Rich Bagger and Bob Martin bring significant business strategy and planning and business transformation expertise to the Christie 55 team. Rich has more than 25 years’ experience in the health care sector, including as the chief corporate affairs officer for two global biopharmaceutical companies and as legal counsel for a health insurance plan. Prior to public service, Bob was a Partner at Accenture LLP with over 25 years of experience consulting to a broad variety of businesses and industries, and trusted advisor to senior executives to help them achieve their vision and create value. He has extensive skills and experience in all aspects of business and management consulting, including business strategy and planning, business transformation and operations reengineering, IT strategy, systems implementation and change management. In government, Bob transformed the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to be a more effective, efficient, and customer focused organization, while continuing to protect the natural resources of the state.

With Governor Christie’s experience as U.S. Attorney and Governor of New Jersey and Rich Bagger’s experience as the senior most global corporate affairs officer (including both government relations and communications) for two Fortune 500 companies, Christie 55 Solutions is well positioned to advise clients in preparing for and managing major public crises, such as legislative investigations, litigation, and significant brand or product issues. We can bring boardroom level strategy and political campaign execution speed to support senior executives in proactively addressing high-stakes situations.

Following Hurricane Sandy’s devastating landfall in New Jersey in October 2012, Governor Christie led his state’s immediate response, multi-year recovery, and long-term resilience strengthening from what was at that time the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. To support New Jersey’s recovery, Mary Pat Christie established and chaired the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, which raised and distributed over $40 million to help New Jersey residents rebuild their homes and small businesses reopen their doors. Christie 55 Solutions has the capabilities and experience to support clients in strengthening their readiness for disasters and, if necessary, in recovering from them. Bob Martin, as the Commissioner of NJ’s Department of Environmental Protection, played a key leadership role under Governor Christie in coordinating the State’s preparation and response, and long-term rebuilding from natural disasters, especially for Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Bob Martin brings significant knowledge and experience to the Christie 55 Solutions team having served as New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection under Governor Christie from 2010 to 2018. Bob managed over 2,800 professionals and a multi-million dollar annual state budget and other federal and state resources. He effectively implemented DEP’s mission to protect the air, water, land and natural and historic resources of the state. He has deep knowledge and expertise in state and federal environmental and land use laws and regulations, and working with numerous federal agencies and departments.

Mary Pat Christie’s financial services experience includes expertise in high yield and distressed capital debt markets, insight into numerous industries and leadership in the Hampshire/Christie Opportunity Zone Fund. Christie 55 Solutions combines financial services industry experience with the government and public policy capabilities to support financial services clients with complex legislative and regulatory issues.

In addition to Governor Christie’s extensive federal and state government service, Rich Bagger led state, federal and international government relations and public policy for both Pfizer Inc and Celgene Corporation. With their combined experience, Christie 55 Solutions assists clients in developing and executing government relations and public policy strategies across the states and with the federal government. We work with each client to thoroughly understand their business objectives and policy priorities, identify government relations opportunities and challenges, and support execution of engagement plans with policymakers and other stakeholders.

Governor Christie led the fight to legalize state regulated sports gaming, initiating a six-year battle in the federal courts and persevering through six judicial setbacks before convincing the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case, Christie v. NCAA, et. als., in December 2017. He prevailed in May 2018, when by a vote of 6-3 the Supreme Court permitted each state to legalize sports gaming. Since the Court’s decision, Governor Christie has been invited to speak across the country to state lawmakers and members of the gaming industry to advise them on the best way to implement sports gaming. There are now a growing number of states which have legalized sports gaming. Each state has a somewhat different approach and, therefore, each state necessitates a unique strategy to enter and succeed in that market. Christie 55 Solutions has the expertise and capabilities to advise and support clients engaged in or considering entering the sports gaming market.

Governor Christie has a decades long commitment to addressing the scourge of drug and alcohol abuse. He devoted much of his second term as Governor to fighting the opioid crisis gripping his state and the nation. President Trump appointed Governor Christie to chair the President’s Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, ultimately delivering more than 65 substantive recommendations, all of which were adopted by the President. Rich Bagger worked for more than 25 years in the health care sector, including as the chief corporate affairs officer for two global biopharmaceutical companies and as legal counsel for a health insurance plan. Christie 55 Solutions represents clients across the health care sector, providing a range of services from strategic advice to public affairs counsel.

Governor Christie was appointed by President Obama to serve on his Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations and has extensive experience in direct bilateral engagement with Heads of Government and Ministers from countries around the world. Rich Bagger chaired the Global Innovation Policy Center of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the International Section Executive Committee of the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America, both of which focused on trade policy issues. Christie 55 Solutions advises clients on matters involving the U.S. trade relationship with foreign governments and in developing solutions for businesses impacted by international trade issues.

In addition to Governor Christie’s knowledge and experience setting and directing the State of New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan and energy policy for 8 years, Bob Martin brings over 25 years of utility and energy knowledge and experience in the private sector as a Partner at Accenture LLP. Bob has demonstrated expertise in all the key aspects of the utility industry, including electric generation, electric & gas transmission, and electric, gas and water distribution operations. Expertise also includes offshore wind, solar and other renewable energy sources, distributed generation, energy resiliency and reliability, nuclear power and decommissioning of nuclear power plants. This includes working with utilities in the UK for 5 years and doing significant consulting work throughout Europe and Canada. Bob also brings 8 years of energy and environmental policy experience and knowledge in offshore wind and solar energy and energy policy as the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Each of the members of the Christie 55 Team has significant experience with major infrastructure initiatives. As Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie led enactment of the two largest Transportation Trust Fund reauthorizations in state history, representing a total investment of $24 billion in New Jersey transportation projects. Under his leadership, major improvements were completed to the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, the Pulaski Skyway was restored, the Bayonne Bridge raised, and the Goethals Bridge replaced. Mary Pat Christie is Executive Vice President of the Hampshire Christie Qualified Opportunity Fund LLC, engaged in Opportunity Zone development projects across the Northeast. Rich Bagger has long experience with transportation infrastructure, including as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and as the first Board Chair of the Gateway Program Development Corporation, a partnership of Amtrak and the States of New York and New Jersey to increase resiliency and capacity on the Northeast Corridor between Newark and New York Penn Station. Bob Martin has extensive infrastructure experience in both the private and public sectors, including leadership at Accenture on utility and energy infrastructure and broad responsibility as New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection for permitting the full range of infrastructure projects and leading infrastructure resiliency planning and rebuilding following Superstorm Sandy.