Mercury Welcomes Senator David Vitter, Senior GOP Hill Adviser Allen Simpson & Veteran Lobbyist Brent Thompson

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mercury, a leading global, bipartisan public strategy firm, announced today the additions of David Vitter, Al Simpson, and Brent Thompson to its Washington, D.C. office. Former U.S. Senator David Vitter joins Mercury after a 17-year tenure in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, including a role on the Senate Majority Whip team. Al Simpson comes to the firm after six years of work on the Hill, serving as Chief of Staff for Congressman Mick Mulvaney, incoming director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Brent Thompson, prominent lobbyist and policy adviser, comes to Mercury after more than 15 years with Expedia. All three will serve in senior roles in Mercury's Washington, DC office.

"Mercury is fortunate to add three vastly talented leaders to our Washington ranks," said Mercury Co-founder and CEO Kieran Mahoney. "Simply put, Senator Vitter, Al and Brent offer an unmatched wealth of policy expertise that will no doubt be a massive advantage in navigating policy and public affairs with the new administration and Congress."

Senator Vitter will serve as Co-Chairman of Mercury DC in addition to leading the development of Mercury's Gulf South operations.

"I am thrilled to join the Mercury team, who are known nationwide as a top-tier public affairs operation stacked with some of the smartest minds in policy and politics," Vitter said. "Our government is at a truly unique moment, and I am excited to be working alongside some of the best in the business to help affect important change in the public affairs arena."

From 2005-2017, Vitter served two consecutive terms as a United States Senator for Louisiana. A veteran legislator, Vitter served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 1^st District of Louisiana prior to his years in the Senate. Throughout his 17 years serving both houses of Congress, Vitter earned a reputation as a strong conservative voice for reform, working to curb excessive power and overreach out of Washington.

He served as the Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, helping to craft and pass major legislation including: the landmark Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21^st Century Act, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act and the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act. Vitter also served as a member of the Republican Whip Team, Chair of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and as a leading member of the Banking Committee. He gained vast experience in many areas of public policy through his leading role in Hurricane Katrina response and recovery.

"David is a distinguished public servant with deep experience in federal government," said Mercury Partner and former U.S. Congressman Vin Weber. "At the start of a new year, with a new administration and new Congress, Senator Vitter's leadership and guidance is an invaluable asset for Mercury and our clients."

Al Simpson and Brent Thompson join Mercury DC in the role of Managing Director.

Simpson comes to Mercury after more than a decade in Republican politics. Most recently, he served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Mick Mulvaney, the incoming director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. During his time in Rep. Mulvaney's office, Simpson's policy work focused on the health care, energy, and infrastructure sectors. In addition to his long-standing service with Mulvaney, Simpson held several appointed state government positions in his home state of South Carolina, including roles on the South Carolina State Health Insurance Pool Board and the South Carolina State Board of Education. Prior to his work with Rep. Mulvaney, Simpson spent nearly two decades in the private sector, focused on domestic and global manufacturing.  

"I am excited to transition back to the private sector with the Mercury team," said Simpson. "I'm grateful for the experience I've had in Congress, and am eager to bring that knowledge to help serve clients and coordinate with policymakers."

As Managing Director, Brent Thompson brings extensive corporate and lobbying experience from his decades of work in Washington. Over the course of a 15-year career with Expedia, Thompson built a storied tenure in lobbying, serving most recently as Senior Vice President, Chief of Global Government and Corporate Affairs. In his role at Expedia, Thompson directed domestic lobbying campaigns at the federal, state, and local levels, in addition to managing global campaigns. He also served as the Director of Government Relations for the National Association of Manufacturers, and held staff positions with former U.S. Senators Paul Coverdell, Alfonse D'Amato and Slade Gorton.

"Mercury offers an incredibly diverse portfolio of government relations and public affairs work," said Thompson. "I am honored to be joining this outstanding team and look forward to integrating my own experience into their global operations."

Vitter, Simpson and Thompson joined Mercury on February 1, 2017.

About Mercury
Mercury is a high-stakes, bipartisan public strategy firm. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services that includes federal government relations, international affairs, digital influence, public opinion research, media strategy and a bipartisan grassroots mobilization network in all 50 states. Our firm is not just led by top talent — we distinguish ourselves by having senior talent deeply engaged in each project from start to finish, a promise we keep to clients. The firm has an established global presence, with U.S. offices in Washington, DC, New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Tennessee, as well as international offices in London and Mexico City. Mercury is a part of the Omnicom Public Relations Group.

About Omnicom Public Relations Group
Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, fashion, public health and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,000 public relations professionals in more than 330 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.

SOURCE Mercury

Related Links

http://www.mercuryllc.com