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Sharon Caldwell has had nearly 25 years of political, campaign and campaign management experience. Taking a temporary leave of absence from college studies, Caldwell began her political management career serving as Oklahoma County Field Director for Senator Don Nickles. During that campaign, election results in that county were instrumental in Nickles' long-shot bid to become the youngest member of the U.S. Senate. Following the campaign, and prior to finishing her B.A. Degree, she assisted in the organization of Nickles' Washington, D.C., Senate office.
In 1981, Caldwell was asked to serve as a Fieldman for the College Republican National Committee, training Republican activists in grassroots political operations. Once that assignment was complete, Caldwell was recruited by Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate Tom Daxon to head his central Oklahoma field operations. She led an organizational effort that resulted in a model grassroots campaign in her geographical area. Because of her successful campaign experience, Caldwell was asked by Congressman Mickey Edwards to manage his 1984 reelection campaign.
Named Political Director of the Oklahoma Republican Party in 1984, Caldwell modernized GOP political operations in the state. A massive voter list development program was undertaken for the first time on a statewide level. The successful completion of the first comprehensive voter list enabled Caldwell to create state of the art voter contact programs. These innovative systems developed during her tenure resulted in GOP voter gains in two consecutive election cycles. Caldwell's efforts also led to the recruitment of a record number of GOP candidates -- which helped set the stage for a surge in GOP election victories that began to culminate in the early 1990s as the GOP began a move to political dominance in the Sooner state.
Candidate training programs, as well as the voter contact programs developed during her tenure, serve as the basis and model for similar programs nearly two decades later. Caldwell began the consulting phase of her political career while still with the state party, as she provided tactical, organizational and strategic advice to several dozen legislative and secondary state races, as well as to the GOP candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and Corporation Commission during the 1986 and 1988 cycles.
In 1989, Caldwell co-founded Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates, Oklahoma's premier political consulting firm. Anchoring the firm's consulting practice, she led CHS as it was positioned to being named one of the 20 best Republican consulting firms in the country in 1994.
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Caldwell's expertise is used to oversee campaign organization and management. Some of the services she provides to clients include: campaign organization, campaign strategic and tactical planning, budgeting, finance planning, staffing and voter ID and contact programs. Caldwell's typical consulting responsibilities also include voter targeting, message development, media supervision and setting timetables and execution of all campaign direct mail, phone and other persuasion programs. Generally, Caldwell is responsible for staff recruitment, selection, training and direction. Working with campaign managers, she has close and frequent contact with candidates and participates in all campaign critical decisions.
Caldwell has written extensively on campaign organization including in the respected Campaign and Elections magazine. As a sought after instructor and speaker, she has led and participated in innumerable candidate training schools. In Oklahoma, Caldwell has worked in candidate recruitment, selection and training in every campaign cycle since 1984. In 1998, 2000 and 2002, she was credited with being instrumental in Republican legislative growth that has led Oklahoma to a competitive two-party state position. Caldwell has trained and mentored virtually all senior Republican campaign operatives and political consultants now active in Oklahoma, many of whom still frequently call for advice.
Caldwell has been the lead consultant in a number of consecutive successful campaigns for city and countywide sales tax and bond issues. Leading the nationally watched campaigns for the Oklahoma City MAPS Extension Campaign, MAPS for Kids and passage of the first successful Oklahoma City Schools bond issue in over a decade, Caldwell has been credited as the critical element in these closely contested campaigns.
Recognized for her organizational talents and understanding of election procedures and laws, Caldwell was asked to assist the Bush 2000 campaign in its successful 2000 Presidential Election Recount in Broward County, Florida.
Perhaps the most compelling professional achievement of Sharon Caldwell's career is the fact that campaigns in which she has been involved have had an astonishing victory rate during a span of 23 years. Campaigns in which she served as the lead political consultant have achieved a victory rate of more than 90%.
Caldwell is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma. She is married to former State Representative Tony Caldwell, with whom she has two children.
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Pat McFerron serves as a senior political consultant and lobbyist for CMA Strategies. He is CMA's point person for developing convincing and effective messaging strategies for client issues and campaigns. Pat co-founded CMA Strategies with partner Sharon Caldwell after CHS & Associates president and partner Tom Cole was elected to the United States Congress. CMA continues the same tradition of expert legislative consulting and winning political strategy development.
In addition to his duties with CMA, Pat McFerron is Director of Survey Research for Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates. He is responsible for survey design and analysis for political and commercial campaigns.
While at CHS, McFerron has conducted polling for numerous campaigns for Governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, statewide secondary offices and state legislative seats throughout the United States . McFerron has served as the pollster and strategic advisor or consultant for a number of statewide initiatives, including the nationally watched and recognized Oklahoma 's Right to Work campaign and Oklahoma City 's MAPS for Kids election.
McFerron began his career in politics when he was recruited by Martin Garber, Chief of Government Relations for Phillips Petroleum Company. McFerron worked as a lobbyist and legislative assistant for Phillips, both at corporate headquarters and in Washington , DC , from 1990-1992. He worked actively with the Oklahoma Congressional delegation and the Oklahoma Legislature, earning the respect of members of both political parties for his keen insight and judgment about political issues and politics.
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In 1993, McFerron organized and led a statewide effort in Oklahoma to oppose the BTU tax while serving as a spokesman for Oklahomans for Affordable Energy. McFerron was responsible for recruiting, training and motivating a large group of previously inactive political volunteers. Operating within a tiny budget, McFerron mobilized a huge earned media campaign, which led to widespread opposition to the tax. Coordinating and directing the media campaign, McFerron was able to claim his first large-scale political victory when the tax was soundly defeated. The grassroots effort gave Oklahoma's federal delegation members the political cover they needed to vote against the President.
CHS partner Tom Cole, recognizing McFerron's abilities and talents, persuaded him to leave the corporate world and join CHS in 1993. Initially serving as the Director of the Communications Center , McFerron oversaw that operation as it developed from a semi-automated 12-seat facility to the world class political and corporate marketing operation it is today.
A key factor in McFerron's political judgment is his experience in the political trenches. Like Tom Cole, McFerron has managed county and state legislative races, and has served as a consultant in Congressional, U.S. Senate, statewide office and issue campaigns.
A William Randolph Hearst Scholar, McFerron was graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University , where he served as President of the Student Government Association. He has studied at the graduate level at The American University in Washington , D.C.
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Laurie joined CMA Strategies in 2007. As Director of Government Relations, she advocates on behalf of CMA clients at the State Capitol, monitors legislative progress and provides clients with timely, relevant information.
Spies began her career in politics 12 years ago when she built a grassroots campaign amassing huge numbers of volunteers which led to a virtually unknown challenger defeating a 16-year incumbent state senator.
Her success in the political arena led her to leave the teaching profession and work at the State Capitol. During her six years as a State Senate staff member, Spies worked to craft public policy agendas, served as spokesperson on a variety of issues and developed a non-partisan council of leaders who met monthly to discuss important policy issues including workers compensation, civil justice, economic development and transportation.
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Spies has also played integral roles in both congressional and statewide campaigns, serving in a variety of capacities ranging from fundraising to press relations and organizational development.
Spies has also taken her public relations skills to the private sector, having served as Director of Public and Community Relations for Oklahoma City's AAA baseball team and as Director of Executive Relations at Giant Partners, a firm specializing in business strategy development.
Spies' political and professional work has garnered her statewide contacts and strong relationships with members of the Oklahoma Legislature. She has a clear understanding of the political process and the best methods of representing clients before elected leaders.
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