Joe is a Senior Business Advisor in the firm’s Financial Industry Group. Joe is known as a strategic "Problem Solver" who works with his clients to help drive revenue and shareholder value by resolving complex corporate growth priorities. Joe works with early stage, mature corporate and private equity clients interested in strategic capital investment, joint ventures, fund formation, market penetration into Latin America (LATAM) and those interested in taking their company public. Joe also works with investment banking clients interested in infrastructure project finance and public private partnerships within the US and LATAM. To this end, Joe strategically markets and works closely with the firm's LATAM, aerospace, capital markets, infrastructure, energy, fund formation and the firm's strategic corporate practice groups overall to execute priorities for his corporate clients.
Prior to joining Reed Smith LLP, Joe was a Senior Managing Director with Dentons US LLP in the firm's Public Policy practice. Joe worked on policy and regulatory issues related to infrastructure/project finance, aero-space, capital markets, homeland security, LATAM and Department of Defense matters. Joe worked very closely with the firm's LATAM, capital markets, IP and Silicon Valley practice groups. Prior to joining Dentons, Joe served as Vice President of Corporate & Government Relations for Zimek, LLC an infection control early stage company based in Tampa, FL. Joe managed all investor and government relations matters. Joe also managed the company's executive advisory board. Joe previously served as Vice President of Government Accounts for Empower Software, a privately held human resources/payroll services company based in Orlando, FL. Joe worked closely with the company’s CEO, EVP of sales and board of directors on strategic marketing strategies to increase public sector market penetration. Joe also served as a Principal, for Petrizzo Strategic Group, a business and government relations consulting firm based in Washington DC. Joe advised clients on federal policy strategies to remove or stand up barriers of entry to gain a market advantage in their industry sector.
Prior to his private sector roles, Joe served as a Senior US Senate Aide to former US Senator Mel Martinez of FL (who served on the Senate Armed Services, Housing and Foreign Policy Committees). Joe's portfolio of issues included Florida NASA/aero-space, macro infrastructure, banking, economic development, tourism, homeland security and Puerto Rico/LATAM policy matters. Joe interfaced on regular basis with FL local and state elected officials and with the FL mainstream and Hispanic media on behalf of the Senator.
Joe previously served the Orange County, FL, Sheriff's Office (one of the nation's largest local law enforcement agencies) as the Director of Government Affairs managing all local, state and federal policy matters. Joe was a member of the Orange County Sheriff’s executive staff committee dealing with all agency budget issues. Joe also served as the Sheriff's executive liaison to the Nat'l Sheriff's & Major County Sheriff's Associations. Joe also served as a Senior Aide to fmr US Congressman Ric Keller from Orlando. Joe managed all immigrations and Dept of Justice matters. He also managed the executive interview process for those candidates seeking support from the Congressman as a candidate for US Marshal, US Attorney and federal judge positions in Florida's federal middle district. Joe also served as a statewide political aide and south FL finance director for the 2000 FL US Senate campaign of fmr US Congressman Bill McCollum from Orlando. Finally, Joe also served as a political analyst for the Republican Nat'l Committee (RNC) focusing on US House campaigns.
