Lobbying for Local Businesses: Talking with Jayme Sellen of the Chamber

7/26/2018 (Permalink)

Jayme Sellen

For the business owners out there, it’s no surprise that local, state and federal governments have a huge impact on the work they do. It MAY be a surprise for some, however, to find out there is a lobbyist working with the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce to ensure lawmakers make decisions that impact local businesses in a POSITIVE way.

That lobbyist’s name is Jayme Sellen. Sellen is the vice president of governmental affairs and community relations for the Greater Green Bay Chamber. She has been a registered lobbyist in Wisconsin for 15 years. She has worked at the chamber for 5 years.

Sellen’s position comes with a lot of responsibilities. For one, she helps member businesses get through government red tape when obtaining things like permits.

Sellen works to get legislation passed that would benefit local businesses, including measures like tax reform, regulatory reform and workforce development.

Sellen is also responsible for helping member businesses understand the political process and for keeping those business owners up-to-date on decisions being made at the local, state and federal level.

Sellen says business people are often too busy with their own work to be able to pay close attention to what the government is up to at all times. So, it’s up to her to scrutinize what lawmakers are doing for them.

Sellen tells us, “Government can impact you more than anything…they impact every aspect of your business.” And that’s why she says her job is an important one. She also says that’s why it’s crucial for business owners to get involved in the political process when they can.

Some projects Sellen and the chamber are working on include getting a second bridge in De Pere to ease congestion and enhance safety; focusing on early training for students to get into the workforce as soon as possible and making K-12 funding more equal across the board.

If you have questions for Sellen, she encourages you to contact her at 920-593-3428 or at jsellen@greatergbc.com.