Peter Dugas, Vice President, Government Relations

In his role as Vice President of Government Relations for Perennial Strategy Group (PSG), Mr. Dugas provides his clients with executive experience in government affairs, public relations, grassroots development and political affairs. He has a proven ability to develop and implement legislative strategies with expertise in appropriations, financial services, small business, economic and community development, government contracting, disaster preparedness, grant making and Federal regulations. Before joining PSG, Mr. Dugas served at the U.S. Department of the Treasury as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Legislative Affairs. In that capacity he negotiated the Department’s budget request before Congress, shepherded White House nominations through the U.S. Senate confirmation process, as well as providing policy and administrative guidance on the implementation of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Dugas worked at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund as the Manager of Public and Legislative Affairs (PLA). In that role Mr. Dugas served as communications director and as legislative liaison for the CDFI Fund’s public policy and regulatory agenda before the Congress. He has expertise in the application process, management, and funding of community based financial institutions through the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Program, Native Initiatives (NACA), the Bank Enterprise Award (BEA) Program, and he provides clients with a unique understanding of the allocation of tax credits through the New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC).

Mr. Dugas has also held senior positions with the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Small Business Administration. At the U.S. Department of Labor Mr. Dugas was responsible for negotiating the Department’s appropriations request, preparing witnesses for testimony before Congress, and providing legislative strategy for the implementation of government affairs and regulatory activities for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Employment Standards Administration (ESA), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICPA), Office of Small Business, and International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB).

While at the U.S. Small Business Administration, he served as Special Assistant to the Administrator and as Senior Advisor in the Office of Legislative Affairs. Mr. Dugas was SBA’s liaison to the Hill where he was responsible for legislative issues before Congress related to the 7(a), 8(a), International Trade, Small Business Investment Company (SBIC), and government contracting programs. He also helped to build and maintain SBA’s relationship with small business coalitions and chambers of commerce.

A native of New Iberia, LA, Mr. Dugas is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a B.S. in International Trade and Finance.