Blockchain Association hires two new executives to lead policy and government relations

The Blockchain Association has announced the hiring of Dave Grimaldi and Jake Chervinsky, respectively, as heads of government relations and policy.

A trade association with membership spanning from DeFi development foundations to major crypto exchanges, the Blockchain Association is a major force in crypto’s lobbying efforts in Washington, DC, which have greatly expanded over the past year.

Grimaldi comes from Interactive Advertising Bureau, a marketing firm with a lobbying wing focused on digital technologies. Previously, he worked as counsel for Congressman Jim Clyburn and as a staffer at the Federal Communications Commission.

Chervinsky stepped down as general counsel for DeFi lending protocol Compound at the beginning of October. He is also a strategic advisor for Gro Protocol and Variant Fund. In a tweet from two days ago, he cautioned investors that most projects in crypto, including DeFi assets and NFTs, fail, long-term:

Alongside a rise in the crypto industry’s interest in the U.S. federal government, the Blockchain Association has seen both its staff and membership grow at a rapid clip.