The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) hired two additions to its government affairs team. The new hires are Ellen McCarthy and John Hallmark.
The new additions will be reporting to Scott DeFife, senior managing director at SIFMA.
McCarthy, a corporate tax professional, worked in various roles at PepsiCo, General Motors, and most recently The Washington Tax Group. McCarthy was also tax counsel for the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Charles Grassley (IA) from September 2007 to December 2008. McCarthy is also a retired United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel.
Before SIFMA, Hallmark was a legislative aide to Senator Michael Enzi (WY) since 2003. Hallmark served as a primary aide to Enzi for the senator’s financial services work on the Senate Finance Committee, and before that on the Senate Banking Committee. Hallmark formulated and advanced Enzi’s legislative agenda in areas including: securities regulation, swaps and derivatives, accounting, and housing policy. Previous to his work in Senator Enzi’s office, Hallmark was a special assistant for federal relations for Governor James Gilmore (VA), where he served as a liaison between Gilmore’s office and the Federal Government.
“The addition of Ellen McCarthy and John Hallmark to SIFMA represents our efforts to build a strong team to support our member companies’ interests before the Congress and executive branch,” said Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr., executive vice president, public policy and advocacy at SIFMA. “Ellen’s extensive corporate tax experience along with a stint in the legislative branch and John’s legislative experience with banking and financial services issues enhance our coverage of the broad array of matters important to our membership.”
“John and Ellen will be filling key positions within our advocacy team as we continue to address a large variety of policy issues moving through Congress,” DeFife said. “They bring energy and experience dealing with financial services and tax issues that will augment our current outstanding team.”
