Reilly Named Big ‘I’ Director of Federal Affairs

Brendan T. Reilly, a leading staffer on the House Committee on Financial Services, has been named director of federal government affairs for the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”), effective Jan. 1, 2005.

Reilly, liaison to Chairman Mike Oxley (R-Ohio) and Vice Chair Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.) since 2003, was responsible for developing and promoting the vice chair’s legislative agenda and worked closely with House and committee leadership, and key members of Congress and their staffs, on a number of financial services and insurance issues, including insurance regulatory reform and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).

Prior to his work on the committee, Reilly also served as senior legislative assistant to Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.) from 2001 to 2002, and as an aide to Rep. Bob Riley (R-Ala.) in 2000. He also has been active in the political arena, volunteering this year for the successful Senate campaign of Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and serving as an advisor on the House campaigns of Ferguson in 2002 and Dick Zimmer (R-N.J.) in 2000.

Reilly, a native of Allendale, N.J., earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Reilly will replace Justin Roth, vice president of federal government affairs, who is leaving to take a federal government affairs position with the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC). Roth leaves after almost four years of service with the Big “I” government affairs team.