Influence Alley

The American Bankers Association is hiring a former insurance advocacy group executive and promoting two lobbyists within the organization, the Alley has learned.

Adam Noah, vice president for federal affairs at the American Insurance Association and a former chief financial counself to Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, is joining ABA as senior vice president for congressional relations. He starts Dec. 17. 

Larry Seyfried, who served as senior policy adviser to Majority Leader Eric Cantor when he was chief deputy whip, has been promoted to senior vice president for congressional relations, leading ABA's efforts to lobby House Republican leaders. Seyfried had been a senior legislative rep at the group. 

Dionne Davies, a 25-year veteran of the group, will serve as senior vice president for congressional affairs. Mostly recently, she was a senior legislative rep. She will lead ABA's lobbying efforts with Senate Democratic leaders, the Democratic caucus and the Senate Banking Committee. 

In other job moves news, Alan Elsner will join the pro-Israel group J Street, the firm announced Monday. Elsner, a U.S. and Israeli citizen who formerly covered the state department and politics for Reuters, will serve as vice president for communications for the firm.

Independent Sector will add Geoffrey Plague as vice president of public policy, the group announced Monday. Plague, formerly a policy director for the Basic Education Coalition, also served as chief of staff to former Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., and legislative director to Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Robert Andrews, D-N.J., and to former Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.

CenturyLink has hired Brad Schweer to serve as the group’s federal legislative affairs director. Since 2004, Schweer has worked for Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., including as legislative director. Terry sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee.