With Tarini Parti

FREEMAN TO GAMING ASSOCIATION: Geoff Freeman, head of the U.S. Travel Association, is expected to join the American Gaming Association as its new CEO. The final details of the contract are still being worked out and it isn't official until the board votes Wednesday, PI has learned. As previously reported, Korn/Ferry International was the firm that led the executive search. Freeman worked to reinvigorate the travel group over the last several years, embarking on an ambitious public affairs campaign.

Freeman takes over from Frank Fahrenkopf, who has led the industry trade group since it was formed in 1995. The job, which paid Fahrenkopf $4.6 million in 2011, is considered one of the best on K Street.

MACK MOVES TO LIBERTY PARTNERS GROUP: Former Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.) has joined Liberty Partners Group as a partner and senior policy adviser in Washington, the firm announced Monday. Mack lost his Senate bid to Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) in 2012. He will be following his father, former Sen. Connie Mack III, who serves as chairman emeritus of the same firm.

IBM LEADERS TO LOBBY ON THE HILL: Nearly 200 of IBM’s senior leaders representing all 50 states will be on Capitol Hill this week to lobby on cybersecurity, STEM education and immigration issues. IBM is pushing for more work visas for high-skilled foreign workers. For more on what businesses, including IBM, are doing to gear up for the immigration fight, see Anna’s story from this weekend: http://politi.co/17dyakF

GOOD MONDAY AFTERNOON, where PI has been having trouble getting the day right. On Friday, we inadvertently scared some of our readers by writing “Thursday.” Today — Monday, April 15 — we’re on point and 100 percent sure it’s Monday. Also today, 66 years ago, Jackie Robinson made his major league debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson walked and scored a run — but had no hits. Send your lobbying and campaign finance news, gossip, tips, scoops and opinions about whether Nats fans should panic to btau@politico.com or apalmer@politico.com. And follow us on Twitter at @ByronTau and @apalmerdc. Tarini is at tparti@politico.com or on Twitter at @tparti.

PEGCC NOMINATED FOR PR AWARDS:  The Private Equity Growth Capital Council in partnership with The Glover Park Group has received award nominations for their 2012 public relations campaign — “Private Equity at Work: Defending an Industry in the Crosshairs of a Billion-Dollar Presidential Campaign.” The campaign is a finalist for a PRSA Silver Anvil and a SABRE Award. It also received an honorable mention from the Bulldog Media Relations Awards. PEGCC’s contributors include Ken Spain, vice president of public affairs, Noah Theran, communications director, and Chris Krueger, grassroots director. The Glover Park Group’s team was led by Joe Caruso with Ray Conger and Hilary Richards contributing.

EXXON HIRES CAPITOL HILL CONSULTING: Exxon Mobil has signed with Capitol Hill Consulting Group to lobby on energy, environment and tax issues. Josh Kardon and Jack Victory will be lobbying on behalf of Exxon, which already had several firms including Avenue Solutions, DCI Group, ML Strategies,The Nickles Group and The Ingram Group on retainer. The oil giant spent nearly $13 million on lobbying in 2012.

GOLDEN TO JOIN VANGUARD GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS: Jerry Golden will take the reins at Vanguard's government affairs shop, the investment management firm announced Friday. Vanguard's lobbying shop is focused on tax reform, retirement issues and financial services issues. Golden comes to Vanguard from Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, where he served as associate vice president for government relations.

GOLF LOBBY HOSTS FLY-IN: We Are Golf, a coalition of golf interests, is hosting a fly-in Tuesday. Club Managers Association of America, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, National Golf Course Owners Association, PGA of America, PGA Tour and the World Golf Foundation are all participating in the event. Pete Bevacqua, CEO, PGA of America; Peter Broome, chairman of United States Golf Manufacturers Council; Rhett Evans, CEO of GCSAA; Michael Hughes, CEO of NGCOA; and Steve Mona, CEO of World Golf Foundation, will all attend events on the Hill.

VAN HOLLEN, ISRAEL, CUELLAR ALL PAID UP: According to a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee dues sheet distributed on Capitol Hill last week, three Democratic members are fully paid up already. Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Steve Israel (N.Y.) and Chris Van Hollen (Md.) have paid 100 percent of their DCCC dues already. Cuellar and Van Hollen have paid their $300K dues, while Israel — chairman of DCCC — has given $450K.

