Senator Cal Hobson - 38th President Pro Tempore
by Mike Wimmer
Cal Hobson was born March 30, 1945. Hobson was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate District 16 in 1990. He was also a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for twelve years, 1978-1990. Senator Hobson became President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate in January 2003.
Senator Hobson graduated as Valedictorian from Lexington High School and received a BA degree from the University of Oklahoma. He has also completed all course work for a Master’s degree in Political Science.
Senator Hobson retired from the Oklahoma Air National Guard in 1999 with the rank of Colonel. During his military service, he graduated with highest honors from Air War College, the senior service school for the U.S. Air Force. He was also awarded three Air Force Commendation Medals, two Meritorious Service Medals, the Oklahoma National Guard’s Distinguished Service Medal, and an Army Commendation Medal.
Senator Cal Hobson lives in Lexington, Oklahoma, with his wife Elaine. They have three children, Matt, Jack and Aubrey.
Senator Cal Hobson - 38th President Pro Tempore by Mike Wimmer was dedicated on February 24, 2003. The commission was managed by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc. His portrait is located inside the Oklahoma State Senate Chamber on the fourth floor of the Oklahoma State Capitol and can be viewed daily from 8:30-5:30 when the Senate is not in session.
The Artist
Born
and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Mike Wimmer began his career as
an artist during the seventh grade. He earned his B.F.A. from the University
of Oklahoma, where he met Don Ivan Punchatz. Wimmer later moved to
Arlington, Texas to be Punchatz apprentice at Punchatz famous Sketch
Pad Studio. Wimmer learned valuable knowledge regarding the
business aspect of illustrating as well as various painting techniques
and the working methods of the local Dallas illustrators. After his two and a half year apprenticeship, he moved back to Norman, Oklahoma and
set up his own studio using all that he had learned in Texas. Since
then Wimmer has become very successful illustrating children’s
books such as “Flight: The Journey of Charles Lindbergh” by
Robert Burliegh which was the winner of
the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children in 1990. He also illustrated “All the Places to Love” by Patricia MacLachlan which
was published in 1994 and won the Oklahoma Book Award
for Best Illustrated Children’s Book 1995. Wimmer’s latest
book, “Will Rogers” by Former Governor Frank Keating, was
published in 2002 and has won the 2003 Spur Award from the Western
Writers Association of America. Even though Wimmer has worked for some
of the largest corporations in the world including Disney and Procter
and Gamble, Wimmer finds the greatest artistic pleasure within his
creation of fine art.