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OZAA Staff

Aaron Grau, Esq.

Aaron Grau, Esq.

Executive Director

Aaron serves as Executive Director of OZAA. He’s the Principal of Grau & Associates, LLC, an association management firm in Pittsburgh. Before creating his own Pittsburgh based company, Mr. Grau directed Pittsburgh’s Duane Morris Government Strategies’ federal government affairs practice from its creation, a 2012 merger between GSP Consulting and Duane Morris Government Affairs.

Before G&A’s Virginia start, Mr. Grau was General Counsel for an Alexandria, Virginia based boutique-lobbying firm.  While there Mr. Grau developed extensive experience establishing, managing, and growing trade associations including the National Job Corps Association and the National Organization of Rehabilitation Partners.  Given associations’ ability to leverage broad based platforms to impact policy, economics, and business, he maintained his interest and abilities in trade association management through his career in Pittsburgh and today.

Earlier, Mr. Grau was Majority Counsel on the US Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee where he developed Senate hearings and negotiated and drafted several pieces of federal legislation.  He was part of the Senate team that created the Workforce Investment Act, a bipartisan bill signed into law during a Rose Garden ceremony in August 1998.

Mr. Grau has a BA from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and a Juris Doctorate from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He is licensed to practice law in Florida, Georgia, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Courts and has been honored by the State of Ohio for his legislative work on behalf of people with disabilities.

George McElwee

George McElwee

Director, Government Affairs

George S. McElwee is a founding member and managing partner of Commonwealth Strategic Partners (CSP). George brings 19 years of experience to CSP having worked in both the public and private sectors.

In his leadership role at CSP, George provides clients with government relations support and guidance on a wide range of legislative and regulatory issues. This includes serving as the principal representative in Washington, D.C. for Ionic Security and the National Technology Security Coalation to develop and execute a federal cyber policy strategy; executing a successful cybersecurity briefing on behalf of Second Front Systems for the Congressional Smart Contracting Caucus; and securing language in the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 to mandate drug and alcohol testing and background investigations of foreign repair station employees.

Before forming CSP, George served as the chief lobbyist to the Organization for International Investment (OFII) representing more than 160 U.S. subsidiaries of leading global companies. As Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs, George was responsible for advising association members and policy makers on Buy America, corporate inversions, corporate tax, international trade agreements, and tax treaties. George strategically expanded OFII’s advocacy presence with Congress, the Administration, and state and local governments. Working with Congressmen Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Jim Moran (D-VA), George established the first congressional caucus devoted solely to promoting the benefits of foreign direct investment in the United States – the American Global Investment Caucus.

George holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies from the College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University; a Graduate Certificate in PACs and Political Management from the Graduate School of Political Management, George Washington University; Joint Professional Military Education, Phase I from Air Command and Staff College, Air University; a graduate of Public Affairs Qualification Course from Defense Information School, Fort George G. Meade; a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania; and studied at Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA.

Tim Hindes

Tim Hindes

Director, Marketing

Tim serves as Director, Marketing for OZAA. Tim has presented regionally and nationally on topics surrounding social media, marketing, and branding, and has worked with some of the country’s top brands throughout his career. As a strategist, he applies qualitative and quantitative data to develop recommendations, action plans, and comprehensive blueprints, focusing on impact and investment. As a creative, Tim builds the tools for implementation, incorporating methodic principles of design and psychology.

With a career spanning sales, marketing, strategy, nonprofit administration, communications, and entrepreneurship, Tim has a complete perspective on economic development through a marketing and communications lens. As the former Director of Marketing for the Pittsburgh Technology Council, he provided the foresight and direction to enhance the electronic marketing efforts of the PTC, while creating the organization’s social media campaigns and strategy from scratch.

Tim’s proven leadership practices and campaigns are still the skeleton of current efforts of the organization, which were recognized by ASAE, receiving the Gold Circle Award for electronic communications. He also received the BSA President’s Award for Marketing for a strategic regional marketing campaign targeted at youth programs.

In addition to Tim’s marketing and communications experience, he also has extensive experience in grant writing, aligning funding opportunities with client needs and orchestrating millions of dollars in successful grant proposals for organizations.

Tim serves on the local CANstruction organizing committee, an event where teams build sculptures out of canned goods, which are then donated to local food banks. As an Eagle Scout, Tim remains active with the scouting program in an advisory role for the camping and marketing departments. Graduating with high honors from Allegheny College, Tim was active in numerous organizations, including the college radio station and television station — the foundation for his love of communications.

T.J. Kennedy

T.J. Kennedy

Director, Finance

T.J. serves as Director, Finance for OZAA. Thomas ‘T.J.’ Kennedy is a licensed CPA in the state of Virginia and owner of Chesapeake Financial Corp. (CFC), an accounting firm specializing in taxation, accounting, financial reporting, and management advisory services. CFC was founded on the ethos of being communicative, responsive and honest in all financial evaluations.

CFC has specific expertise in working with non-profit organizations; supporting staff, leadership, and boards of directors. In addition to bookkeeping, Mr. Kennedy provides quantitative diagnosis and solutions to IIUSA’s current and future financial atmosphere.

Prior to establishing his own accounting firm, Mr. Kennedy served in the US Navy, and worked at the Department of State and Capitol Hill as a congressional staffer in administrative and accounting roles. He graduated from James Madison University where he earned his M.B.A.

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