Hugh O. Allen

How Hugh Helps Clients

With over 20 years of experience in external affairs and senior management, Hugh serves as an invaluable partner to his clients, driving success by generating cooperative strategies, building broad-based coalitions, and securing financial support for large multifaceted projects. He is an influential bipartisan leader in government relations, leveraging strong connections across Pennsylvania's governmental agencies, legislature, business sector, higher education community and non-profit leadership to benefit his clients. Hugh is adept at navigating change and fostering collaboration across diverse disciplines, utilizing his deep understanding of Pennsylvania public policy, procurement, regulatory environment and public financial management to shape decision-making and expand business opportunities for his clients.

Immediately prior to joining Buchanan, Hugh was the Executive Deputy Treasurer and Chief of Staff at the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, where he oversaw day-to-day operations of an independent agency with custodial responsibility for over $150 billion in public funds and an operating budget of $40 million. He successfully guided the department between Treasurers of two different parties, providing stable, non-partisan leadership, while promoting accountability and transparency. Through his extensive career, he also served as Senior Director of Commonwealth Relations with the Office of Government and Community Affairs in the President’s Center at the University of Pennsylvania, as Vice President of Government Relations at the National Constitution Center, and as Deputy Chief of Staff at the School District of Philadelphia. Through these roles, Hugh has cultivated strong relationships in the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, enhancing his ability to support clients from a wide array of industries, including financial services, cultural and educational, construction, municipal entities, and technology.

In his role at Buchanan, he deploys this wealth of experience to propel clients toward achieving their goals in a dynamic and ever-changing political landscape.

What Clients Can Expect

Clients can expect Hugh to navigate their most advanced challenges with ease, developing a thorough understanding of their business and issues, harnessing his extensive experience and bipartisan contacts, and working seamlessly as an extension of their team. Hugh’s ability to build broad-based support and his thoughtful, collaborative approach are highly regarded by stakeholders inside and outside government. His commitment to managing complexity allows clients to focus on their business and strategic goals, confident that their interests are in capable hands.

Outside the Office

Hugh enjoys reading, being outdoors, and spending time with his wife, daughters, and dog Cali.

Proof Points

• At Treasury, Hugh expanded access to Keystone Scholars universal childhood savings accounts; improved PA’s 529 College Savings Investment Plan from unrated to a gold rating; increased actuarial funding for PA’s 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan to 135%+; tripled assets and accounts in the PA ABLE savings program for people with disabilities; oversaw procurements to revamp the INVEST community and local government investment pool program; and  the unclaimed property recovery process to be timelier and more cost effective, reducing backlogs and automating payments, leading to record-breaking returns.  
• At Penn, Hugh led a broad-based statewide coalition to restore $30.4 million in public funding for the School of Veterinary Medicine; worked with manufacturers and research institutions on the development of a statewide fund to finance manufacturing research, protect intellectual property, and retain top talent in the Commonwealth; and secured capital funding and designation as a Qualified Opportunity Zone for Pennovation Works, Penn’s research commercialization campus.
• At the National Constitution Center, Hugh built a comprehensive global engagement platform and obtained funding for joint programs with the National Museums of Afghanistan and Latvia; secured $10 million in funding for infrastructure; and recruited and managed large national programs including a national democratic primary debate in 2008 between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and a national forum on civility and Democracy funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
• Some of Hugh’s previous legislative accomplishments include expanding educational access by negotiating free public transportation for 55,000 students; adopting statewide building codes consistent with Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines, allowing individuals with disabilities in managed care plans to utilize specialists as their primary care physician; and negotiating veterans memorials as part of the replacement of Veterans Stadium with Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field.