Rachel A. Emmons, D.M.A.
Government and Public Sector – Appropriations and Public PolicyMs. Emmons is a government relations and public affairs specialist for Capitol Pacific Group, with expertise in the federal legislative process. In addition to her work with Capitol Pacific Group, Ms. Emmons currently serves as principal of the Greystone Group, an elite firm she joined in 1994. Emmons handles appropriations and public policy issues for educational and other non-profit organizations.
The firm's legislative and policy initiatives have included educational media, community economic development, communications, aerospace, energy, environment, federal employee and government reform issues, and agricultural diversification. Greystone Group has been successful in securing federal funding for construction projects, basic and applied research, education initiatives, aviation, energy, parks, and telecommunications projects. Public affairs and policy initiatives have included strategic planning for clients who have an interest in advancing a particular issue, clarifying a position, or defining an organizational profile.
Emmons has successfully represented: Sesame Workshop; WETA; University of North Dakota; American Indian Higher Education Consortium; Prairie Public Broadcasting; Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation; Bismarck State College; South Dakota Symphony; Praxis Strategy Group; Turtle Mountain Community College; Minot State University; and the National Council of Social Security Management Associations, Inc.
Emmons received a Bachelor of Music from Iowa State University. She received her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
Rachel has served as president of the National Capital Region Mustang Club (NCRMC), a 450-member not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Ford Mustang and Shelby automobiles. Emmons also serves as a volunteer and contributor to several non-profit organizations.
Ray Mock
Government and Public Sector – Legislative DirectorRay Mock is a government relations and public affairs specialist for Capitol Pacific Group. Ray has more than 20 years of experience on Capitol Hill and as a government relations professional. Ray served as Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to former Congressman Ron Packard. Additionally Ray served stints on the House Appropriations Committee and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation.
Ray brings understanding and expertise in the authorizing, appropriations and budget processes as well as long standing relationships with House and Senate Leaders, key committee members and staff.
Ray's portfolio of clients have included Crestview Aerospace, Safety Messenger, General Dynamics, General Atomics, Trex Enterprises, El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, Santa Rosa (FL) County, the Dredging Contractors of America, ADCS, Inc, Aerostructures Corp., Science and Applied Technologies, Magtube and others.
Michael Shapiro
Sports Sector – DirectorMichael Shapiro is a veteran of over 25 years in the sports and entertainment industries, having served roles in: sports team management, television production and administration, new media production and rights acquisitions, marketing, athlete representation, consulting and golf course management. Mike has worked in a wide range of professional sports including baseball, golf, basketball and hockey. Over his career, Mike served as a senior executive, legal counsel, managing principal of his own consulting firm and media producer for prestigious organizations such as the San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, Turner Sports (Atlanta Braves and Hawks) and Nike.
Mike began his career as Vice President and General Counsel of the San Francisco Giants where he oversaw several administrative departments including, legal, human resources, broadcasting and business development. As a member of the Giants' senior management team, Mike participated in the negotiations, planning and political campaigns on four separate attempts for a new ballpark for the Giants.
Following the sale of the Giants in 1993, Mike became Senior Counsel to the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers along with representing the Omni Arena in Atlanta. In this position he oversaw the legal affairs of the Turner sports teams, the sports television division (Turner Sports) and the sports facilities. In 1995 Mike was promoted to Vice President of Business Affairs and Administration for Turner Sports where he managed the department's administrative divisions (legal, human resources, finance and public relations), negotiated the purchase and sale of telecast rights to such anchor properties as the NBA, NFL, PGA Tour, PGA of America, NASCAR and MLB. He oversaw the administration of the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia and the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York City.
In 1998 Mike went to Nike to serve as the Tiger Woods Brand Manager. In this role, he managed the Tiger/Nike relationship and extended the joint brand into video games (EA Sports – “Tiger Woods Tour"), made-for-TV events and Asian market sales.
Mike subsequently returned to the Bay Area as Vice President of Programming for Quokka Sports, a digital sports entertainment company partially owned by NBC Sports. With Quokka Mike became intimately involved with the burgeoning television/new media convergence movement and had the opportunity to address the United Nations on this cutting edge change in media and communications. In partnership with NBC Sports, Mike oversaw production of the 2000 U.S. Open and President's Cup (golf).
Following the negotiation for the purchase of Golf.com, Mike served as the web site's General Manager. Mike then founded a sports consultancy, Centerfield Management Group, representing such clients as Tollin-Robbins Productions (sports television business planning), NBC Sports (new media strategies), Frank McCourt (acquisition of the Los Angeles Dodgers), Las Vegas/Clark County (relocation of the Montreal Expos) and the Lerner Family (acquisition of the Washington Nationals).
Upon the successful negotiation of the Lerner Family's purchase of the Nationals in 2006, Mike was named the team's Senior Vice President for Business Affairs where he assisted in the foundation of a new MLB franchise in Washington, DC, represented the team's interests in the construction of a new stadium, negotiated and managed the mass offered by Pope Benedict XVI at Nationals Park and oversaw several internal business operations such as the team's Florida Operations, their Enterprises business unit and their relationship with MLB.
Robert Spoer
Technology Sector – Managing DirectorMr. Spoer is a Managing Director for Capitol Pacific Group and brings a background in technology, executive recruitment and government relations. He has worked with multiple leading technology firms, including LinkedIn, Trimble Navigation and Bloom Energy. Bob joins Capitol Pacific Group from Trimble Navigation Ltd., the leading supplier of commercial GPS technology, where he headed global staffing and talent acquisition. Bob joined Trimble in 2001 and during his tenure the company grew in revenue nearly four-fold to $1.4 billion, to become one of the 500 largest manufacturing companies in the US. Subsequent to Trimble, Bob became an expert advisor and consultant to LinkedIn. He is currently a consultant to Bloom Energy, a Silicon Valley-based leader in green energy technology.
Bob has worked in the technology industry and the executive search field for more than 25 years. He started his career with Spencer Stuart in Hong Kong and then he settled in Silicon Valley and led corporate development efforts for 3 successful IPOs. He was a pioneer in the field of recruiting process outsourcing (RPO) as a founder and General Manager of Mindfinders, whose clients included some of the world's most prominent high technology companies, including Apple, Cisco, Dell, Google and Oracle. Bob's government and public affairs experience includes staff positions for US Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ); voting member of New York City's Community Board #9 serving Harlem and Morningside Heights; appointed by City Council Borough President, Andrew Stein; Public Relations representative for the American Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong; and advisor to Cornell University involving innovative business-labor sponsored career planning programs. Bob earned a B.A. in political science and urban planning from Columbia University.
