thoughtleaders
BY TOBY GOOLEY, MANAGING EDITOR
The man to see in DC
INTERVIEW WITH PETER FRIEDMANN
Peter A. Friedmann’s mission is to help private companies and local governments
have their say in Washington on policies that affect international trade.
IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT PETER A. FRIEDMANN’S
e-mail address is “OurManInDC.” That handily
sums up the role he plays on behalf of industry
associations, individual companies, and local government agencies that depend on transportation
and international trade.
Friedmann, who holds a law degree from the
University of Washington, is well-known in transportation and trade circles as someone who understands both private industry and government—and
is adept at getting the two to communicate with
each other.
Even before he finished law school, Friedmann
knew he wanted to get involved in policy rather
than work in a traditional law practice. That’s exactly what he did, signing on as legislative counsel to
U.S. Senator Bob Packwood of Oregon in 1979 and
serving as senior counsel to the U.S. Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation from 1980 to 1986. While working with the
Senate committee, he helped to write and implement such influential laws as the Ocean Shipping
