Holly Reed has moved on from her role as managing director of External Affairs at Dallas-based Texas Central. She has been hired by global tax services and software provider Ryan as a principal and new practice leader of the firm’s U.S. Advocacy Services practice.
Dallas-headquartered Ryan is known as the largest firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. In her position as the leader of the Advocacy Services practice, Reed will represent the firm and its clients at all levels of government.
She joins Ryan with nearly three decades of experience in government affairs, public policy, community and government relations, and communications. She has been with Texas Central since 2015, assisting in the task to build the country’s first-ever high-speed train that would connect Houston and Dallas.
In February, Texas Central was awarded a contract worth $5.9 billion to the Spanish firm Renfe to develop and operate the proposed rail service. The preliminary agreement between state-run Renfe and Texas Central for the design, construction, and running of the roughly 240-mile line details the financial aspects of the partnership. It reportedly is the largest-ever contract won by a Spanish state company outside of Spain.
But, the timetable for the 90-minute high-speed train line is uncertain after Texas Central laid off more than two dozen employees in March due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials are working to keep the train’s timetable on track, with plans expected to move forward in 2020 once the federal government approves permits and the global situation stabilizes.
It is unclear if Reed was a part of the layoffs. Dallas Innovates has reached out to Texas Central for comment.
Reed’s new role at Ryan
Ryan provides a suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multijurisdictional basis. That includes tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services.
In addition to Texas Central, Reed previously served as a regional VP at AT&T. She has executed strategic PR plans for local, state, national, and international audiences and built coalitions to increase support for such projects.
Reed is also involved in a number of community organizations: the Texas Association of Business, Texas Women’s Foundation Executive Leadership Council, Downtown Dallas Inc., Dallas Arboretum, and North Texas Commission.
In a LinkedIn post, she said she is proud to share her new role.
According to Ryan, she will lead and manage a national team at the firm, which includes service delivery advocates, attorneys, and internal and third-party lobbyists. Reed will also develop and execute short- and long-term strategies that align Ryan’s government relations vision with its business goals.
And, she will be tasked with developing public policy ideas and solutions, along with monitoring, analyzing, and preparing stakeholders on regulatory and legislative issues that might affect the firm.
“Holly’s leadership skills and proven ability to build coalitions and drive collaboration will be a tremendous asset to Ryan’s Advocacy Services practice,” Ryan President of U.S. Operations Damon Chronis said in a statement. “We are fortunate to have Holly join our team. She will be instrumental in Ryan’s government relations efforts and will service our clients well through advocacy and education on important legislative and regulatory updates that impact our clients’ business goals.”
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