99 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL: Actually, it's 13,000 labels of beer on display inside the Beltway this week as 700 beer distributors from across the country are in town. The group — here as part of the National Beer Wholesalers Association's annual fly-in — are talking economic and commercial contributions they make in every congressional district. Greeting them at DCA when they land are these ads: http://twitpic.com/cjb7pp

BEVERAGE INDUSTRY TO QUENCH YOUR THIRST: More than 150 reps from the non-alcoholic refreshment beverage industry are in town April 16 to 18 for the American Beverage Association's annual fly-in. Reps from Dr Pepper, Snapple Group, PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, SunnyD, Nestle Waters and bottlers and distributors are in town to educate lawmakers and staff on the importance of the industry and issues they're concerned about. Guests of the ABA "Beverage Bash" Wednesday in Hart SOB are also invited to quench their thirst with traditional soda pop favorites, try some new products and beat the heat with ice cream floats.

MURPHY TO BE FETED BY YOUNG PROFESSIONAL CROWD: Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) — the youngest sitting member of Congress — will be feted at a young professionals fundraiser next week. The April 24 event will cost $30 at the door for Beltway professionals under 30. Confirmed hosts, guests and co-sponsors include Achim Bergmann from Bergmann Zwerdling Direct and president of Southwest Communication Strategies, Eric Johnson from Rep. Murphy's office, Gabriel Schillinger of Buy It Mobility Networks, Marilyn Rudne of M.R. Publishing, entrepreneur Joel Diamond and management consultant Ryan Houston. Grant Dubler, a law student, is organizing the event and will attend. Rep. Murphy is also expected to attend. Invite here: http://bit.ly/ZspH9H

SCHERB JUMPS TO COMMON CAUSE: Public Campaign's Aaron Scherb has joined the watchdog group Common Cause as director of legislative affairs. He replaces Sarah Dufendach, who left for a position in the government affairs shop at the University of Maryland.

VOTE FOR POLITICO — POLITICO has been nominated for a Webby Award in the politics category. Readers can vote for us in the People's Voice Award here: http://bit.ly/10PaHUT. Voting ends April 25.

ELSEWHERE IN THE INFLUENCE WORLD:

The pro-Clinton super PAC Ready for Hillary is gaining legitimacy, report Michael Falcone and Rick Klein of ABC News. http://abcn.ws/YX1gVl

Noam Scheiber of The New Republic looks into how former Obama staffers are making money through their own firms. http://on.tnr.com/11eYwC2

A growing number of top GOP donors are becoming supportive of a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants, reports the Associated Press. http://wapo.st/17c6pc7

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) ended the first quarter of the year with $3.23 million in his campaign fund, reports Natasha Korecki of The Chicago Sun-Times. http://bit.ly/17Bxngc

NEW POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS:

Transformation of District Six Committee of San Francisco, Calif. — Treasurer: Malinka Tacuma Wade Moye (PAC)

NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS: (Firm: Client)

ADP Tax Credits: ADP Tax Credits

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP: Fort Sill Apache Tribe        

Capitol Alliance Consulting LLC: Western Municipal Water District             

Capitol Hill Consulting Group: ExxonMobil           

Denny Miller Associates: National Children's Center Foundation               

East End Group LLC: Astellas Pharma US Inc.       

East End Group LLC: Forest Laboratories Inc.

Holland & Knight LLP: International Group of P&I Clubs

Holland & Knight LLP: Pit River Tribe       

Manchester Maritime Associates LLC: Port Manatee      

McConnell Valdes PLLC: City of Arecibo                

Patton Boggs LLP: Coalition for Excellence in Medication Monitoring       

Peck Madigan Jones: FWD.us    

Republic Consulting LLC: MAG Industrial Automation Systems   

Sixkiller Consulting LLC: Muckleshoot Indian Tribe            

The Charles Group LLC: Westport Pharmaceuticals LLC  

The Cormac Group: American Capitol Group, LLC             

The Cormac Group: CHS-Clinical Campus LLC      

The Cormac Group: EdPlus Holdings LLC               

The Washington Tax Group: LIFT America Coalition         

Tiber Creek Health Strategies, Inc.: Peck Madigan Jones (On behalf of FWD.us)

Van Ness Feldman: NANA Regional Corporation               

Vectis Strategies: Biosynthetic Technologies