In this episode of the Tallahassee Business Podcast presented by 223 Agency, we are joined by Chris Dudley of The Southern Group. As a lobbyist, Dudley has a hand in shaping outcomes at the Capitol and also stays engaged in the Tallahassee community through service as Chair of the Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority and as a former Board member of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. The Southern Group is one of the most sought after lobbying and government affairs firms in the Southeast and during our discussion Dudley shares various insights on that industry. Dudley was inspired to pursue a career in government affairs by his father who spent many years serving in the Florida Legislature. After serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Jeb Bush, Dudley made the leap into lobbying by joining the Southern Group while the firm was still in its infancy. 20 years later, The Southern Group has become a major force in the Florida government. In this week’s show, Dudley shines some light on what the lobbying world is really like, how things have changed in that industry over the past two decades, and why their firm continues to invest in a better downtown for Florida’s Capital City.