Acknowledgments

I wrote this book with family, friends, and colleagues, who together have been a bedrock of support.

First, I acknowledge my “Grey Gardens sister” and #1 heroine, my mom, Lucille Boretz. From Willow Road to West 81st Street, your warm, affirming nods, engaged listening, and focused conversations provided a cocoon of love.

Next, I recognize my late loving dad, Alvin Boretz, a brilliant writer who inspired me to make my mark and make a difference. Dad, I learned to embrace my own writing voice by listening to yours. I always felt close to you when tapping into my creative soul.

I am indebted to my husband and best friend of forty plus years, Billy: you fancy yourself a curmudgeon, but we all know better. And because I am giving compliments... your delicious dinners have definitely improved with each book.

I deeply appreciate all the ways my children have helped me down this path. Knowing you are living such rich, fulfilling lives freed me up to focus on the work at hand. Jessie, your creative flame lit mine on so many days. You demonstrate perseverance and joy. Lindsey, your grounded feet guided mine steadily to earth. You live balance and compassion. Adam, you are a living example of quiet humility. (It is okay that the CD about networking for introverts is still shrink-wrapped.)

I also acknowledge my sister Carrie Boretz Keating and her family, my Aunt Arline Garson, who defies all aging stereotypes, my late mother-in-law—and dear friend—Ruth Kahnweiler who I miss everyday. Though she once told me I “could get a tree to talk,” it was she who was the true champion of rapport. My father-in-law, Louis has always offered generosity, wit, and love.

So many others helped me to make this book a reality. I respected Katherine Armstrong as a colleague before we began our partnership as author and editor many months ago. Since then, I am in awe of the talent, wisdom, and heart she poured into this book. Katherine, I will always be deeply indebted to you for bringing out my best. Arlene Cohn is my right-hand woman. She is a whiz at what she does and has the absolute best giggle this side of the Mississippi.

My Berrett-Koehler publishing family is a team of beautiful Quiet Influencers. I feel infinitely blessed to have landed at your doorstep. I thank my editor, Steve Piersanti, for his vision and humanity. Steve, you were right (most of the time) and pushed me to new important places for which I was grateful afterward. Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, my favorite introvert phone buddy, acted as my patient birth coach in shepherding a rough idea to reality. Overwhelming thanks to marketing wizard and cheerleader Kristen Frantz: I will always love laughing with you over a glass of wine. I’d also like to recognize wunderkinds Katie Sheehan, Johanna Vondeling, Maria Jesus Aguilo, Dianne Platner, David Marshall, Charlotte Ashlock, Rick Wilson, Catherine Legronne, Mike Crowley, Neal Maillot, Marina Cook, Zoe Mackey, and Courtney Schonfeld, who take a book and make it fly. I also am indebted to the reviewers of this manuscript; Roger S. Peterson, Danielle Goodman, Gauri Reyes, and Ed Callaway, and book producer Jonathan Peck of Dovetail Publishing Services who did an exemplary job in shaping the outcome.

Thank you also to the numerous people who generously agreed to share their personal stories about Quiet Influence. Many of their names are listed in the book; others asked to remain anonymous. I am so grateful to all of you who spent from a few minutes to a few hours with me. Let me give a special quiet shout to Selah Abrams, Haley Kilpatrick, Elisha Holtzclaw, Julie Irving, Josh Crafford, Sophia Dembling, Walter May, Jessica Handler, Wally Bock, Vinay Kumar, Jody Wirtz, Barbara Giamanco, Gina Carr, Mike Wittenstein, Michelle Martin, and Ryan Jenkins, and Doug Conant for the extra time and attention they gave to this project.

Thank you to the many others in the wings offering support and invaluable insights. Buckets of gratitude to colleagues, clients and friends Susan Cain, Dan Pink, Adam Grant, David Greenberg, Ken Futch, Gene Greissman, Marty Mercer, Dave Basarab, Darcy Eikenberg, John Kosar, Porter Poole, Ann Jackson, Lisa Rossbacher, Jalaj Garg, Bill Stainton, Brian Walter, Daniel Lee, Ken Blanchard, Jim Kouzes, Mark Levy, Barbara McAfee, Beverly Kaye, Larry Dressler, Jesse Stoner, Kelly Vandever, Lisa Sharp, John Schuster, Ricky Steele, Roosevelt Thomas, Terry Brock, Niki Rabren, Barbara Davis, Diane Samuelson, Sheryl Bruff, Heather Sherbert, Jeannie Fox Craig, Susan Zeidman, Dudley White, Alan Brewer, Ruth Stergiou, Andrea Iadanza, Amy Shaffer, Peggy Collins Freehery, Mindy Nelson, Ellen Green, Vicki Halsey, Chip Bell, Collette Carlson, Gayle Lantz, Devora Zack, Maren Showkeir, Jamie Showkeir, Bill Treasurer, John Schuster, Larry Dressler, Stewart Levine, John Kador, Elizabeth Doty, Roger Stix, Elissa Amerson, Niki Toney-Pressley, Shirley Garrett, Kathleen Dupont, Patti Danos, Tricia Molloy, Helena Brantley, Lisa McLeod, Lloyd Spann, John Courtney, Sandy Heffernan, Lan Bercu, Shari Barth, Laura Goodrich, Perry Pidgeon Hooks, Jennifer Bridges, Rusty Shelton, Andrea Sanchez, Susan Savkov, Shelby Sledge, Nick Alter, Margie Adler, Laura Davis, Amy and Ken Krupsky, Bobbie Wunch, Ruth and Steve Kleinrock, Charlotte Tucker, Linda Robinson, Heidi Remak Ziff, my Saturday morning women’s group, and my NSA and NSA-GA buddies.

There are so many others who have expressed tangible and intangible support, and I hope you know who you are. I will be eternally grateful.