Shadegg, Stephen C.

Public relations consultant.

Stephen Shadegg was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota Dec. 8, 1909 and raised in Redlands, California. As an author, publicist, campaign strategist and speech writer, he emerged as the most successful Republican campaign manager in Arizona at a time when Democrats predominated. Shadegg died of cancer April 16, 1990.

Stephen Caroyl Shadegg was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on December 8, 1909 and was raised in Redlands, California. He was a graduate of Redlands High School and attended the Pasadena Community Playhouse School of Theatre. In 1932 he moved to Arizona, where he sold insurance, began writing and producing shows for Phoenix radio stations KTAR and KOY, and married Byrnice Crist. In 1939 he was the publicity director of the Arizona Exhibit at the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay, California. Shadegg married Eugenia Kehr (1913-1988) in the same year and the couple had four children, Cynthia, Eugenia, Stephen David, and John Barden. John Shadegg served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2010.

Stephen Shadegg was president of S-K Research Laboratories, Inc., a pharmaceutical manufacturing company (1941-1977), and president of Stephen Shadegg Associates, Inc., a Phoenix advertising and public relations firm (1963-1990). Among the prominent clients he represented in public policy decisions were the Salt River Project, Phelps Dodge Corporation, and Samaritan Health Service.

As an author, publicist, campaign strategist, and speech writer, Stephen Shadegg emerged as the most successful Republican campaign manager in Arizona at a time when Democrats predominated. His career as an election strategist began in 1942 with Lon Jordan's campaign for Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. The first Arizona statewide election he masterminded was Democratic Senator Carl Hayden's 1950 re-election. Subsequently, Shadegg managed numerous Republican campaigns beginning with Senator Barry Goldwater's first campaign for the Senate in 1952 and continuing with his re-election drives in 1958, 1974, and 1980. Shadegg also served as Western Regional Director for Goldwater's run for president in 1964. Senator Goldwater described Shadegg as one of the most knowledgeable and practical men we have ever had in politics.

Shadegg managed successful campaigns for other Republican candidates, including Senator Paul Fannin, U.S. Representative Eldon Rudd, and Arizona Governor Jack Williams, who regarded Shadegg as a real innovator in political campaigns. Outside of Arizona, Shadegg served as a campaign consultant for Republican U. S. Senators Karl Mundt, Carl Curtis, Gordon Allott, Margaret Chase Smith, Henry Dvorshak, John Cooper, Clifford Case, Leverett Saltonstall, Keith Thomson, Andrew Schoeppel, Paul Laxalt, and John Tower. In all, he participated in twenty-nine national campaigns.

Shadegg served as State Chairman of the Arizona Republican Central Committee and also served as an influential member and strategist of the Republican National Committee (1960-1962). Shadegg ran for the U.S. Senate in 1962 but was defeated in the Arizona Republican primary election by Evan Mecham.

Shadegg was a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction and published nine books. His most well known non-fiction publications include Barry Goldwater: Freedom is His Flight Plan, With No Apologies, What Happened to Goldwater, Winning's a Lot More Fun, Arizona Politics, Arizona: An Adventure in Irrigation, The Phoenix Story, and How to Win an Election (which became a widely read political text). He also wrote a biography of Clare Boothe Luce, a history of Good Samaritan Hospital titled Miss Lulu's Legacy, and articles for the Episcopalian Church. In addition, Shadegg ghosted Barry Goldwater's popular How Do You Stand Sir column for the Los Angeles Times . His fictional works include a political novel, The Remnant, hundreds of articles and short stories for pulp crime, detective and general magazines under several pseudonyms (1936-1949), and screenplays for RKO Pictures (1939-1940).

Shadegg was active in civic and church affairs. He served as president of the Phoenix Community Council, the Arizona Country Club, and the Phoenix Little Theatre, where he led the efforts to construct the new playhouse as a part of the new Phoenix Civic Center. He was active in the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, the First Phoenix Growth Committee, and the Phoenix Municipal Aeronautics Commission in addition to serving as Crusade Chairman of the American Cancer Society, as Executive Secretary of the Association of Arizona of Insurance Companies, and as Maricopa County Deputy Sheriff. In recognition of his community service, the Phoenix Advertising Club named him Phoenix Man of the Year in 1951. As an Episcopalian, Shadegg served as a vestryman at Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix and on the national executive board for the Episcopal Church. He was listed in Who's Who in America, in Who's Who in the West, and in Contemporary Writers .

Shadegg was an adjunct Political Science Lecturer at Arizona State University (1981-1984) and the University published two of his books. Stephen Shadegg died of cancer on April 16, 1990.