Lobbying Hires

• Larry LaRocco has been hired by Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. He will work as a policy director and focus on financial services and natural resources. LaRocco is a former Democratic congressman from Idaho, serving in the House from 1991 to 1995. He ran for Senate unsuccessfully in 2008. LaRocco most recently had his own firm, LaRocco & Associates.

• John F. Gay has joined the Natural Products Association as its new executive director and CEO. He was most recently senior vice president of government affairs and public policy at the National Restaurant Association. Gay has also worked at the International Franchise Association and at the American Hotel & Lodging Association. In addition, he spent 10 years representing international trade interests with Arthur Andersen.

Mel Martinez becomes the latest ex-lawmaker to join a lobbying firm, doing so just weeks after stepping down from his Senate seat.

• Cindy Jimenez has joined United Technologies Corp. as director of government relations. She joins the company from her position at TechAmerica (formerly ITAA).

Who's moved where on K Street.

• Jane Alonso has joined Monument Policy Group as vice president of government relations. Alonso is a former legislative director for Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and also oversaw Sen. Collins’s work as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. She has also worked for then-Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.) and Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and John Mica (R-Fla.). She also twice served as an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe election supervisor in Bosnia following the end of the war.

Who's moved where on K Street.

• Stephanie Peters has joined Microsoft as director of federal government affairs for the House. She joins the software company from Patton Boggs, where she was a partner. Peters also served as the Democratic counsel to members of the House Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 1999.

While street protests in Tehran have garnered support and international attention, Iranian-Americans have found themselves with not much of a megaphone on K Street. 

The coal industry is pushing back against a climate change bill by circulating a map that shows which states would see their electric bills increase the most under the legislation.