ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND APPRECIATION

If it were not for Debra Englander, my editor, you would not be holding these ideas and this book in your hands or seeing it on your screen. I’m often loquacious. She is often terse. She has extended professional experience I don’t have. I have extended professional experience she doesn’t have. We found ways to work with, draw on, and respect each other’s skills. In all our back-and-forths from concept to book proposal to delivering the completed manuscript to the publisher we never had the tensions that can often surface in such efforts. I’ll always be grateful to her for being a total pro. And we’ve already begun our next book project together. How’s that for a testimonial?

The team at AMACOM has been wonderful to work with. My senior editor, Tim Burgard, embraced the concepts in this book and patiently listened to my concerns over the title and jacket design, and along the way, taught me the finer points of the publishing process.

My virtual support team of professionals has been essential to getting this project together and to fruition. Numerous people served in different roles and at various times, some at the beginning, some in the middle, and some toward the end. All made significant contributions. They deserve a special round of applause. My thanks in random order to Linda de Mello, Michelle and Jay Cavallaro, Peter Doris, Rachel Shuster, Siri Allison, Tracy Lamond, Julie Moline, Kim Kildahl, Lanark Lockard, Mary Doan, Ben Gioia, Marshall Moseley, Sally Gallagher, Andrew Salisbury, Daniel Albrecht, Rachelle Pachtman, Rob Nissen, Andy Kefford, Derek Hart, Lou Heckler, and the staffs of Whole Foods in Atlanta and Ft. Lauderdale whose culinary efforts allowed me to have one decent meal every day of my monastic, consuming, extended writing retreats: a healthy dinner from their hot and cold buffet bars.

I have been fortunate enough at different times and for different reasons throughout my life to receive mentoring from the amazing people I think of as my “Power Women.” A special thanks for their enduring impact, in chronological order, to Laura Skinner Polson, Margaret Thaler Singer, Argentine Saunders Craig, Linda M. de Mello, Barbara Hohimer Snider, and Patricia E. “Mi Tei” Bonarek.

I’m someone who can write blogs and articles amidst the daily whirl of life. A book, however, is an entirely different beast. I have had to lock myself away alone to think and write uninterrupted, usually for two to three weeks at a time. Linda Desmarais and Doug Barker made their Atlanta Buckhead condo available to me for the initial writing. My deep thanks to them. Later, Kelly Gorman and Steve Carnevale made their vacation home available to me for the creation of the full original manuscript. My sincere appreciation is extended to them, too.

Also, special acknowledgment and appreciation to:

Andrea Gallagher

Bevan Gray-Rogel

Bob Seiter

Bobbie Berger

Carole Lockard

Charles D. Maurer

Christopher Mattock

Daniel J. Martin

Dan Schawbel

Dee Albrecht

Dick Angellotti

Dorian Mintzer

Elsie Souza

Fred Mandell

Gerri Detweiler

Ginny Orenstein

Green Palm

Harry Hobson

Harry Dawson

JoAnn Dawson

Jeff Orenstein

Judith Sedgeman

Kathy Grant

Kerry Hannon

Kimberly Kollet

Laverne Kusper

Mary Laxague

Michael Alec Rose

Nancy Hobson

Nancy Collamer

Patricia Smith of Le Chateau, Buckhead

Rachel Shuster

Richard Bolles

Richard Eisenberg

Rick Albrecht

Rick Deucker

Siri Allison

Sue Seiter

Tony Souza

Willa Bernhard