Protection patrol

State representative-turned-lobbyist Jerry Paul has a nice backup plan if his passion for public policy and civics ever wanes.

Turns out he's an accomplished nuclear engineer. So accomplished that President George W. Bush appointed Paul principal deputy administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy in 2004. With a post-baccalaureate degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Florida, in addition to a law degree, Paul oversaw the agency's nuclear nonproliferation programs.

But Paul, whose state House district included parts of Charlotte, Lee and Sarasota counties, has no intentions to diverge from his current mission at Tallahassee-based Capitol Access, a firm he founded in 2006. Paul is actually expanding the reach of the firm, which also includes lobbyist Rob Shave, who has done work for clients mostly based in Charlotte County. “When we see the scope of what government can do to small businesses,” says Paul, “we think what we do matters.”