InterActive Global SolutionsGovernment Relations · Public Affairs

Team

Partners and advisors who affect change

With points of presence in Washington DC, Chicago, Denver, Europe, Africa, Mexico and Latin America, IGS partners and advisors bring proven experience and successful advocacy to companies, sovereigns and organizations across the globe.

Portrait of Fred Niehaus

Fred Niehaus

Managing Partner

InterActive Global Solutions is an international government relations, public affairs and business development firm which brings proven experience and successful advocacy to companies, sovereigns and organizations across the globe. With points of presence in Washington DC, Chicago, Denver, Europe, Africa, Mexico and Latin America, IGS partners and advisors affect change.

Fred Niehaus is a senior executive with a well-rounded background in business and a proven leader of a diverse group of results-driven organizations and people. He has C-suite experience in leading teams responsible for business development and strategy implementation and possesses the strategic ability to utilize global relationships and business experience as a key discriminator in advocacy. He is an enthusiastic individual with exceptional communication, interpersonal, analytical and problem-solving skills which foster strong and credible working relationships with key players both internally and externally.

Areas of expertise

  • Strategy Development
  • Business Development
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Negotiations
  • Relationship Management
  • Strategic Advisor
  • Budget Management
  • Structuring transactional finance projects

Previous experience has included serving as a Global SVP for First Data Corporation and the Western Union Company from 2003 through 2011. In this capacity, Mr. Niehaus was responsible for developing and implementing strategies to reach various corporate constituencies — including legislators, policy makers, regulators, attorneys general, community groups and consumers — while shaping emerging global public policy issues and trends that impacted the company's operations and reputation.

In 1991 Mr. Niehaus founded and served as President and Managing Partner of InterMountain Corporate Affairs, a Colorado-based public affairs firm. In this role, he served as advisor to CEOs and key corporate staff of Fortune companies across the United States.

From 1987 to 1992, Mr. Niehaus served as Colorado Governor Roy Romer's (D) Special Assistant for Economic Development and Director of OED. In this capacity, he restructured the state's economic development programs, created a targeted marketing strategy and developed innovative finance initiatives. He was the state's primary negotiator with major corporations. Mr. Niehaus also served as Finance Director of the New York-based National Development Council, matching clients with sources of public and private sector capital.

Mr. Niehaus' background includes serving as Deputy Director of Commerce and Community Affairs under Illinois Governor James Thompson (R) and, prior to that, as public affairs representative and lobbyist for the Illinois Railroad Association.

Current boards and advisory positions

  • Conference of Western Attorneys General Alliance Partnership, Sacramento, CA — Senior Advisor
  • Farnsworth Group Architects and Engineers, Bloomington, IL — Member of the Board
  • CENTRI Technology Inc., Seattle, WA — Board of Advisors

Past boards and advisory positions

  • The Mexico Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DC
  • SHC/Calpine, San Jose, CA — Advisory Board Member
  • The National Immigration Forum
  • Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund
  • Various ethnic chambers of commerce

Education

The University of Iowa — Bachelor of Science with Honors, Journalism and Communications.

Portrait of Sean Tonner

Sean Tonner

Partner

Sean Tonner is the founder and President of Phase Line Strategies, a Denver, Colorado-based public affairs and political consulting firm. With more than a decade of experience in government and corporate affairs, Mr. Tonner offers clients expertise in developing and executing effective corporate growth strategies as well as providing sound political consulting.

Prior to founding Phase Line Strategies in 2002, Mr. Tonner served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to Colorado Governor Bill Owens. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the office as well as managing intergovernmental affairs and external relations with various constituencies including political, minority and business organizations.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Tonner has worked on numerous political campaigns in the U.S. and abroad, including Bush-Cheney, Bill Owens for Governor, Ben Nighthorse Campbell for Senate, Mike Coffman for Congress and numerous local and state efforts. In 2002, he was named a national rising star by Campaigns & Elections magazine after he engineered a nationally recognized get-out-the-vote program that resulted in the largest gubernatorial vote received in Colorado history. Most recently, Mr. Tonner has been working with clients in Central Europe in election strategies and business development with global corporations.

In addition to his extensive political experience, Mr. Tonner has also amassed impressive corporate affairs experience developing and executing successful strategic plans for companies including Western Union, HealthOne, Wal-Mart, Noble Energy and others. He has been successful in raising and deploying investment capital for small and medium sized companies.

At the age of 18, he joined the U.S. Army and attended Reconnaissance, Airborne, Ranger, Desert and Jungle warfare training. In addition, he served as a scout for the 24th Infantry Division in Desert Storm, where he earned the Army Commendation Medal for Valor. Mr. Tonner currently serves on the foundation board for Metropolitan State College and The Fund for Colorado's Future. He also serves on the board of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, Colorado Chapter and the Rocky Mountain USO Advisory Council. Additionally, he is a member of the Project El Crucero Leadership Team, which runs a medical clinic in Nicaragua. Mr. Tonner is a graduate of Metro State College of Denver.