Change is good! At KSE Partners we’ve been experiencing a lot of change recently. After nearly 30 years in business we are changing our name and after 23 years at the same location on State Street in Montpelier we’ve moved our offices. For anyone that has ever been to the 26 State Street location you’ll know why that’s a good thing. Our growth during that period of time led to the creation of an office pieced together creating a labyrinth more than a cohesive office environment.
As of today we will be Leonine Public Affairs. The firm Bob Sherman and Steve Kimbell founded in 1987 was called Kimbell & Sherman. Since then it has been Kimbell Sherman & Ellis, Kimbell Sherman Ellis and KSE Partners. Our firm has expanded and evolved greatly since 1987 and the law firm-style acronym doesn’t fit anymore.
The new name and location are the latest changes in the long evolution of Leonine Public Affairs. Bob and Steve started the firm in July of 1987 and quickly added staff. Their first hire was Anya Radar-Wallack and by 1991 they were up to five people. By 2001 it was 10 and by 2004 there were 15 people working here. That growth continued and picked up pace after 2004, reaching 32 by 2013. Currently we have a total of 40 full-time and part-time employees working for Leonine. In our 30 years in business, we have employed 110 people full-time and countless part-timers as well as too many contractors to count.
The growth includes new partners as well. Now there are seven including Scott Mackey the managing partner, Clare Buckley, Chuck Storrow, Nick Sherman, Alex Maclean, Leif Johnson and Todd Bailey.
The growth isn’t just about numbers; it is about the culture that Bob and Steve created. They were always looking for ways to innovate and grow. While the firm’s founders started one of the first government relations firms in Vermont, they recognized early on there were opportunities beyond the GR world. They quickly added a new line of business dedicated solely to public relations. Eventually in 2003 the firm started KSE FOCUS, which provides 50 state legislative and regulatory tracking for clients doing business throughout the USA.
The culture that the firm is rooted in has allowed us to expand our business to host offerings that make Leonine unique in the Vermont market place and shows our reach, which goes far beyond Vermont’s borders. It is this diversity that made the industry standard acronym obsolete for our business and motivated us to make this change. We wanted and needed a brand that is a more accurate reflection of the business’s depth and diversity.
As of today Leonine includes the following and is always looking for new opportunities to lead and grow.
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- Public Relations
- Issue Campaign Management
- Government Relations
- 50-state legislative and regulatory tracking
- National coalition and association management
These are exciting times for our firm and all of us working here. Please take a few minutes to explore our new website, learn more about Leonine Public Affairs and please stop by our new offices at One Blanchard Ct, in Montpelier (the former First in Fitness building) to say hello.
The Leonine Public Affairs team is thrilled to be celebrating this change, our nearly 30 years of business and is looking forward to what the next 30 years bring.
