Gregory Knopp is the Executive Director of Political Affairs for the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), the business association of America’s engineering industry. Council members -- numbering more than 5,000 firms and representing more than 500,000 professionals throughout the nation -- are engaged in the development of America’s transportation, water and energy infrastructure, as well as environmental, industrial and other public and private facilities. Founded in 1909 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., ACEC is a national federation of 51 state and regional organizations.
Knopp is responsible for managing and expanding ACEC’s political programs, including its political action committee (ACEC/PAC), grassroots advocacy, Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) and political education efforts. He also works closely with congressional campaign staff to organize and conduct engineering industry specific events for Members of Congress who have demonstrated a record of support on key ACEC legislative issues.
Prior to joining ACEC in 2007, Knopp was Managing Director of Political Programs for the National Association of REALTORS® for 8 years, overseeing the REALTORS® political action committee (RPAC), political advocacy, and NAR’s grassroots advocacy efforts. Knopp also served as Director of the Dealers Election Action Committee of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) for 15 years, PAC Director for the “Citizens for Percy” U.S. Senate campaign, and Political Director for the Washington, DC based Ripon Society.
Knopp was the 2007 President of the National Association of Business Political Action Committees (NABPAC), has been a Certified Association Executive (CAE) since 2008, and served as the 2012 Chairman of the Government Relations Council of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and was Co-Chair of ASAE’s Task Force on Lobbying Reform. He is currently Vice Chairman of APAC and a member of ASAE’s Public Policy Committee. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Public Affairs Council, and is Chairman of the Council’s Political Involvement Network. He is a cum laude graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and resides in Alexandria, Virginia with wife Katy and children Laura and Michael.