Ken Takeda has been hired as a legislative affairs specialist at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He was senior legislative assistant to Rep. Michael M. Honda, D-Calif.

Rob Jesmer has been hired as a partner at FP1 Strategies. Jesmer was executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He also has served as the campaign manager for Sen. John Cornyn’s, R-Texas, 2008 re-election campaign. He worked as a political director on Sen. John McCain’s, R-Ariz., 2008 presidential campaign. He served as a regional political director at the Republican National Committee. He also has worked as national field director for the National Republican Congressional Committee. He served as chief of staff to Rep. Mike D. Rogers, R-Ala.

Brad Schweer has been hired as director of federal legislative affairs at CenturyLink. Schweer was legislative director for Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb. He also has served as a legislative assistant, a staff assistant and an intern for Terry.

Kim R. Holmes has been promoted to distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Holmes was vice president for foreign and defense policy studies. He also has served as assistant secretary of State for international organization affairs under President George W. Bush. Holmes was a founding editor of the annual Index of Economic Freedom, a Heritage publication.

James Jay Carafano has been promoted to vice president for foreign and defense policy studies and director of the Davis Institute at Heritage. Carafano was Holmes’ deputy and director of Heritage’s Douglas and Sarah Allison center for foreign policy studies. He also has served as a homeland security and missile defense analyst at Heritage. He was a senior fellow at the Homeland Security Policy Institute at The George Washington University. He retired from the Army with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Elizabeth Bartheld has been hired as vice president of government affairs for the American Forest & Paper Association. Bartheld is the chief of staff for Rep. John Sullivan, R-Okla. She has worked as an administrative assistant and legislative director for Sullivan. She also has worked as a legislative director and legislative assistant for former Rep. Wes Watkins, R-Okla.

Dionne Davies has been promoted to senior vice president for congressional affairs in the American Bankers Association’s (ABA) congressional relations department. Davies was senior legislative representative.

Larry Seyfried has been promoted to senior vice president for congressional relations in the ABA’s congressional relations department. Seyfried was senior legislative representative. He has also worked as a senior policy adviser in the leadership office of Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va.

Stephanie Smith has been hired as general counsel and executive vice president for operations at Sol Systems. Smith was a senior associate at Cooley, a law and lobbying firm. She has worked as a senior associate at law and lobbying firm Alston & Bird.

Juanita F. Ferguson has been promoted to shareholder at Bean Kinney & Korman. Ferguson was an associate. She is the secretary of the construction and public contracts section of the Virginia Bar Association.