Acknowledgments

Authoring books is not an easy task. Special thanks go to the following wonderful people who helped make this book possible and, more important, who give my life meaning:

Dan Balter (my incredible husband), for his ongoing support, love, encouragement, friendship, and, as usual, patience with me while I authored this book. Dan, words cannot adequately express the love and appreciation I feel for all that you are and all that you do for me. You treat me like a princess! Thank you for being the phenomenal person you are, and thank you for loving me for who I am and for supporting me during the difficult times. I enjoy not only sharing our career successes, but even more I enjoy sharing the lives of our beautiful children, Alexis and Brendan. I look forward to continuing to reach highs we never dreamed of.

Alexis Balter (my daughter and confidante), for giving life a special meaning. Your intelligence, drive, and excellence in all that you do are truly amazing. Alexis, I know that you will go far in life. I am so proud of you. Even in these difficult teenage years, your wisdom and inner beauty shine through. Finally, thanks for being my walking partner. I love the conversations that we have when we walk together.

Brendan Balter (my wonderful son and amazing athlete), for showing me the power of persistence. Brendan, you are relatively small, but, boy, are you mighty! I have never seen such tenacity and fortitude in a young person. You are able to tackle people twice your size just through your incredible spirit and your remarkable athletic ability. Your imagination and creativity are amazing! Thank you for your sweetness, your sensitivity, and your unconditional love. I really enjoy our times together. Most of all, thank you for reminding me how important it is to have a sense of humor.

Charlotte and Bob Roman (Mom and Dad), for believing in me and sharing in both the good times and the bad. Mom and Dad, without your special love and support, I never would have become who I am today. I want you to know that I think that you both are amazing! I want to be just like you when I grow up and I am 88!

Al Ludington, for giving me a life worth living. You somehow walk the fine line between being there and setting limits, between comforting me and confronting me. Words cannot express how much your unconditional love means to me. Thanks for showing me that a beautiful mind is not such a bad thing after all.

Pam Smith, for being one of the most special people in my life. It didn’t take long after we met for me to figure out that you would be someone who would have a deep impact on my life. I love you for your spirit, your brilliance, and your inner beauty. Friends forever!

Sue Lopez, for being an absolutely wonderful friend. You inspire me with your music, your love, your friendship, and your faith in God. Whenever I am having a bad day, I picture you singing “Dear God” or “Make Me Whole,” and suddenly my day gets better. Thank you for the gift of friendship.

Roz and Ron Carriere, for supporting my endeavors and for encouraging me to pursue my writing. It means a lot to know that you guys are proud of me for what I do. I enjoy our times together as a family.

Herb and Maureen Balter (my honorary dad and mom), for being such a wonderful father-in-law and mother-in-law. I want you to know how special you are to me. I appreciate your acceptance and your warmth. I also appreciate all you have done for Dan and me. I am grateful to have you in my life.

Mary Forman, for not only being one of the most special clients that I have ever had, but also for being a wonderful friend. You are a ray of sunshine in my day and are a pleasure to work with.

Reverend James, for being an ongoing spiritual inspiration to me. I absolutely love and benefit from your weekly messages. I feel blessed to be an integral part of your congregation.

To all my friends at Federal Defense Industries, Phil, Sharyn, Ross, Randye, Steve, and Elaine, who I have not only enjoyed being with and getting to know through the years, but who have also contributed in many ways to my success in business.

Greggory Peck from Blast Through Learning, for your contribution to my success in this industry. I believe that the opportunities you gave me early on have helped me reach a level in this industry that would have been much more difficult for me to reach on my own. Most of all, Greggory, thanks for your love and friendship. I love you bro!

Joan Murray, Mark Renfrow, and Andy Beaster for making my experience with Sams a positive one. I know that you all worked very hard to ensure that this book came out on time and with the best quality possible. Without you, this book wouldn’t have happened. I have really enjoyed working with all of you over these past several months. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and your sensitivity to my schedule and commitments outside this book. It is nice to work with people who appreciate me as a person, not just as an author.