June 4, 2024 Webinar Recording
AAF Nebraska Professional Development Webinar
Legislative Issues Panel Discussion
AdTax Talk: Navigating Nebraska’s Proposed Digital Ad Tax Legislation
Panelists:
Clark Rector, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, AAF
Timothy G. Hruza, J.D, Partner at Mueller Robak LLC
Christopher Oswald, Executive Vice President and Head of Law, Ethics & Government Relations for the Association of National Advertisers
The AAF Nebraska Legislative Committee’s panel discussion on June 4, 2024 was led by Gil Cohen from Omaha Publications.
Panelists shared information and answer questions on the economic impact advertising makes for our country and for the state of Nebraska.
The panel discussion also included information about national and state campaigns for political advertising and what congress may do on a national level in relation to the marketing industry.
Panelists Bios:
Christopher Oswald, Executive Vice President and Head of Law, Ethics & Government Relations for the Association of National Advertisers (ANA)
Christopher Oswald is Executive Vice President and Head of Law, Ethics & Government Relations for the Association of National Advertisers (ANA). Chris leads the ANA’s Washington, DC office and is responsible for ANA’s legal affairs, ethics initiatives, and public policy advocacy. He is a member of ANA’s Senior Leadership team and serves on the boards of the Digital Advertising Alliance, the Coalition for Better Ads, and the Association for Postal Commerce (PostCom).
Prior to joining ANA, Chris served as Vice President of Advocacy for the Data & Marketing Association. In this role, he led DMA’s government lobbying efforts, directed various policy groups, and served as DMA’s representative to elected officials, policymakers, and advocacy groups. He was treasurer of DMA’s Political Action Committee and directed DMA’s litigation efforts including the DMA’s successful case before the Supreme Court of the United States: DMA v. Brohl.
Chris previously served as Director of State Government Affairs for RELX (formerly, Reed Elsevier, Inc.), and was Director of State Government Affairs for the Mortgage Bankers Association. He also worked for the American Legislative Exchange Council, advocated on behalf of the National Rifle Association, served as an aide to Congressman Bill Baker, volunteered in California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s legislative office, and worked on a variety of political campaigns.
Licensed to practice law by the State Bar of California, Chris earned a J.D. and Governmental Affairs Certificate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. He holds a B.A. in International Political Economy from Whitworth College, where he was elected president of the associated students. He presently resides in Alexandria, Virginia.
Clark Rector, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs American Advertising Federation
As Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, Clark Rector oversees and directs the lobbying efforts of the American Advertising Federation’s grassroots network of 35,000 advertising professionals in some 150 local advertising clubs and federations nationwide. Together, they have defeated ad tax proposals and other threats to advertising in Congress, nearly every state and numerous cities and counties. In his role as chief public policy advocate for the Federation, Rector meets with lawmakers and regulators to educate them about advertising and represent the industry’s position on important legislative and regulatory matters. He has testified for the AAF before the U.S. Senate and Federal Trade Commission, as well as numerous state legislatures and city governments.
Prior to joining the AAF in 1988, Rector spent two years on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant for Congressman Tom Luken of Ohio. He also spent three years working in local television in Austin, Texas. Rector is a graduate of the University of Texas and received a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa.
Timothy G. Hruza, J.D., Partner at Mueller Robak LLC
Tim Hruza joined the team at Mueller Robak after having earned experience practicing law in a variety of contexts. After graduating from law school, Hruza spent three years in private practice at a mid-sized firm in Grand Island, Nebraska, where he worked with clients on a number of different legal issues, from litigating contract and property boundary disputes, to developing estate plans and managing business transactions. Following his time in private practice, Tim worked as legal counsel to a Lincoln business association, providing advice and counsel to local business owners and advocating for their interests before elected officials on both local and state levels. Most recently, Hruza served as legal counsel to the Nebraska Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, where he advised Senators on the legal aspects of bills presented to them for consideration.
Hruza has experience working with local media outlets. He is a regular contributor on Lincoln’s news and talk radio station 1400 KLIN where he provides commentary and insight on national, state, and local political and sports news. Hruza has worked as on-air talent and as a behind-the-scenes producer for both morning and afternoon talk radio programs and through this experience has built strong relationships with elected officials and media partners in Nebraska on all levels.
Hruza received his juris doctor degree with distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2012, where he was a member of the Moot Court Board and received awards for his oral advocacy skills. Before attending law school, Hruza was an honors graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree cum laude. During his time at UNK, Hruza was elected to serve a term as the University’s Student Body President and Student Regent.
