The entire family at the Alpine Group is sad to share the news of Mr. Greg Means passing away on Sunday, February 5th. Greg was one of the founding principals of the firm and was regarded as the keeper of its ethos. The name of the firm is evidence of a founding principle embedded into its philosophy: there shouldn’t be anyone’s name on the door, it should be a “group” where clients get the benefit of everyone on the team and serves as reminder that no one member is more important than the whole.  The source of his pride in the firm was in the ongoing effort to run a successful business that thought of colleagues and clients as family .  His contributions went far beyond just the business of working with clients and running a firm and was best manifested in his mentorship of those who were blessed to collaborate with him.  He was legendary amongst his friends and clients for being the first one to call when faced with a challenge. His business acumen combined with his vision, patience, and skill helped grow the firm from its initial beginnings into one of the premier consulting firms in Washington, D.C. Anyone who worked with Greg knew they were going to get the sharpest mind combined with an ingenious and unrivaled strategic insight. He was able to make his work part of his joy and passion whether that was on behalf of the horse racing industry or talking about cement to helping both candidates and clients strategize on their politics.  He loved to laugh, and we all benefitted from his unique sense of humor that was fierce, clever, and hilarious. We all benefited from being a part of his “family” as he was the best-friend to those he cherished. As his long-time friend and colleagues would say, Greg’s loyalty to his people knew no bounds. He was the guy you would call at 3 in the morning to come over to help and he would show up without ever asking why. However, we all knew that his family came first. He was a dedicated husband and father, and he was constantly ready with a story about his time and adventures with his family. All those attributes made him a trusted colleague and friend who was in constant demand for his wisdom, insight, and ideas. 

One of his favorite statements was that a guy from a small town in Hampton, Arkansas, who had a tattoo of his home zip code on his ankle to remind him to never forget his roots, had created one of the Top 20 government relations firms in the Nation’s Capital. All of us at the firm have benefited from his friendship, talent, and drive and know we would not be where we are today without his singular presence. Our hearts are broken by the loss and our prayers are with Lisa, Julian, Patrick, and his entire family whom his entire world revolved around.