FMI Hires Director of Gov't Relations

Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has appointed Hannah Walker a director of government relations to represent food retailers on Capitol Hill.

In her new role, Walker, a Tennessee native who has lived and worked in Washington for more than a decade, will focus on such issues as payments, financial services, food assistance, data security and technology. Walker was previously a federal policy adviser for the State of Florida Washington Office, in which capacity she worked on agriculture, energy, tax, trade and environmental issues. She also worked on the 2008 campaign that brought Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) to office, and then was his legislative director until moving to Arlington, Va.-based FMI. Rooney was on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee and chaired the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry.

Earlier in her career, Walker was legislative assistant to Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), in which role she dealt with appropriations and other budget-related subjects.

“Hannah has a history of translating her legislative experience to results,” noted FMI SVP of government and public affairs Jennifer Hatcher.