Brendan Huffman is the owner of Huffman Public Affairs, a new consulting business in Los Angeles specializing in state and local issue advocacy, public policy development and strategic communications.

Before launching Huffman Public Affairs in 2008, Brendan distinguished himself as a "turnaround specialist" by reinvigorating two of California's most influential business organizations. He served as President and CEO of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA) for 2½ years and is credited with significantly increasing the influence and political clout of the organization at multiple levels of government. Prior to VICA, Brendan oversaw the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce's public policy department for four years and served as the group's head lobbyist. Under Brendan's leadership, both VICA's and the Chamber's advocacy efforts reached new heights.

During most of the 1990s, Brendan served as a legislative aide to State Assemblymembers Burt Margolin and Wally Knox. He initiated legislation on a variety of topics, including tougher hate crime murder penalties, limits on handgun purchases, and remedies to "area code chaos," all of which were signed by Gov. Gray Davis.

As an effective business advocate at VICA and the Chamber, Brendan played leading roles in successful efforts to keep L.A. Air Force Base open, lower workers' comp rates, lower Los Angeles' arcane gross receipts tax rates, modernize LAX and bring about political reforms. Through these efforts, and others, Brendan has built a strong reputation for coalition building and effective messaging.

Brendan's civic leadership background is impressive, as well. He served on the City of L.A.'s Business Tax Advisory Committee (BTAC), which drafted reforms that resulted in simplification of the city's antiquated tax codes and 15 percent across-the-board tax cuts. As co-chair with Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks of the city's Business Retention & Recruitment Advisory Committee (BRRAT), Brendan drafted most of the panel's recommendations that served as a helpful blueprint for creating jobs in L.A. He is also a frequent advisor on public policy issues to elected officeholders and other key public officials.

An avid sailor, Brendan has competed in many prestigious regattas, including three races to Hawaii, and sailed to many remote places. He and his wife, Tamar, reside in the San Fernando Valley where they are raising their two sons, who are fourth generation Angelinos.