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Sagac Public Affairs: Celebrating 25 Years of Partnership and Success

Today, October 25, 2024, marks a special milestone for Sagac — It’s our 25th Anniversary! 

 

“Thank you and the full team at Sagac for all your support during our Fall Campaign. Your help with creating the themes, writing and formatting the emails, setting the cadence, and providing the structure made the campaign a success.” 

 

A quote from a client we received as we were preparing this message! A great example of the spirit in which we work to help our clients succeed. 

 

What started as a small business idea in 1999 has grown into a flourishing firm with a full staff that has helped us serve hundreds of clients and win 110 industry awards. We couldn’t be more grateful to all our clients and partners who helped us realize this achievement.  

 

Looking back on the past 25 years, Trey Richardson, Founding & Managing Partner, Jeri Richardson, Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer, and Dan Ekstein, Partner and Chief Business Development Officer, want to take a moment to reflect on this landmark occasion. 

 

And the best is yet to come.  

 

 

A Letter from Jeri Richardson 

 

As we celebrate 25 years in business, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to our clients, past and present, who have been the cornerstone of our journey.  

  

I never imagined when Trey and I decided to take a leap of faith and founded Sagac Public Affairs  that I would have had the privilege of working with over 500 companies and organizations and some of the most talented, passionate, and inspiring people in the industry. Whether clients, colleagues, or collaborators, every person has contributed to my growth and shaped who I am today. 

  

What I’ve learned from working with such amazing people is invaluable. I’ve seen firsthand how creativity flourishes when you have clients who trust you, challenge you, and allow you to innovate. Our success and creativity have grown exponentially because of your trust in us, allowing us to push boundaries and deliver solutions year after year.  

 

Together, we’ve achieved great things — winning 107 Pollie and three Telly awards for communications, advocacy, advertising, and design just since 2011. These accolades reflect not only our team’s dedication and creative efforts, but also the powerful partnerships we’ve built.  

  

Our clients are among the best in the industry, and together, we’ve made a real impact in the past 25 years, with nearly 40% of federal business PAC money raised by our clients each election cycle — a testament to the strength and vision of our collaborations. 

  

I am very fortunate and grateful that I get to do what I love every day.  

  

To all our clients, thank you for trusting us, inspiring us, and allowing us to create alongside you. Here’s to the next 25 years of learning, growing, and making an even bigger impact —together. 

 

Thank you! 

Jeri Richardson 

Partner & Chief Creative Officer 

 

 

A Letter from Trey Richardson 


I really have never considered what we’ve been doing all these years as work. Rather, I've lived by the words, "Find a job you love — and you'll never work a day in your life." That's what we’ve managed to do.  

  

As I consider being in business for 25 years, I've come to realize how lucky I am to be able to do what I do for a living. It's never dull, it's always challenging, and it's constantly changing. One of the great parts of politics is its youthful face and commonality of purpose. We’re fortunate to be surrounded by young, thoughtful, energetic people. When I visit with officeholders, candidates, executives, and government affairs professionals throughout North America, I'm always amazed to discover the similarity of people in our industry. They may speak differently in Washington and New York than they do in Oklahoma and Texas, but their acumen, intent on making our country a better place, and enthusiasm is contagious. 

  

Over the years, I have learned a lot. First, that our country is run by 28-year-old state school graduates, not Harvard, not Yale, not Princeton as we all imagine — those people go to Wall Street. The top political people in the country are scrappy from every backwater town in America you can imagine… they have grit and grit matters. Second, I leaned into learning… it’s a mindset that matters more than most know. Third, I learned that doing interesting work matters. 

 

In our business, we have learned to take risks — and love it. If you play "not to lose" rather than "to win," you'll never be a success. Some may see an upside to not losing. If you play it safe, you may hold onto your job forever; or not, in today’s economy. But I believe you'll never really reach your potential — unless you raise the bar. Albert Einstein said, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." As such, we try to do something that scares us every day. That’s how we grow and thrive upon the adrenaline it creates. 

  

Now to the business of politics. The rise of PACs and third-party organizations in America have given Sagac a big lift thanks to factors like: 

  • small “d” democratization of politics by the masses resulting from social media, 

  • increases in small donor contributions as a share of candidate funding, 

  • ascension of third-party activism and influence by outside groups, 

  • excessive need for money in campaigns, 

  • expansion of national conduits for bundling contributions to candidates, and 

  • heightened access to candidates and office holders by organized constituencies. 

  

Because of these things and a myriad of others, Sagac’s clients are in a unique position to gain power, and power is everything on Capitol Hill and in our state legislatures. We take advantage of these trends through the people we hire and the services we provide. As a result, business leaders and candidates look to firms like ours a lot more these days. Many companies and associations discovered that standing down against detractors is not good — and realized their employees, shareholders, and members want support from people who lean in, not wring their hands. However, using a line from an old Mel Brooks movie…  "If you've got it [power], you don't need to flaunt it." Our clients have power in plenty, but I think we have to be humble enough to know that power is limited, particularly in an industry as fickle as politics.  

  

Ongoing success these days comes from new technologies and the science of reading the minds of the public and officeholders. As Wayne Gretzky said, “…skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it’s been.” Even before we started Sagac, we knew that staying on the cutting edge of advocacy and finance trends through investments in technology and research would provide us and our clients with guidance about where that puck is going to be. As such, we built a business upon a strong foundation that drives successful political programs.  

  

What have I learned over 25 years?  

 

Science, grit, impatience, and a learning mindset make all the difference. Thanks to all my friends, clients, and acquaintances for the many meaningful years in business. I look forward to what the next 25 years will bring, as long as I love what I do. 

 

All my best, 

Trey Richardson 

Managing Partner 

 

A Letter from Dan Ekstein


Friday, March 30, 2012, was my last day running the PAC and Civic Engagement Program at JPMorgan Chase. After several years of planning, I left the bank and joined Sagac to help Trey and Jeri build a business. I wasn't going to another job — I had a fantastic job. I was taking a risk. I was taking greater control of my destiny. 


One of my state government relations colleagues called to wish me luck that day. At the end of the call, he jokingly said, "Well, Dan, I hope you won't be stuck at your desk sharpening your pencils on Monday morning." Presuming I’d have nothing to do. That comment continues to propel me and help me stay focused. 


I'm grateful for what we've built together over the years. I’m thankful for our clients, our friends, our team, the challenges, the deadlines, the fire drills, some slip-ups, and the many victories. I've learned things I never thought I would. And it’s humbling to think about the trust others have placed in me and Sagac over the years. 


I can share many funny stories over drinks at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle. 


The future is bright at Sagac. At 25 years old, and in many ways, we’re just beginning to hit our stride. I’m as optimistic about the future of our firm as I was in April 2012. 


I believe in our democracy and see the value businesses provide to their employees, customers, and communities. We've been fortunate to work with and help a lot of organizations encourage their colleagues and members to register and vote, know their elected officials, and understand how they can make a difference where they live and work. To me, that’s way more fun than sharpening pencils. 


With appreciation, 

Dan Ekstein 

Partner and Chief Business Development Officer 

 

 

 

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