Stratecon, Inc. is a strategic planning and economics consulting firm specializing in water and other natural resources. By bringing together the disciplines of economics, finance, natural resources management, and law, we develop innovative solutions to commercial and public policy problems, and serve as advisors on water related issues. Stratecon, Inc. is unique in its ability to obtain timely information and data, conduct in-depth analysis that crosses many disciplines, and then present findings to clients in concise, effective presentations. Clients of Stratecon, Inc. include irrigation and water districts, cities, public authorities, state agencies, and the private sector.

Stratecon has worked extensively on the structuring of water transfer agreements, financial and legal arrangements, and the economic effects of public policy decisions concerning water resources. Some past consulting engagements with public agencies include a review of California’s Drought Water Bank; working with the government of New South Wales regarding Australia’s effort to privatize irrigation organizations, and various engagements on the economic, financial, legal, and political dimensions of water transactions in many western states. 

Rodney Smith, Senior Vice President, served on the negotiating team for the Imperial Irrigation District to structure and reach agreement on the IID/San Diego County Water Authority water and conservation transfer agreement for up to 200,000 acre feet per year of conserved water. As a part of these negotiations, Dr. Smith developed negotiation and legal strategy, financial valuation of alternative contract structures, quantitative risk assessment, and preparation and presentations of negotiation materials. Stratecon, Inc. remains a key advisor for the implementation of this multi-year agreement.

Stratecon, Inc. also conducts customized briefings for firms and groups who have new involvement in water rights issues or are planning to enter into potential water marketing arrangements.  These small briefings are a valued service for boards of directors, developers, water investors, and those providing capital for water projects.

In addition to consulting activities, Stratecon, Inc. publishes Water Strategist: Analysis of Water Marketing, Finance, Legislation, and Litigation. This paid circulation journal provides reporting and analysis on water marketing activity in the seventeen western states, western water rights, water transfer policy, finance, litigation, environmental and water quality issues, corporate actions, and Indian water rights. The publication was founded in 1987 and is read by general managers and chief counsel of water authorities, city water departments, regional water authorities, legislators, bond counsel, water lawyers, investment bankers, water brokers, state attorney general offices, land development companies, as well as libraries in State Supreme Courts, law schools, Congress, and public resource agencies.

Stratecon, Inc. has also published California Urban and Community Forestry, under a contract with the State of California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. This newsletter was distributed to city managers, county supervisors and legislators throughout California. It was designed and written by Stratecon, Inc. to keep public officials informed on key issues in watershed management, urban forestry economic, and resource management issues that effect urban area governments.

In 1990 - 1993 Stratecon, Inc. conducted annual conferences on western water marketing. These conferences were co-sponsored by the University of Denver School of Law, Institute for Advanced Legal Studies. These conferences brought together the key players involved in water marketing, federal contracting, Indian water rights, environmental and local economic concerns to participate in sharing their experience with making water marketing a viable strategy to meet growing water demands.

FIRM PRINCIPALS & CONSULTANTS

Rodney T. Smith, Ph.D.
Rodney T. Smith, Senior Vice President, received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago. He received his bachelor of arts in economics from the University of California at Los Angeles. He has written over fifty books and articles for academic and non-academic audiences on the economic effects of regulation, law, and constitutions, including the legislative imple­mentation of Proposition 13.

Dr. Smith has written extensively on the law, economics, and finance of water resources and water policy.  He is founding co-editor of Stratecon’s paid-circulation publication Water Strategist: Analysis of Water Marketing, Finance, Legislation.  He is also known for his books Troubled Waters: Financing Water in the West and Trading Water: A Legal Framework for Water Marketing, sponsored by the Ford Foundation through grants to the Council of Governors' Policy Advisors. In the Fall of 1992 he was appointed to the Western Governors' Association Environmental Policy Council.

Up until the Fall of 1997, Dr. Smith was also a Professor of Economics at Claremont McKenna College.  During the 1990 academic year he was Visiting Senior Research Scholar in Law and Economics at the School of Law, Columbia University.  Prior to his current professional affiliation, he was a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business, and an economist with the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, California.

Lisa Hahn
Lisa Hahn, President of Stratecon, Inc. is the publisher of Water Strategist, and manages both the publishing and consulting activities of Stratecon, Inc. In her role as publisher of Water Strategist she has built an extensive network of contacts in the water resources field both in the public and private sectors. She conducts in-depth research on behalf of the firm’s clients as well as directing all research related to the publications.

Ms. Hahn’s consulting experience is in strategic planning and marketing.  She combines her marketing and management skills with experience in design and product management of service based products. As a consultant, she has conducted marketing research, developed strategic plans and pricing strategies, and developed investor information packages for numerous new businesses. Her expertise in communications is utilized in the professional presentation and communication packages that are crucial for successful client relationships.

Prior to starting Stratecon, Inc. Ms. Hahn was Director of Strategic Planning  for CCA, a national environmental health consulting firm, Manager with Arthur Young and Co., Manager of Planning and Product Development with CNA Financial Corporation, and a Project Manager with the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, California.

She received her Masters Degree in Public Health at California State University at Northridge and a bachelors degree from the University of California at San Diego.

Contact: Lisa Hahn  (909) 981-7808 x 203

Other Staff and Consultants

Stratecon research staff work primarily in support of the publications and hold Master’s degrees in public policy, political science or other related fields. Stratecon, Inc. also has consultants in the areas of water law, water resources planning, hydrology, agri­cultural economics, and computer science. These consultants work on Stratecon, Inc. projects as needed.

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