Since its founding by Brian Ballard in 1998, Ballard Partners has developed a reputation for providing high-level advocacy for clients across various sectors. Amazon, Walgreens, the New York Stock Exchange—these and other high-performing organizations come to Ballard Partners to tap its connections across state, local, and federal government.
As Ballard Partners has expanded into one of the world’s leading public affairs firms, it has strengthened its services by establishing specialty divisions catering to clients in specific industries. In addition to the recently established Critical Minerals Practice, Ballard Partners maintains an in-house media group along with Veterans Practice, Health Policy Advisory, and Financial Services Groups. To better understand the firm’s focus on finance, here’s a look at Ballard’s Financial Services Group.
Financial Services Group
With expertise across banking, insurance, fintech, blockchain, and other areas, the Financial Services Group has the tools to deliver unsurpassed results in a highly regulated industry. The division is led by Jeff Atwater, a former banking executive who was previously Florida’s state treasurer and chief financial officer.
Serving in this elected position for two terms, Atwater managed one of the country’s largest public pension investment portfolios while dramatically increasing fiscal transparency in the Sunshine State. He was previously an elected member of the Florida State House and Senate, and his time in the latter body saw him rise to senate president. His background also includes executive positions at multiple Florida banks.
A Focus on Finance
Ballard Partners has delved deeply into the financial industry through its digital show. An interview program hosted by Adam Goodman, 13th & Park currently boasts more than 2.9 million subscribers on YouTube.
Goodman and his team have built such an impressive audience thanks to the quality of the show’s guests. Senators, congresspeople, journalists, business leaders, innovators, athletes, and celebrities—13th & Park has welcomed these luminaries for frank discussions on the most pressing stories of the day.
The show’s guests have also included several financial industry executives who have shared their expert insights with viewers. Here are a few of the most recent financial leaders to join Goodman.
Vinay Gupta
Vinay Gupta is the CEO of Renew Financial. Under his direction, Renew helps people make efficiency upgrades to new and existing homes by offering innovative financing solutions. Gupta joined 13th & Park in June 2025 to discuss his company’s business model and how it has the potential to make housing more affordable across the country.
Gupta holds an MBA in finance and strategy from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. Before assuming leadership of Renew, he served as president of Dividend Finance, a residential solar and home improvement company that he guided to tenfold growth.
Paul Auslander
Paul Auslander knows what it takes to secure your financial future. As president of SeaBridge Private Wealth, he provides comprehensive advisory services to high-net-worth clients, focusing on financial and estate planning, tax strategies, and investments. He joined 13th & Park in October 2025 to discuss the keys to achieving financial success.
Auslander has developed this in-depth knowledge over his more than three decades in the financial industry. A certified financial planner, he previously served as director of financial management for a Clearwater, Florida, firm. Along with advising clients, he has regularly featured as an expert on CNBC, Bloomberg, and in the Wall Street Journal.
Peter Smith
As the crypto industry evolves, many are looking for guidance as to where digital finance is headed next. In his March 2025 episode of 13th & Park, Blockchain.com CEO Peter Smith shared his insights, explaining to Goodman the lessons he’s learned over more than 10 years working in digital currency.
Smith co-founded Blockchain.com as a leading provider of cryptocurrency wallets and a cryptocurrency exchange. Previously, he was an investor in bitcoin and a developer. As head of one of the world’s largest and most popular crypto platforms, he is a frequent speaker at industry conferences.
