It has taken me a long time to write this book. Not long in the length of time for the process, but rather for the elapsed time since I first formulated the words in my cranium. Over the years, many people have encouraged me to write a book or books, and I’ve always felt that my publication, The Data Administration Newsletter (TDAN.com), has given me enough opportunity to voice my opinions and thoughts about how to approach the issues of Data Administration, Data Management, Metadata Management, Knowledge Management, Data Stewardship, Data Governance, and specifically Non-Invasive Data Governance.

I have many people to thank for, well, everything. First of all, I would like to thank my wife, Cheryl, for supporting me in all my ventures or adventures over the years leading to this day. I also want to thank my daughters, Erin and Mandy, who have grown to be nice people, good people, sometimes difficult people. Hmm, I wonder where they got that from?

Both my wife and daughters seem to understand when I lock myself in my office for hours on end to do what I do, even though they’re not certain they really know what I do. They do know that I do “PowerPoint for a living” (stolen from John Ladley many years ago). They know it has something to do with “managing data.” They know I travel to the ends of the earth (okay, not really) to help organizations manage their data and information better. That’s about it.

I want to thank my parents. May they rest in peace knowing that they raised me in such a way that I see them in practically everything I do and say. My father always taught me to be prepared and be strong. My mother taught me to be tough but loving at the same time. I think that summarizes the way I am quite well.

I want to thank my brothers, Henry and David, my sister, Harriet Ann, and their families for always being there to support me and each other as we have been through many wonderful times of celebration as well as our share of crises. I couldn’t have asked for a better family, including everybody in the paragraphs above, and I wanted to publically thank you here.

I owe a debt of thanks to several key people who have helped me along the way through their good advice, opportunity to get exposure, being a good friend or helping to move the data governance industry forward. These people are, in no order of importance, Craig Mullins, Tony Shaw and all of the fantastic people at DATAVERSITY, Jean Schauer formerly at the BeyeNETWORK, Davida Berger, Gwen Thomas, and Joe Maggi. This list of friends and colleagues is always a list in progress. I hope and expect that you know who you are.

I want to thank my clients for putting their trust in me and the readers of my publications and attendees of my presentations and webinars for their attention, inspiration and kind words over the years.

I want to thank the authors who have contributed to The Data Administration Newsletter (TDAN.com) over the years. They are too many to name individually. I’ll name a few who would not be mentioned otherwise—: Mike Gorman, Dave Hay, Barb von Halle, John Zachman, Ron Ross, Joe Celko, Daragh O’Brien, and Larry Burns. I think you know who you are, and I thank you for providing the TDAN.com readers with tremendous information, advice and experience over the years. My appreciation also goes out to the subscribers and readers of TDAN.com for being the whole reason for the publication in the first place.

I especially want to thank Hank Walshak for his help in compiling, editing, adding in, throwing out and rewording (so that the words made sense), as well as his overall project management of getting this book out the door. And Joyce Kane for her guidance and good-natured bantering. And of course, I thank Steve Hoberman, my publisher, for his encouragement and reinforcement in putting this book together and getting me off my bottom to complete this book.

And last of all, if you’ve purchased this book, thank you for bringing this work of art into your life. It’s my fond hope that you will find many things in your journey through these pages that you find beneficial as you pursue building and implementing a successful Non-Invasive Data Governance™ program.