Influence100
Brian May {player}
Some call Chris Korge the King of Democratic Fundraising, some call him the “Godfather”: I call him “Dad,” my daughter calls him “Poppa K,” and he calls himself “K-Stacks” and “K-Money.” Yes, fundraisers sometimes create nicknames for themselves. According to The New York Times, every Democrat who wants to run for president of the United States has to sit down with him before making a decision. The list of people includes some you might not remember, such as Dick Gephardt, and some that you may know, such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. There’s no one closer to the Clintons in Florida than Korge. That’s largely because no one is more loyal. Unlike most political people, he will always be there for his friends regardless of circumstances. Korge grew up in a typical middle-class household in the post-World War II United States. Over the years, he excelled professionally and built multiple large businesses from scratch. He has lived an incredible life and done things such as fly on Air Force One and sleep in the Lincoln bedroom. Above all else, he built an incredible family that will cement his legacy of honor, hard work and a deep love for the American way.
Having worked in the Florida political arena for more than 20 years, Brian May is well-known as a political strategist and effective lobbyist. His long record of successes has established him as a prominent figure in Florida politics. Influencing policy and politics at the national, state and local level, May is a key player in Miami-Dade and across the Sunshine State. Before forming Floridian Partners in 1998, May spent more than a decade working in state and local government and politics. He started his political career working with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and worked in many capacities for the senator dating back to 1994. While Chief of Staff and key strategist for Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, May learned his way around the county building and built local county relationships unmatched by any other. As a partner at Floridian Partners, May specializes in insurance regulation, real estate entitlement, transportation, technology and local government procurement. He has a record of achieving results for his clients on difficult, major issues. Most recently he led negotiations on behalf of the Miami Dolphins for a public/ private partnership with Miami Dade County to modernize Sun Life Stadium. As a fixture in Miami-Dade politics, May’s experience, connections, and institutional knowledge make him a valuable asset for his clients and political allies. He is a force to be reckoned with for his competitors. May will continue to influence the political arena for years to come.
Andrew M. Korge is Chris Korge’s son and a candidate for state Senate in South Florida. He works in real estate, technology and has built multiple organizations that engage the next generation of civic leaders across the country.
Ashley Walker is a managing director at Mercury Public Affairs. Before joining Mercury, Walker spearheaded President Barack Obama’s Florida operations for five years, including serving as state director for the 2012 re-election campaign.
Chris Korge {player}
Eric Johnson
PHOTOS: Mary Beth Tyson
{player}
It’s a name you rarely hear and to some degree we think he likes it that way. Eric is that strategist who can see both the forest and the trees while finding the outer limits of each candidate and each campaign. If you want to measure success by the numbers, consider that Eric shepherded a Patrick Murphy win in a GOP-leaning seat (during a Republican year) helping Murphy score a larger margin than nearby Lois Frankel against a weak opponent in a solidly Democratic seat. As it stands today, Murphy has emerged as the statewide candidate the Republican leadership clearly fears the most and Eric’s involvement in building that perception is no coincidence. Michelle Todd, a senior adviser to former Gov. Charlie Crist, is a public affairs specialist based in St. Petersburg.
FALL 2015 INFLUENCE | 99