National politics news publication The Hill has released its annual list of top lobbyists. Among the people honored are National Confectioners Association (NCA)’s John Downs and Brian McKeon.

The editors charged with releasing the list of top lobbyists reportedly had to comb through more than 1,800 nominations to come up with the individuals who made the most significant impacts on policy for corporations, small businesses, local governments, nonprofits, unions, or (as in the case of the NCA honorees) trade associations.

“The lobbyists on this list represent the industry’s savviest, most influential and well-connected advocates across Capitol Hill,” according to The Hill report. “The honorees span veterans and up-and-comers, retired military officials and academics, former lawmakers and staffers, and are intended to reflect the wide ranges of experiences and backgrounds of the city’s most influential K Street forces.”

The list sorts the winning lobbyists into a number of categories:

• Corporate, with organizations represented including FedEx, 7-Eleven, Google, UPS, Visa, and others
• Associations, such as the American Medical Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Health & Fitness Association, and more
• “Hired guns,” representing entities like OGR, Federal Hall Policy Advisors, Ballard Partners, and others
• Grassroots, covering the National Resources Defense Council, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, National Head Start Association, and more

View The Hill’s complete list here.

Related: NCSA elects members to board of directors