After 26 years as one of the prominent voices and leaders in the Wisconsin business community through his work as the senior vice president of government relations at the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), James Buchen will leave the organization to establish a new, independent public affairs firm.
Buchen will continue to serve the Wisconsin business community by providing lobbying, consulting, management and communications services to clients looking for guidance on government relations. Buchen will remain at WMC through December.
In announcing Buchen’s departure, Kurt Bauer, president and CEO of WMC, said, “Buchen is widely recognized as the dean of the business lobby corps and his long experience handling the complex issues we face on a daily basis will be sorely missed. However, we do intend to continue to tap his expertise in the future through a consulting relationship.”
Former WMC president Jim Haney, who worked with Buchen for 24 years, said, “Buchen’s background, experience and relationships immediately make him one of the most credible voices on business issues in Wisconsin. His unmatched insight into the issues surrounding Wisconsin’s business climate ensures that he will be a well-respected advocate for clients working with Governor Scott Walker’s administration and the Wisconsin Legislature.”
Buchen’s new firm will provide a range of public affairs services including policy development, legislative drafting, strategy development, lobbying, issue advocacy, political consulting and communications. Buchen has formed a strategic partnership with the Hamilton Consulting Group, one of the preeminent business lobbying firms in Wisconsin.
