Acknowledgments

Believe it or not, there is a tweet out there stating that I would not be writing another book. Of course, my user group friends did not believe me, and with this book, they were right. Writing articles and books is not an easy task, and technical books I have always wanted to make sure to go above and beyond to add value and relevance. It does take quite a bit of time. However, I have a wonderful support in user group communities. It is my involvement with these fantastic user groups that made writing this book so much easier. I wanted to share my experiences so that others could hopefully be a part of a community.

I am very much appreciative of all of the friendships I have worldwide that are part of the Oracle user community and cybersecurity user group. In sharing my experiences, I not only have been able to do my job better but also provide way to continue to share and mentor others. It is very difficult to acknowledge only a few people because of group of people that have encourage and support over the years.

I would like to thank the previous and current board members and other support staff of the Independent Oracle User Group and FUEL. They believed in me enough to mentor me and to allow me to grow in leadership skills. They demonstrated ways to work together to develop the community. Thanks also to all of my friends in the Oracle ACE program and the support staff. It is difficult to thank just a few people because in networking in the community you are touched by several people in different areas which is simply wonderful. Thanks!

I normally thank my junior DBAs, Amanda and Emily, but in this case I also will acknowledge them for their leadership skills that they demonstrate in school and other activities. I am proud of them and enjoyed having them sit next to me while writing as Amanda did homework and Emily wrote some short stories.

Thank you to all of you reading this book. I hope that it inspires you and fuels your passion for the user group community.