This month’s CHLI Spotlight shines brightly on one of their most active Corporate Board Members: Mr. John Hoel, the Director of Federal Government Affairs for Altria Client Services Inc.
A Kansas City native, John studied at the University of Missouri-Columbia until he received his Juris Doctor in 1990. Over the years he’s served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Dispute Resolution, clerked for the Washington Office of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, and served as Congressman Bart Gordon’s (D-TN) Counsel and Associate Staff on the House Rules Committee.
After his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, John joined Altria’s Federal Government Affairs Department in 1996, where he spent three years representing the interests of Philip Morris USA, Kraft Foods and Miller Brewing Company in 14 states. During his time with State Government Affairs, John also served as the lead liaison with the National Association of Attorneys General and the National Governors Association. He returned to Federal Government Affairs in 2003.
As the Director of Federal Government Affairs, John and his skilled team are responsible for all federal legislative and regulatory activity affecting Altria Group, Inc. and its operating companies (Philip Morris USA, John Middleton Cigar Company, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, LLC, Nu Mark, Chateau St., Michelle Wine Estates and Philip Morris Capital Corporation). The range of issues John manages includes corporate and excise taxes, product regulation and a variety of litigation related legislation. John is also responsible for managing outreach efforts to African-Americans, Hispanics, tobacco growers, and labor.
John has served on the Board of Directors of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute since 2008. He currently serves as the Chair of the Fundraising Committee.
He recently hosted CHLI’s Global Leaders Program Fellows to a meet and greet luncheon. During the gathering, John offered his insights, forged from his many years of experience formulating and implementing public policy. He stressed the importance of building and maintaining relationships – that it can only be done through integrity and mutual respect.
CHLI would like to thank him for his service and commitment to assisting future global leaders. We could all learn a thing or two from such a great man.
To read the full spotlight from CHLI check out their site here.
