Conor Fennessy
Managing DirectorConor is a seasoned public affairs & government relations executive with over 25 years of experience at both State and Federal levels. He regularly engages on a wide cross-section of issues, with special emphasis on energy, housing / land use, education, gig-economy, supply chain, and economic development policy.
Served ten years as the head of legislative, policy, and political affairs for a major New Jersey real estate trade association
Senior staff member to Governor Donald DiFrancesco
Worked for two governors, an assembly speaker, and two senate presidents since returning to New Jersey in 1997
Served on Governor Corzine’s Housing Policy Task Force 2007-2008, and has been quoted in the Washington Post, Bergen Record, Newark Star-Ledger, NJBIZ, and UNITS Magazine on housing issues
Participated in panel discussions hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NJ State League of Municipalities, New Jersey Future, American Planning Association – NJ Chapter, NJ State Bar Association, International Council of Shopping Centers, and the NJ Attorney General’s Office, Division on Civil Rights
Spent two years in Washington, D.C., as a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill
Read Full BioMercury is home to more than one hundred experts that collaborate on local and global high-stakes challenges.
see expertsConor G. Fennessy serves as a Managing Director in Mercury’s New Jersey offices. He has worked in politics and government for over twenty-five years and has been recognized by InsiderNJ as one of New Jersey’s Top 100 Policymakers.
Conor’s clients have included some of New Jersey’s largest corporations, higher education institutions, gig economy companies & apps, real estate developers, commercial property owners, trade associations, and supply chain management organizations. He regularly counsels clients in areas of government relations, public affairs, coalition building, and strategic planning.
Prior to joining Mercury, Conor served for 11 years as the head of legislative, policy and political affairs for a major New Jersey real estate trade association. At the State House in Trenton, he has worked for two governors, an Assembly Speaker, and two Senate Presidents. Early in his career, he spent two years in Washington, D.C., as a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill.
He has managed successful lobbying and public affairs campaigns to defeat numerous State and local legislative, regulatory, and policy initiatives which would have created unsustainable compliance and paperwork burdens, increased costs of construction, and dissuaded long-term investment in commercial real estate.
Conor served on Gov. Corzine’s Housing Policy Task Force (2007-08), and Gov. Christie’s NJ-HMFA’s post- Superstorm Sandy flood insurance reform task force (2013-2014).
Additionally, he has participated on various panel discussions and policy forums hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NJ State League of Municipalities, New Jersey Future, American Planning Association – NJ Chapter, NJ State Bar Association, NJ Apartment Association, NJ Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency, International Council of Shopping Centers, Institute of Real Estate Management, and the NJ Dept. of Law & Public Safety, Division on Civil Rights.
A veteran of numerous political campaigns, Conor has served in senior staff capacities in U.S. House, U.S. Senate, NJ State Senate, and NJ General Assembly races. He has also taught political fundraising techniques and best practices to state and national trade associations.
Conor received his BA in Political Science from Bates College, Lewiston, Maine, where he played both ice hockey and lacrosse (Division III). A native of Bergen County, he currently resides in Pennington, Mercer County, with his wife and two children.