850 Business Magazine – Cissy Proctor, Tallahassee

Cissy Proctor was 10 years into her law career when she realized she was ready for a change.

Proctor had been practicing law for Bryant Miller Olive, a Tallahassee practice, when politics piqued her interest.

“At the firm, a lot of my co-workers had been in state services, or had worked for government offices or for cities or counties, and they always sounded excited when they talked about it,” said Proctor, who grew up in Tallahassee. “I was like, ‘I want that!’ I figured my background in law was a good base for politics, and I went for it.”

Indeed, Proctor ended up serving at the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) under former Florida Governor Rick Scott, where she spent six years working her way up the ladder as deputy legislative affairs director, director of strategic business development, chief of staff and, eventually, executive director.

There, Proctor focused her efforts on helping companies grow and prosper in the state as well as supporting strategic initiatives for entities such as Visit Florida, Space Florida and Enterprise Florida.

When Scott’s second term ended in 2019, Proctor didn’t stay idle long. She soon opened the Tallahassee branch of the consulting firm LSN Partners and has spent the past five years facilitating government relations for companies in Republican states across the nation.

Proctor said LSN Partners’ clients encompass organizations across all industries that conduct business with city, county and state agencies, including disaster recovery and emergency management services.

“With my experience in working for and running an agency, I can help our clients understand how they work, how they think and what they will or will not do,” Proctor said. “Whatever state they’re looking to get into, we work side by side with them to make those introductions, help them understand how these processes work and advise them how to best grow.”

When she’s not at work, Proctor can be found traveling the country with her husband, Stewart Proctor, in pursuit of live music and new scenery. She is particularly excited about an upcoming trip to see Stevie Nicks in Greenville, South Carolina, and retreat to the mountains for some quality time.

Proctor is a proponent of public service and volunteerism. Outside of her job, she is a board member for Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and a trustee at the state embassy of Florida, the Florida House on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C.

“At the DEO, I liked working on behalf of Floridians and businesses to grow the state,” she said. “Now, that’s sort of flipped on its head, and I get to help from the private sector side. Helping businesses flourish, whether they’re looking to expand into a new area or they’re just starting out, is a fun part of what I do.”