Hein Governmental Consulting is joining up with a new Topeka lobbying firm that will take on most of its clients.
Ron and Julie Hein this week announced a new agreement with their son, Derek, and the firm he just started, 1861 Consulting.
Derek Hein launched 1861 Consulting – named for the year Kansas became a state – with lobbyists John Monroe and Mitch DePriest.
The firm will represent most lobbying clients from Hein Governmental Consulting. Ron and Julie Hein will continue to run Hein Consulting in addition to lobbying with 1861.
Ron Hein established the Hein Law Firm in 1988 and later formed Hein Governmental Consulting with Julie in 2015.
Involved in Kansas politics for more than 40 years, Ron Hein served in the Kansas House and the state Senate. Julie Hein has lobbied in Kansas since 1989.
Derek Hein, the principal of 1861, has more than a decade of experience in contract lobbying in Kansas.
He returned to Kansas two years ago to manage the national government affairs campaign for DraftKings, a leading daily fantasy sports and sports betting operation.
Monroe, the vice president of government affairs at 1861, has worked in political and government affairs since 2013.
He worked in constituent services for former Gov. Sam Brownback. He also worked as a policy analyst for the state health department and legislative liaison during the Brownback administration.
During the past two years, Monroe has lobbied for Hein Governmental Consulting.
DePriest, director of policy and communications at 1861, has worked in Kansas politics since 2013.
He has worked for Hein Governmental Consulting since 2016.
The firm also is hiring Holli Schletzbaum as its director of government affairs.
Schletzbaum has spent the last five years working as senior director of client engagement for Kansas Global Trade Services in Wichita.
She earned a bachelor’s in communications and public relations from Emporia State and a master’s in business administration from Newman University.
