What Attendees Say | Government Affairs Academy | HPBA
Don't just take our word for it; hear directly from Government Affairs Graduates themselves. Here is what a few of our grads had to say about their experience:

“We’ve all heard the expression, “you only go around once in life.” Over the past 15 years I have had ample opportunities to attend the GAA, but I never took it seriously until last year. I was a bit concerned about the entire process and naturally, it was a bit overwhelming, the prospect of meeting one-on-one with Senators, Congressmen and their staff. That fact is, it was not the least bit difficult and it was far from one-on-one! After two days of intense training (intense in a good way), our guide (affectionately known as our “Sherpa”) guided us through the halls of the Congress. My business benefitted greatly from the GAA and we are better prepared as a result to meet any challenge head-on!” - Chris Neufeld (Northwest HPBA), Class of 2016


“The GAA Summit was absolutely one of the best seminars I have ever attended. The amount of information and the hands-on communications training gave me the knowledge and skill to handle myself in fast-moving situations that can often be very stressful and emotional when faced with wild accusations. I can now confidently engage the press, regulatorybodies, or local air districts. I consider GAA imperative for anyone who is going to spend their career managing a business in the hearth industry.” – Shannon Reyna (HPBA Pacific), Class of 2016

“The Capitol Hill meetings were by far the best part of the event. It was exciting and felt great to know that I was helping the industry for the long-term. This program should continue to grow. The potential for it to do positive things for the industry is huge!” - Ben Holt (MidStates HPBA), Class of 2014

“This was a very good experience. It helped build confidence to do the same on the local government level.” - Joe Burns (North Central HPBA), Class of 2011

Mark Miller, Class of 2016, with Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota's 7th District