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“Patrick McCallum is a true visionary and leader in higher education upon whom I’ve consistently relied for the past 30 years.”
Jack O’Connell,
California Superintendent of Public Education Emeritus
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Kern Community College District
“The McCallum Group is knowledgeable, connected and strategic. Always looking ahead, they help us visualize possibilities for the future while remaining pragmatic about the reality of resources available to us today. They motivate us to stretch, yet keep us focused. They remind us of the big picture, and what we should be thinking about, while also keeping us clear on specific priorities and expected outcomes.
Humble and direct, Patrick communicates with candor and helps us make the best use of our time and energy. He helps us strongly advocate our position, and also advises us when a compromise or modification might get us closer to our goal.
More importantly, McCallum Group understands both the perspective of colleges and the legislative process. Patrick and Mark know staff and legislators and work effectively within their broad scope of relationships to clear the path of obstacles and help us move strategically ahead. All the while, they promote others as change agents instead of taking credit for themselves.
I trust and respect Patrick McCallum, Mark MacDonald and The McCallum Group, and recommend them to anyone wanting to make a positive difference for their organization.”
Sandra Serrano, Chancellor
Kern Community College District
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Los Rios Community College District
“The Los Rios Community College District has worked with McCallum Group, Inc. since 2003. They assist us in three main areas:
- Connecting us with other organizations and circles of influence relevant to the California community college system
- Strategic planning and advice around statewide community college district issues
- Advocacy regarding legislation specific to Los Rios CCD
The inherent strength and sheer magnitude of California’s college system makes it very difficult for colleges to communicate and achieve consensus on issues. As a result, we don’t necessarily agree on everything. Aligning our perspectives has necessitated a long, painful process of compromises and setbacks, but Patrick has stayed the course with us through it all. Patrick’s tenacity, and the tenacity of everyone in his firm, is just incredible. Great things happen when they work on our behalf.
While there are a whole lot of people out there who can do great things in isolation, effectiveness is measured by what gets done. The McCallum Group gets things done. All the great ideas and legislation in the world have no meaning unless changes are made. With the McCallum Group, changes have been made. Regardless of the obstacles faced, Patrick and Mark have stuck with us through it all. I recommend them as often as I can.”
Brice Harris, Chancellor
Los Rios Community College District
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San Diego Community College District
“Our district needed to acquire the services of a political advocacy firm to promote our interests and protect our resources amid the continuing California budget crisis. The San Diego Community College District is an extremely large community college district, one of the largest in the nation, with tens of millions of dollars at stake. We wanted to be sure that we had effective representation, especially regarding fiscal and budget issues at the state level. Our goals were to become aligned with other urban community college districts and to pursue a common course of action. The McCallum Group is well known for its effectiveness in this regard, so we sought this affiliation.
McCallum Group is highly professional and extremely well-connected with decision-makers in Sacramento. We are pleased by our weekly conference calls and Patrick's ability to secure meetings with key members of the Legislature and Governor's staff. I enthusiastically recommend the McCallum Group to other colleges wanting to make the most of their resources in challenging times.”
Dr. Constance M. Carroll,
Chancellor
San Diego Community College District
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