Trace George is a former Town Councilman in Java, NY, about 45 minutes outside of Buffalo. Trace was elected by his town’s voters in November, 2013 – and has a great story to tell that’s right up The Campaign Coach’s alley – because he ran for office to accomplish something specific and then got it done. For his “real” job, Trace is President and CEO of a rapidly-growing marketing and graphic design firm, VSP Graphic Group, which he founded in 1995. VSP operates out of Buffalo and West Palm Beach, but is known all around the country as a leader in creative graphic design.

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TAMEIKA ISAAC DEVINE, COUNCILMEMBER, COLUMBIA, SC Tameika Isaac Devine is a 4-term City Councilwoman from Columbia, South Carolina. Tameika was first elected the office in 2002 and was not only the first African-American woman to serve on the Council but the first African-American to win an at-large election in the history of her city. In that role, Tameika has done some amazing things including helping to establish the City's Criminal Domestic Violence Task Force, co-chairing the City's Let's Move Columbia wellness initiative and leading the Columbia Together We Can educational initiative. Those among a litany of other accomplishments and some really impactful and exciting stuff. In addition, Tameika is the founder of the Possibilities Institute which is a peak performance consulting firm that specializes in providing personal and professional development for people who are called to a life of change. And as if that's not enough. Tameika is also a partner in her own law firm, Jabber & Isaac.

Welcome to the Campaign Coach Podcast. Craig Turner is a nationally recognized political consultant who has managed campaigns for two decades. On the show, Craig interviews politicians and political experts to share how they get elected, stay elected, and make a difference… and you can too. For a free copy of Craig’s new candidate’s guide, “How to Avoid the 7 Biggest Mistakes That Can Keep You From Getting Funded, Getting Votes... And Getting Elected” go to http://www.TheCampaignCoach.com

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Guy Marlette is a former town board member in Amherst New York, just outside Buffalo. First elected to office in 2007, Guy served for eight years as town board member and deputy supervisor before he reached his term limit at the end of 2015. His bid for an Erie County Legislature seat in 2015 fell just short, polling 43% of the votes against a significant Democratic overlay. Guy's background is in the private sector. He's the owner of Alternative Information Systems in Buffalo, which provides expertise in data communications, network setup, network management for small and mid-sized companies.

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MARK GRIMM, COUNTY LEGISLATOR, ALBANY, NY

Mark Grimm is a County Legislator from Albany, New York. In November 2015, Mark won election, pulling 65% of his district while overcoming a significant enrollment disadvantage. In 2007, Mark upset two long-term incumbents to win a Town Board Seat in his home of Guilderland, New York, and actually ran for office for the first time back in 1989. In addition to serving as County Legislator, Mark is President of Mark Grimm Communications, where he helps candidates, business people, and others perfect the art of public speaking. He's a nationally renowned speaker. He's personally interviewed both President Bush and President Clinton, and he's the author of the book Everyone Can Be a Dynamic Speaker, Yes, I Mean You.

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Dr. Kevin Hardwick is the Director of Urban Studies Program at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, and Erie County Legislator, representing Buffalo's northern suburbs. Kevin's involvement in politics dates back to his senior year in high school when he was elected to a seat on the Susquehanna Valley Board of Education in the Binghamton, New York area. He served for eight years on the Binghamton City Council, twelve years as a council member in the city of Tonawanda, New York, and won re-election in 2015 for his fourth term as county legislator. Kevin also worked through his career directly for the majority leader of the New York State Senate, and hosted a weekly radio program on WBEN in Buffalo on local politics, called Hardline with Kevin Hardwick from 2005-2009.

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Mayor Tom Riel is in his third term as Mayor of Bradford, Pennsylvania. In 2015, Tom won his third consecutive election for the mayor’s office, having first been elected in 2007 after serving 2 years on the Bradford City Council, earning re-election by a five to one margin. As Mayor, Tom led an economic turnaround in his hometown, highlighted by a revitalization of Bradford central business district. Tom also serves on the executive board of the Pennsylvania State Mayors’ association, and for the Pennsylvania Municipal League Legislative Committee.

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On November 3, 2009, Kim was elected the first African-American mayor of the City of York and was sworn in as York's 24th mayor in January 2010. In 2013, Mayor Bracey was successful in her bid for re-election and is now in the middle of her second term, representing 43,000 residents and overseeing a budget of $98 million. Kim is a US Force veteran, serving our country over a decade and earning the National Defense Service Medal and the Air Force Good Conduct Medal. In her role as mayor, Kim has championed a number of successful community initiatives such as Job One Citywide Customer Service, Zero Tolerance for Blight, Community Policing and Mentor York. She is also the founding President of the York Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, a 30-year-old national organization whose mission is to develop leaders to rebuild their communities.

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James Hartman is an at-large member of the St. Tammany Republican Parish executive committee in Louisiana, and president and CEO of James Hartman and Associates, a political consultancy that has helped candidates win elections in nine states, Europe, and even Africa. James’ career in politics has involved roles with the media, as a legislative staffer, a campaign staffer, and political consultant before opening his own firm from being a reporter, to a legislative staffer, to a consultant, to running his own consultancy.

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