Phillips, W. G.

William G. Phillips (1923-1990) earned his bachelor's degree (1949) and his master's degree in political science (1954) from American University. Phillips had a long and varied career working on and around Capitol Hill, both in congress and as a lobbyist. He began his career as a legislative analyst for the United Auto Workers in 1949 before becoming the administrative assistant to Representative George Rhodes of Pennsylvania in 1955. In the 1960s, he served as Staff Director for the newly formed Democratic Study Group, Assistant Director for Congressional Relations of the Office of Economic Opportunity, and Deputy Chairman of Research and Publications for the Democratic National Committee. After a short stint in the private sector as President of Publicon, Inc. (1968-1969), Phillips worked on various committees including the Labor-Management Relations Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee, the Foreign Operations and Government Operations Subcommittee of the House Government Operations Committee, the House Budget Committee, and the Committee on House Administration. During this time Phillips also worked on some political campaigns, particularly those of Representative Frank Thompson of New Jersey. In 1981, Phillips returned to the private sector and put his legislative experience to work as a lobbyist first as Vice President of lobbying firm DC Associates and then as an independent legislative consultant.