C. DAVID PARAGAS is a principal of Public Policy Advocates, LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan and Aronoff LLP.

As a former senior aide to two Ohio Senate Presidents, he represents clients on policy matters before the Ohio General Assembly, Executive Agencies and state departments. He has extensive lobbying experience and advocates on behalf of his clients with the credibility of over 20 years of legislative, legal and political experience.

With extensive political experience, Mr. Paragas has advised numerous statewide, legislative, judicial and local campaigns, including various candidates for the Ohio Senate. He has handled all facets of campaigns, such as polling, issue development and grassroots organization. As a consultant, Mr. Paragas has also been involved in statewide and local ballot initiatives, including gaming and anti-smoking issues.

Mr. Paragas is a trustee and a member of the Asian American Bar Association of Ohio, the Ohio and Columbus Bar Associations and the Ohio Lobbying Association. In 1998, he was named by Business First as one of Columbus' "Forty Under 40" for community leadership. In 2000 he was named by Business First as "One of Five to Know in Health Law." In 2005 he was named "Ohio Super Lawyer" for lobbying in Law and Politics magazine.

Currently, Mr. Paragas serves on the Managing Partners Diversity Initiative Advisory Board of the Columbus Bar Association, as well as the Advanced Logistics Council of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce.

He received his B.A. in 1983 from Ohio Wesleyan University and studied classical literature at the University of Madrid- Torreon De Soto in Segovia, Spain. Mr. Paragas received his J.D. from Capital University in 1989. He also is admitted to practice in Illinois.

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