more of a success than it is today,” Blunt said.
Blunt is no stranger to politics at the state and federal level. In college, Blunt worked with Missouri lobbyist David Barklage and was later a partner in Schreimann, Rackers, Francka & Blunt, LLC.
Blunt started his political career when he ran his brother’s campaign for Missouri Secretary of State. The campaign was successful and His brother Matt Blunt, would become Missouri’s 37th Secretary of State. Andy would also run Matt’s campaign for governor, which was also successful.
Blunt political experience continued after his father’s bid for governor. His father is retired Missouri senator Roy Blunt, who joined the company’s Washington D.C. office as Chairman of a new Leadership Strategies Advisory Services last May. Andy ran his father’s campaign for U.S. Senate, which the senior Blunt won by 14 points.
The retired Senator was one of many growths the firm has overseen over the past year. Last August, HBS expanded its Jefferson City office with two new principal members.
The expansion shows no sign of stopping as Blunt announced two new leadership positions and who will fill them.
Rochelle Mallett is now Executive Vice President, State Government Affairs and Stacy McBride is now Executive Vice President, Federal Government Affairs. Mallett will manage the firm’s network of state lobbying offices while McBride will lead the firm’s team of federal lobbyists.
“As our firm continues to grow and evolve, we need to adapt and stay ahead of the curve and this is the leadership team that puts us right in our sweet spot,” Blunt said.
HBS is headquartered in Jefferson City but has offices in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin as well as a federal group in Washington D.C.
Since its founding in 2018 HBS has more than tripled its client base and has increased its company size from 20 employees to 70, making it one of the most influential political strategy firms in Missouri and the country.
Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022
