Ballard Partners has made a name for itself by representing major clients from a variety of industries. Media and entertainment, technology, telecommunications, sports, and more—some of the world’s most well-known organizations come to the public affairs firm for its unsurpassed advocacy and deep connections to officials at the highest levels of federal, state, and local government.
Ballard Partners’ clients also include energy and transportation companies such as Chevron, Crowley, Chesapeake Utilities, and Florida Power and Light. In March, the firm added yet another energy and transportation client when it was retained by Knob Petroleum to represent the company’s interests in Venezuela. Based in Panama City, and with offices in Athens, Greece, Knob Petroleum provides services, parts, maintenance, and inspections to oil facilities.
Handling Knob Petroleum for Ballard Partners is Scott Wagner. A partner in the firm’s Miami and Tallahassee offices, Wagner is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Miami School of Law who possesses decades of experience in representing clients in cross-border transactions. He is particularly experienced in Latin America and has handled complex legal matters in Venezuela and Panama.
Prior to joining Ballard Partners, Wagner founded Wagner Legal, where he focused on international business, maritime, and aviation law, working with clients from around the world. A public servant in Florida, he is a member of the Orange Bowl Committee and the Biscayne Bay Commission. In addition, he serves on the South Florida Water Management District as vice chairman of the governing board, a role to which he was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis and unanimously confirmed by the Florida Senate.
Also handling Knob for Ballard Partners is Brian Ballard. Ballard Partners’ founder and president, Brian Ballard is one of the country’s foremost government relations professionals. He has been recognized for his advocacy by the Hill, Vanity Fair, and Politico and has been named as one of Florida’s most influential business leaders by Florida Trend.
Brian Ballard maintains close ties to the Trump administration, having raised funds for the then-candidate and for the Republic Party. Currently, he serves on the board of trustees of the Trump Kennedy Center. Prior to founding Ballard Partners, he made a name for himself in Florida political circles as the chief of staff to the Florida governor. During that time, he earned recognition as one of the country’s best lawyers in energy, environmental, and natural resources law.
Knob’s decision to retain Ballard Partners comes shortly after the public affairs firm established a Venezuela Working Group. Established following the US military action in the South American nation, the unit supports clients in navigating the evolving commercial, regulatory, and diplomatic environment in the South American nation.
The Venezuela Working Group consists of a bipartisan team of regulatory professionals equipped with the tools to help clients meet their business goals. Along with Wagner, the multidisciplinary team is comprised of Micah Ketchel, a former senior advisor to the national security advisor; Tracie Pough, the former longtime chief of staff to Democratic congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida; Tucker Knott, an experienced Washington staffer who up until recently was the chief of staff to Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina; Thomas Boodry, a former special assistant to President Trump; and Jose Felix Diaz, an attorney and former Florida legislator who’s been integral in Ballard Partners’ expansion into Latin America.
“By formalizing … the Venezuela Working Group, we are ensuring our clients have access to the deep regional expertise and bipartisan institutional knowledge required to succeed in these critical markets,” said Brian Ballard in a statement. The unit is part of the newly formed Western Hemisphere Practice Group, which specializes in providing comprehensive advocacy and advisory services to clients across the region.