Next week, the top lobbyists from every state and Puerto Rico will gather for the NASL Annual Meeting. It will be three jam-packed days of professional development, training, and, perhaps most importantly, relationship building. Every year, the best minds in government relations and public affairs join forces to sharpen and strengthen their skills. And Randy Haynie has held a front-row seat for them all as one of our founders and past presidents.
Randy is of counsel of Haynie & Associates of Louisiana, serving global giants like General Motors and JPMorgan Chase & Co. to home-state treasures like the New Orleans Saints alongside his son, Ryan, president and CEO. He credits his continued achievements to balancing a profession in a dynamic, “unstructured” field with an unwavering commitment to the community. This dedication has earned him a spot in the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame and a Lafayette Civic Cup award. Learn more in our Q&A with Randy below:
You’ve spent your career in Louisiana politics and government. Tell us more about your background, including how you got your start.
While at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, I was actively involved with all aspects of student life. So, when a state senator needed a driver, the university president recommended me for the role. It was supposed to be a short-term job. However, a few weeks turned into a year and a half as I traveled across the state with him for his gubernatorial run. The experience opened the door for me to serve as a sergeant-at-arms in the Louisiana Senate, where I gained a firsthand understanding of the legislative process. After two sessions, I had a chance to become a trade association or contract lobbyist. I saw the opportunity for near-unlimited professional growth with the latter, and 44 years later, Haynie & Associates is proud to represent 50+ clients.
Haynie & Associates is Louisiana’s leading government relations firm. What do you consider the secret to your continued success?
Since graduating from college, I’ve only had one ‘day job,’ and I’ve loved every minute of it. At Haynie & Associates, we understand that serving our clients demands focus, endurance, keen organizational skills, and, perhaps most importantly, never-ending hard work. We pay attention to every detail—big and small—to advance legislation and business to protect our partners’ interests.
You led the charge in establishing NASL. What was your initial impetus in creating our organization, and did you ever dream it would achieve this incredible membership?
In the early 1980s, I helped establish the Association of Louisiana Lobbyists. I quickly saw the value it provided to our members—not only for relationship building but also as a platform for discussing pertinent legislative issues. At the time, I regularly attended what was recognized as one of the best lobbyist-focused conferences in the nation, where professionals from every state received rigorous training from the client’s in-house government relations team. One night, an informal group of us talked about using a similar model to recruit the top contract lobbyists from every state. We envisioned a network of firms, vetted and approved by a committee, that could serve as a national sounding board. NASL was born. Our mission was clear: find well-established, experienced firms, ideally individually or family-owned, with strong client bases. Today, we have members from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. We see ourselves as colleagues, not competitors, who can trust and lean on each other, sharing knowledge and insight to ensure our collective success.
25+ years later, what do you see as the primary benefits of being a part of NASL?
As an organization, NASL holds its reputation to the highest standard. We can make referrals without hesitation because we trust our fellow member firms to do a good job for our clients. Whether in one-on-one calls or at our annual meeting, NASL enables us to connect with peers and stay updated on the latest ethics reporting requirements, legislative issues, and more.
Want to learn more about Haynie & Associates? Visit haynieandassociates.com.