John Baas brings nearly four decades of relationships and invaluable institutional experience to the team. Prior to his career in government relations, Mr. Baas spent twenty years in various senior management roles in the manufacturing industry at facilities across Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. 

John began working at the Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA) in 1992 as the Director of Industrial Relations. In 2008, he was promoted to Director of Government Affairs. John’s lobbying and work with state legislators and Congressional delegation greatly impacted the business regulatory environment across the state. Throughout his career, he was instrumental in guiding transformative reform legislation in tort reform, workers compensation, inventory tax credits, establishment of the Workforce Enhancement Training Fund, maintaining right-to-work laws, franchise tax phase out, lowering unemployment insurance premiums, and many other important legislative victories.

John would go on to serve as staff liaison for the MMA Government Affairs Committee and MMA Political Action Committee where he kept members apprised of current legislative happenings while also directing strategic contributions on behalf of the industry. In this capacity, Baas was instrumental in helping pro-business conservative candidates be elected to the Mississippi Legislature, ultimately leading the coalition which elected Mississippi’s first Republican majorities in 2011.

He was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to serve on the Mississippi Personnel Board from 2008-2010.

He and his wife Sandy have three children and four grandchildren. In his free time, John enjoys furniture restoration, cooking, gardening, fishing and playing guitar. He collects antique tools, fishing tackle and pocket knives.

Why Did You Choose Lobbying?

Lobbying gave me the opportunity to educate lawmakers on the policies that affected the manufacturing industry where I had spent the first twenty years of my career.

Practice Areas (Specialties)

• Legislative monitoring 
• Employer relations

If I weren’t a Lobbyist I would be…

A traveling country music performer