Rachel Winder

Upheld radiation safety standards by defeating language inserted into the budget bill proposing to reduce supervision requirements of General X-Ray Machine Operators. Benesch successfully lobbied for removal of the troublesome language in Conference Committee. 

Fought back two amendments that sought to erode the new Ohio Auctioneer Licensing Law by successfully coordinating a line-item veto through Governor Mike DeWine. 

Successfully lobbied for $500,000 included for a statewide disparity study to gather data to help inform future policy initiatives impacting women, minority and veteran-owned businesses and state contracts.

Secured $50 million over multiple budgets for the Ohio Women-Owned Business Loan Fund and the Ohio Minority Microloan Fund for MBEs and WBEs, both of which Benesch previously helped to establish. 

Successfully lobbied for the statutory retention of a historical client that was up for possible sunset by the Sunset Review Committee during multiple General Assemblies.

Saved County $500,000 by the transfer of unused dollars from one fiscal year to the next. 

Successfully lobbied for the statutory retention of an important client advisory board housed in the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) through the Sunset Review Committee process against the position of ODH who advocated for its dissolution.

Orchestrated a law change on behalf of a local government client, Cuyahoga County, and local land banks regarding how taxes are handled during land bank possession of property.

Successfully lobbied for a change on behalf of the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA), in the Ohio Revised Code, that increased the OWDA’s Competitive Bidding threshold from $25,000 to $50,000 that was necessary due to a large project the client was managing for the Ohio EPA.

Helped secure both a Type A and a Type B sports gaming license for a client through the Ohio Casino Control Commission.

Secured a $250,000 capital budget request for a major amateur sport facility.

Successfully lobbied to maintain moderate continuing education for the insurance industry and separately for the auctioneer’s industry.

Successfully lobbied to allow Insurance education to be delivered online.

Working through the newly created Ohio Women’s Coalition to identify any contracting disparities and increase opportunities for women businesses.

Created a women-owned business enterprise program for Ohio to encourage agencies to contract with WBE’s.

Advocated for the successful appointment of client representation on several state Boards and Commissions appointed by multiple Governors.

Manage a Political Action Committee that supports a large medical provider association including serving as the Treasurer, managing all solicitation and contribution efforts and filing state campaign finance reports.

Successfully lobbied for camp staff to have epinephrine on-site without a specific child’s prescription in order to treat a possible unknown allergic reaction on behalf of the American Camp Association.

Initiated and managed the passage of legislation to allow Radiation Techs to enter orders of contrast into the electronic health record without the need for a second prescription.

Initiated and managed the passage of legislation to provide regulatory flexibility to the Ohio Department of Health when promulgating certain rules.

Managed the passage of legislation to modernize the auctioneer licensing law and another to allow multi-parcel auctions in Ohio.

Helped negotiate a solution between a business client and a statewide officeholder that saved the client $250,000 a year.

Successfully advocated against a 60% background check fee increase that was then reduced by a statewide officeholder.

Positioned a client to win a million dollar contract to assist the state with the Medical Marijuana Control Program.

Won a multi-million dollar, multi-year local government contract for a client.

Created the Women’s Business Enterprise Program in Ohio to improve government contracting opportunities for women-owned business.