by Lynh Bui - Oct. 16, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
When Wes Gullett started his government-relations business with three partners almost a decade ago, he made sure the new company would be called a public-relations company, not a lobbying firm.
"Lobbying is so passe," Gullett declared in 2002.
Despite his pronouncement, the lobbyist label has haunted Gullett throughout his campaign for mayor, no matter how often he says he's in the business of strategic planning and communications.
Gullett says only about 10 percent of what he does is lobbying, and he isn't running away from his experience even though rival Greg Stanton has relentlessly insisted a lobbyist shouldn't be mayor.
"We provide strategic advice and help with complex communications projects, and I'm proud of that work," Gullett said.
As a small-business man who has never served on the Phoenix City Council, Gullett said his career in the private sector and in government is what Phoenix needs to grow its way out of the recession and shake up City Hall.
Building a reputation
Gullett, a native of Iowa, came 25 years ago to Phoenix, which he calls the "the land of opportunity."
In a few decades, he not only started three small businesses but became one of Arizona's top political power players.
Gullett began his career in Arizona in the 1980s working for Sen. John McCain. He became one of McCain's closest friends and served as deputy campaign manager for McCain's 2000 presidential bid. The two remain close, professionally and personally.
When Gullett was 31, he started working as chief of staff for then-Gov. Fife Symington in the early 1990s and played a key role in the governor's budget negotiations with the state Legislature.
Like today, Arizona was in a down economy.
"I learned about how hard it is to cut government," Gullett said.
As Gullett's star rose in Phoenix, so did his reputation. He became known as a brash, cigar-chomping political operative who would do whatever it took to advance his bosses' agendas.
"Gullett is one of the small but loyal band of aides who have followed McCain through his career and have made their mark with a tough-talking, hard-charging, sometimes intimidating style of politics," according to a 1999 Arizona Republic profile.
A man of strategy
Gullett, who is now 50, has become more mild-mannered with age.
"You mature as you get older, and I've learned a lot in the last 18 years," he said.
Gullett is all about numbers, details and plans.
"He's one of the smartest guys I've ever known," said former Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson. "He's very good about thinking about building coalitions and thinking about how to try to get people together and strategize."
Gullett has developed strategic plans and communications campaigns that resulted in policy initiatives that have supported education, environmental conservation and the bioscience industry downtown.
His firm, FirstStrategic Communications & Public Affairs - Hamilton, Gullett, Davis & Roman at the time - was part of the team that recruited Dr. Jeffrey Trent to bring what is now the Translational Genomics Research Institute to Phoenix. Gullett was behind the successful "Yes on 203" campaign that funds early-childhood education programs in Arizona.
FirstStrategic's clients include the Arizona Cardinals, the Nature Conservancy and the charitable foundation created by Jason Schechterle, a former Phoenix police officer who suffered burns over 40 percent of his body after a cab crashed into his car while he was on duty. Most recently, the group helped land the 2015 Super Bowl in Arizona.
"I work for some really cool people you don't read about in these mail (hit) pieces," Gullett said.
Stanton has suggested Gullett would run into conflicts of interest if the council had to vote on cases involving FirstStrategic clients.
Gullett's firm represents the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, which could chime in on city impact-fee or water-rate discussions. And the firm also helped the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon get an incentive from the city to subsidize public safety for the event.
None of that matters, Gullet said, because if he's mayor, he's going to give up ownership of the company. There won't be any conflicts of interest because he won't make any money off any vote, he said.
Moderate politics
While Gullett has been characterized as the reform candidate, calling for an end to the city's food tax, an overhaul of the pension system and more transparency at City Hall, his leadership as mayor likely will be more moderate than his campaign. Gullett has strong GOP and "tea party" support in the nonpartisan race. But in the past, he has supported Democrats such as former Gov. Janet Napolitano.
Gullett has been criticized for positioning himself as an outsider in the race. His wife worked for Mayor Phil Gordon, and he's been around the state Capitol and government throughout his career.
But aside from time as a member of the Phoenix Planning Commission, he hasn't been as much a part of the city political machine as Stanton has, Gullett said. His fundraising has relied on clients, family and friends.
"This is a very important time in Phoenix history," Gullett said. "We have the opportunity to elect new leadership that has not come from the City Council. We have the opportunity right now to make Phoenix the greatest city in America, and I can lead this city to that future."
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