MO chamber tabs Springfield firm to support fundraising efforts

Veritas owner Miles Ross’ political experience includes serving as the campaign coordinator for Sen. Roy Blunt’s 2002 congressional re-election campaign and Blunt’s successful 2010 U.S. Senate campaign.

“We are excited to expand our efforts of protecting businesses in Missouri by flexing our muscle even more in the political arena,” Daniel Mehan, Missouri chamber president and CEO, said in an Aug. 13 news release. “Through our political influence and resources, the Missouri chamber will become an even stronger force for employers, helping place more pro-jobs candidates in the Missouri Legislature.”

Ross said this morning he is selective in the type of clients he’ll work for, and he’s excited to be working for the chamber, which represents nearly 3,000 employers statewide.

“The chamber decided it wanted to take some steps to increase the strength of its PAC and raise more money, so we started talking,” Ross said. “What we’re doing with them (involves) a long-range plan to strengthen them and make Missouri more business friendly.”

Ross said Veritas would work on retainer, earning a percentage of the funds it raised for the PAC. He declined to disclose terms of the deal or detail fundraising goals.

In the news release, Mehan said Veritas’ work would help give employers across the state a voice before lawmakers, courts and regulatory agencies.

“Our PAC gives Missouri employers, large and small, an opportunity to focus resources and target specific races and issues to make a real difference in the political and business climate in our state,” Mehan said in the release.

Veritas Public Relations is a full-service public relations firm that specializes in governmental client-partners, associations and both not-for-profit and public sector communications. Ross said the company has three full-time employees, and three part-time employees who work out of two offices in Springfield and St. Louis.

In March, Ross was named a Springfield Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, recognized for his work in the political arena. In the Springfield area, Ross has worked successful campaigns for state representatives Lincoln Hough, Kevin Austin and Lynn Morris, and he said other local public relations’ clients include Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield and Justice Jewelers.