Ballard Partners' Impressive Growth in Florida

Ballard Partners' Impressive Growth in Florida

Ballard Partners was founded in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1998. While the public affairs firm has since expanded across the country and around the globe, it has not forgotten its home state.

In fact, Ballard Partners' presence in Florida is stronger than ever. Since its establishment in the state capital, the firm has opened seven additional Sunshine State locations where teams of talented government relations professionals regularly deliver superior solutions for some of the world's most prominent companies and organizations.

Tallahassee

Ballard's presence in Florida is anchored by its founder and president, Brian Ballard. A longtime political influencer in the Sunshine State, he has chaired the Florida Finance Committees for three Republican presidential candidates and co-chaired, with his wife, the inaugurations of three Florida governors.

Named one of the state's Most Influential Business Leaders by Florida Trend every year since 2020, Brian Ballard continues to head the Tallahassee office while also bringing his skills to Washington, DC, where he leads the firm's bipartisan federal government relations team.

Miami

A rising star in government affairs heads up Ballard's presence in Magic City. Jose Felix Diaz served in the Florida House of Representatives for seven years, during which time he ascended the leadership ranks to chair three committees. A graduate of Columbia Law School, he has also worked as a lawyer, a position in which he developed a reputation as a zealous advocate for his clients. Diaz has been named one of the "South Florida Power 100" by City & State magazine.

Tampa

Ana Cruz leverages expertise developed over a career in Central Florida politics to serve as managing partner of the Tampa office. A Tampa native, she was the Florida campaign spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns and has helped to guide candidates to victory in numerous state, local, and judicial races. The former executive director of the Florida Democratic Party, she has appeared twice on Florida Politics' list of Florida's Top 100 Most Influential.

Fort Myers

The managing partner of the Fort Myers office has long been a fixture in Southwest Florida politics. During his tenure representing parts of the region in the Florida House of Representatives, Dane Eagle rose to majority leader, a post in which he advocated for lowering taxes and reducing business regulations to bolster the state's economy. Prior to joining Ballard, he served as Florida's Secretary of Economic Opportunity, a position to which he was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis.

Jacksonville

Following a successful start to his career in Louisiana politics, Jordan Elsbury relocated to Jacksonville to work on the campaign of then-mayoral candidate Lenny Curry. After helping to guide Curry to victory, Elsbury joined the new mayor's administration, rising through the ranks to become chief of staff. Today, he brings his deep experience in state and local politics to serve as managing partner of Ballard's Jacksonville office.

West Palm Beach

Before joining Ballard, Amy J. Young worked in the offices of the Florida governor, the Florida House Republican leader, and a groundbreaking state legislator. She later transitioned to the private sector, where she developed a reputation as one of the foremost public affairs professionals in the state. With 25 years of experience at Ballard, she now leads the West Palm Beach office.

Sarasota

Todd Josko's responsibilities as managing partner of the Sarasota office are informed by his experience at his own Florida public affairs firm, which he

founded and headed for 15 years. There, his clients included Fortune 500 companies and trade associations. His background has also seen him advise the successful 1998 gubernatorial campaign of Jeb Bush as well as Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign.

Fort Lauderdale

A partner in Ballard's Fort Lauderdale office, Justin Sayfie is also the publisher of Florida's leading politics website and mobile app, Sayfie Review. Over the course of his career, he has served in government positions to which he was appointed by Donald Trump, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, and Mel Martinez. A frequent political commentator on cable news, he is also a cohost of 13th & Park, Ballard's podcast.

Covering Florida Politics

Ballard's 13th & Park podcast features interviews with changemakers from across the worlds of politics, media, sports, entertainment, and more. Now in its third season, the series has welcomed several figures from Florida politics to discuss the news and issues of the day.

13th & Park's past guests have included then-US Senator and current Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Senator Rick Scott, Representative Maria Salazar, and Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves. Most recently, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor joined co-host Adam Goodman for a conversation centering on her leadership of one of America's fastest-growing cities.