The 51 Group leads with a fresh approach to combining federal and state lobbying

Bipartisan Government Relations Firm Helps Clients Succeed with Extensive Experience And a Coast-to-Coast Foothold  

May 10, 2023 — The 51 Group, a bipartisan, national government relations firm, has launched with a name representative of its work with clients across all 50 state governments and the federal government in Washington, D.C. In this interconnected world, The 51 Group stands out for its truly Atlantic-to-Pacific Ocean perspective, with partners and team members on the West Coast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions, with a particularly strong base in Virginia’s state capital. 

The partners collectively have over 50 years of experience and a successful track record of providing one-stop, plug-and-play national government relations services. Beyond its own team, The 51 Group’s services include the ability to connect clients to its trusted set of government relations consultants across the U.S. 

The dynamic firm’s inaugural client roster includes some of the largest entities in the financial services, private equity, healthcare, automotive, education, workforce development, and emerging technology sectors, along with membership associations and national and regional non-profit organizations.

The 51 Group’s capabilities include:

• National and multistate government relations

• National bill tracking

• State government relations

• Federal government relations

• Policy and strategy development

• Brand awareness and exposure

West Coast Office: Los Angeles, California 

Scott Frein, founder and managing partner, is based in Los Angeles, where he previously served as senior vice president of a Top 20 national government relations firm. There, he led the expansion of its West Coast public affairs team in California. He also launched and co-led the firm’s National Education Practice and served on the National and Multistate Practice teams. Over the last seven years, and on behalf of his clients, Frein has worked directly or indirectly in more than 40 states. 

Frein previously served as the Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations for ACT, Inc.—best known for its college admissions exam, the ACT Test. He led ACT’s Washington D.C. office, and oversaw the organization’s policy development, federal government relations, and state government relations teams. Before ACT, Frein was the head lobbyist for the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a Washington D.C.-based membership organization that advocates for and provides professional development opportunities to the nation’s state superintendents of education. He’s a member of the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee’s (RLCC) Finance Committee.

Frein says, “The trend we have seen— and continue to see— is that our clients are focusing more on what is happening in states rather than waiting on the federal government to set the policy agenda. This trend was exacerbated after more than two years of upheaval when significant federal resources were disseminated to states with few guardrails. Our team at The 51 Group has already proven to be the connective tissue between what is happening in state capitals and Washington, D.C. And what makes us most unique to clients in this space is our ability to navigate the policy and legislative dynamics of one state, many states, D.C., or all of the above.” 

Mid-Atlantic Office: Richmond, Virginia

Davis Rennolds, founder and partner, is based in Richmond, where his intimate knowledge of the executive and legislative branches is invaluable to clients. Rennolds’ strategic focus includes advising private equity investors and portfolio companies as they navigate the implications of state-based policy decisions as well as counseling them on important market trends. His policy expertise started in transportation, as then-Governor Bob McDonnell appointed him to serve as special policy adviser to the Department of Transportation, and has since grown to agriculture, education and healthcare, among others.

Rennolds honed his skills as a legislative assistant to Virginia delegates and as political director for the Republican Party of Virginia. Demonstrating his success at bipartisanship, two governors from different parties have both appointed him to the University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors; he also was named chair of the University’s Administration, Advancement, Finance, and Facilities Committee. His community involvement includes service on the Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the Executive Mansion as well as supporting Federation of Virginia Food Banks.

In addition to Frein and Rennolds, The 51 Group has three more team members in Illinois and Virginia who serve in legislative, policy, and operations roles. 

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The 51 Group provides government relations solutions at the federal, state and local levels. Our name comes from the unique capability to work with clients across all 50 state governments and the federal government in Washington, D.C., which allows us to serve as a valuable partner in providing one-stop, national government relations in a wide variety of sectors. www.the51grp.com 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Adam Shapiro
Adam.Shapiro@ASPR.bz
202-427-3603