Townsend A. Van Fleet , President

"Van" Van Fleet is a retired Army Colonel with over 30 years of Washington based legislative experience. Since 1981, he has represented the interests of many national and international corporations on regulatory and legislative matters before federal agencies and both houses of Congress.

From 1976 to 1981 Van was the manager of the Congressional Affairs Office for the Army's Chief of Research, Development and Acquisition. He had legislative and programmatic responsibilities.

Van graduated from West Point in 1958 with a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army and had a 23 year career.

In 1976 he graduated from the Army War College in Carlisle, PA and in the same year earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg State College.

Paul F. Payette, Executive Vice President

Paul Payette is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who joined the Van Fleet Management Group in 1994. Paul has an extensive background in Corporate Congressional Relations and in the planning, programming and execution of the Federal Budget. Paul advises national companies on how to effectively communicate their legislative concerns and goals to Members of Congress and their staffs.

From 1989 to 1993 Paul was Manager of Congressional Relations for the Raytheon Company. Paul tracked congressional activities that affected the military, commercial transportation, trade, international issues, space, the environment, taxes and the Federal Budget.

From 1985 to 1989 Paul worked as an Army legislative liaison to Senior Service officials and Congressional Members and staffs. His work focused on procurement and research and development programs in the Congressional Appropriations process.

Paul graduated from the University of Arizona with a
B. S. degree in Business. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant at Ft. Benning, Georgia and had a 21 year Army career. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk and earned an MBA from Syracuse University.

Walt A. Sanders, Vice President Law & Government Affairs

Walt Sanders is Counsel to the Van Fleet Management Group (VMG) and President of Sanders International Group, LLC. Walt brings a wealth of expertise and experience representing large and small corporations and non-profits before national, state and local governments.

Prior to joining VMG, Mr. Sanders was Co-Director, Federal Relations Group for Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, where he counseled clients on international trade, energy, transportation, environmental, product safety and drug enforcement issues. From 1995 to 2002, served as Counsel to the Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), coordinating government relations, White House relations, regulatory, enforcement and legal issues for the Chairman. Prior to his tenure at CPSC, Walt was Counsel and Legislative Director for then-Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, John D. Dingell, spearheading legislative efforts involving international trade, transportation, environment, and public works.

Walt received his A.B. in Political Science (with Highest Honors) from the University of California
( Riverside ), an M.A. in Public Policy from the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University , and a Juris Doctor from the Washington College of Law at American University . Walt is a veteran having served on an aircraft carrier in Vietnam .