I have been exceedingly fortunate to have the following people influence my life.  Some of them I have the honor of calling family; some of them I have not met personally but have been profoundly impacted by their words and deeds. All of them are giants in my life.

To my classmates at the American Technical Center - Robert, Anthony, Pat, John, Monica, Craig, and Chris - I hope that you are still cracking the mic and that life is treating you well. 

To Jon Smith, Val Cook, James Telk, John Beach, and the rest of the “old school” KSIT Family - ROCK ON, my brothers and sisters!

During my time with Lagoon Amusement Park, I had the honor of working with some of the most professional (and most hilarious) entertainers (who also happened to be divers) in the world.  Stephanè Hainault (team captain); Alain Lobet; Klaus Frislund; Magnus Gardarsson; Raphael Guerrero; Bill Howe; Bill Brown; Craig Peterson; Pascal Bourquin; and diving show cofounder Oliver Favre.  Also Michael Mills (the magician/Charlie Chaplain impersonator who warmed up the audiences as they gathered for the diving shows) deserves a special mention.  He was a superb magician and a great friend.  In addition, Ron Van Woerden (RIP) was the Entertainment Director and he taught me a great deal about stage presence and stage awareness.

I was introduced to Mimi Cruz, the proprietor of Night Flight Comics, several years ago. She was hosting one of her famous customer appreciation events and invited me to come by and set up a live Internet connection that everyone could use during the soiree.  Since that evening I have been a part of so many events that I have lost count! Whether it is a comic book artist signing party, the annual TromaDance Film Festival, or an event that encourages at-risk kids to read, she gives 128% in everything she does. She is one of the finest, most sincere people I know.  Stop by and introduce yourself - your life will forever be made better for it.

Rick Emerson gave me my start in the talk radio business.  He taught me the mechanics and the theory of producing a successful talk radio show. In addition to his ginormous hugantic radio show, Rick has ventured into the realm of cinema with two films you MUST see - Remote Control and Bigger Than Jesus: The Diary of a Rock & Roll Fan.  If it hasn’t hit you like a brick bat yet, Rick’s show is not for everyone, so I invite you to visit his web site at your own risk.

Speaking of Clyde Lewis, if you want to know if things really go bump in the night or if we are being visited by beings from other planets, Clyde is the best tour guide you will ever have.  Clyde showed me how to make a production studio become whatever soundscape I wanted it to be. His voice can be found darn near everywhere - even Toxie!  I recommend you check out his site, but do so carefully - the items he discusses may not be suitable for all audiences. 

One of my early mentors in the business world was Cathy Ashbaugh.  She was the director of the team I worked with in southern California.  From her I learned a great deal about how to professionally present myself over the phone - she was polished, knew her stuff cold, and had a supremely cheerful manner about her. Should you find yourself in need of a world-class employee, or, should you need to find a world-class company to work for, contact her posthaste. 

If there is one person who ‘gets it’, it is Tom Peters.  I am a raving fan of his work!  He understands what it means to do business with your whole soul.  I am a frequent visitor to his web site.  I love the fact that he posts his presentation slides online and keeps in touch with his audience via his blog.  He has both rejuvenated my soul and disturbed my sleep (usually within the same sentence!) on more occasions that I can count.  GO TOM!

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