Ryan Murray, former deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, has been appointed partner of The Firm Consulting, a Madison-based government affairs agency.
Murray resigned from the WEDC in mid-November and officially exited the economic development organization at the end of November to transition into an unspecified role in the private sector.
He was appointed to the WEDC by Gov. Scott Walker in July 2012 and had a controversial run at the organization. WEDC vice president Lee Swindall resigned because of disagreements with Murray in August. However, Swindall returned to his position three days later after convincing by WEDC secretary and CEO Reed Hall.
Murray has more than a decade of experience in public policy, public affairs and finance. His career has also included serving as the deputy chief of staff and policy and legislative director to Walker. He was deputy director of Walker’s transition and served as the policy director of Walker’s 2010 campaign. Prior to his tenure with the campaign, he spent five years in the Wisconsin State Legislature, serving in roles that included a senate chief of staff, communications director for Senate Republican leader Scott Fitzgerald, and committee clerk.
“Ryan is a strategic addition to The Firm Consulting,” said president and managing partner Buddy Julius in a press release. “He combines broad experience in economic development, ranging from his work with small startups to Fortune 500 companies, and has built strong relationships from serving for more than a decade in the administration and the legislature. With Ryan Murray on our team, The Firm Consulting is now well positioned to support our clients’ needs for advocacy and growth.”
Beyond his career, Murray is a founding board member of The BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation and a board member of the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
“Joining The Firm is a natural extension of my work assisting Wisconsin businesses and communities,” Murray said in a press release. “The Firm has built an impressive record of assisting unique clients across the business spectrum, including many innovators and early stage business supporters. I am excited to join a great team that can continue to build on a strong foundation to help its clients reach even greater heights.”
