Jim Howe has been hired as director of government relations for USEC Inc. Howe served as deputy assistant secretary for legislative affairs at the Department of Homeland Security.

Melika Carroll, director of government affairs at Micron Technologies Inc. for the past three years, has jumped to Hewlett-Packard. Carroll is now executive director of global public policy at the tech company.

H. Malloy McDaniel has been named a principal at Blank Rome Government Relations LLC. McDaniel was a policy adviser to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky).

Gary Palmquist has been hired as a member of Thorn Run Partners. Palmquist previously served as a House lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Business.

Mary C. Cronin has been hired as a senior legislative associate at Smith Dawson & Andrews, a lobbying and public affairs firm. She was executive director of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition, a regional advocacy group.