Aug 14, 2017

AmericanHort Hires New Director of Government Affairs

Tal Coley has been hired as AmericanHort’s new director of government affairs based in its Washington, D.C. office.

“AmericanHort is delighted to welcome Tal to further advance our strategic advocacy and outreach efforts,” said Craig Regelbrugge, AmericanHort Senior Vice President, Advocacy and Research. “He is a knowledgeable and experienced communicator who will diligently promote industry objectives and articulate industry-related issues to lawmakers.”

Coley has an extensive background including work on a wide variety of issue advocacy and external affairs projects. His first initiative with AmericanHort is Impact Washington (AmericanHort.org/Impact), a two-day summit this September with industry leaders from around the country and designed to strategize on mission-critical issues – labor and immigration, horticultural research and innovation, and tax reform – and highlight legislative reforms and concerns with congressional members and their staffs.

Prior to joining AmericanHort, Coley led congressional outreach efforts at Concerned Veterans for America, spearheading a variety of endeavors to include annual fly-ins, policy initiatives, and external affairs. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he served as a Russian Cryptologic Linguist at Ft. Meade, Maryland.

“I am excited to represent and advance the interests of the industrious men and women of the horticulture industry,” said Coley. “As business owners who share a united passion for their product, I look forward to bringing their issues to the forefront in Washington.”

Coley  currently resides in Crofton, Maryland, with his wife, Victoria, and their two children.