1. I played professional tennis for two years. Professional means it was my full-time occupation versus it was a profitable enterprise.
2. I have a 4:58 mile from a very long time ago.
3. I climb Half Dome in Yosemite with three friends every year.

Adventure by definition implies unpredictability and excitement. Having three young children guarantees that every day. 

Fishing with my Dad on Lough Sheelin, Co Meath, Ireland.

I would like to meet myself in the future and give myself some sage advice.

Debugging a COBAL program that was written before I was born and included in-line documentation of “I do not know what this section does but it seems to work - do not touch it”.

I love dry fly fishing on three weight rod with size 22 flies.

I am currently reading Groundswell by Charlene Lee & Josh Bernoff. 

My favorite fiction book is probably David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.

My favorite text book is The Art and Science of Negotiation by Howard Raffia.

I would like to see the top of Mount Everest below my feet.

Anything to do with Homelessness particularly in regards to kids.  This is something we could eradicate as a society if we all cared enough.

I would like to be competing against Roger Federer, but I love strategy and problem solving so it would be doing that in some fashion.

EDS offered me job in the UK after graduate school which given the unemployment level in Ireland at the time was amazing.  That put me on the consulting track which led to Accenture and now Slalom Consulting.

Be a student of the industry and every business you engage with.

1. We have a family farm in Iowa that we’ve had for nearly 150 years.  My Dad has the original land grant deed from the US Government.

2. I was in a college dance troupe.

3. I am convinced that Nutter Butters are the best cookie in the world.

My wife and I traveled the back roads through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.  We didn’t know any of the languages, which made for some interesting experiences in small European villages.

Annual ski trips with my family.

Barack Obama at the end of his Presidency.  I’d ask him how the world has changed since he took office. 

See my beloved dog take his last breath.

I really enjoy a workout program called CrossFit, an all around conditioning and strength program. I love the challenge, competition, camaraderie, and results.

Currently - Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

Favorite Non-fiction - Where Have All of the Leaders Gone by Lee Iacocca

Favorite Fiction - Probably The Da Vinci Code, at least that’s a book that I couldn’t put down.  I enjoy art and reading thrillers, so it was a fun book for me.

There are way too many to list.

The Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) because I am a dog lover and support “no kill” foundations who work to find good homes for pets.

I enjoyed studying Finance and thought about being a financial planner very early in my career, which is actually quite similar to professional services - listening to a client’s business needs, objectives, and goals, and delivering a solution that achieves those goals.

I graduated from college with a Finance degree, but went to work for Andersen Consulting.  I didn’t realize how much IT work it would really be, but it benefitted me greatly personally (met my wife there!) and well as professionally. 

Take advantage of all of the opportunities that are presented to you within professional services.  Do not specialize in any one thing - be a sponge and learn about technology, business process, change management, project management, relationships, finance, and everything else professional services provides.  You will learn so much in a relatively short period of time, so jump right in and take it all in. 

Seek out great mentors and in turn don’t hesitate to become a mentor yourself.  Stay connected with your company’s headquarters and/or local office, especially the team members that work behind the scenes. 

Finally, always stay professional in front of your client - no matter how informal the customer environment is or what time of the day it is.

1. Even though I appear to be all business at work, I cry at Hallmark commercials at home. 

2. In the early 60s, I had the opportunity to live in Taiwan with my family.  This means that I learned Taiwanese at such an early age, I have been told I don’t speak with an American accent.

3. When I was in high school I dreamed of having a family with 13 kids.

Exploring the world is my adventure.  I have lived on 4 different continents.  My vacation times revolve around expanding my exploration.  My most recent trek was to Africa on a photo safari and I haven’t yet made it to Australia, so that’s on my list.

I have very fond memories of getting the entire neighborhood of kids together in the backyard and turning on the Partridge Family albums and lip syncing to the songs.

I would love the opportunity to speak to a child of mine when they surpass 100 years of age.  I would be interested in knowing how they viewed the technology of my era and the dramatic advancements in the timeframe of their life.

I am torn between starting a professional services organization from scratch in a foreign country or the backpack trip I took in the High Sierra’s this last summer at 11,000 feet altitude.

I love macro photography.  I can often be found on my stomach taking pictures of mushrooms or insects or other small artifacts. I have gone crazy since the advent of digital and was an early adopter of some of the earliest digital cameras.  Digital has provided me with the freedom to take thousands of pictures with remorse and I love the freedom and creativity it allows. 

I always have at least two books going at the same time.  I tend towards Dave Baldacci and Michael Connelley for my personal entertainment.  There is a group of friends that formed a book club more than 10 years ago and we read a book a month.  We are very low key as you don’t need to read the book in order to come to the dinner.  And most of the time, we only discuss the book for 10 minutes.  From that list of books, my favorites are Beneath the Marble Sky, a love story by Jon Shors about the building of the Taj Mahal and Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland, which is a novel about the back stories of the figures in Renoirs painting of the same name.

I would like to walk along the Great Wall of China.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters because they provide mentors for boys and girls.

My dream job would be to run a small bed and breakfast in the Napa Valley.

I spent a couple years as a programmer but realized I liked working with people more than computers so I gravitated towards professional services.  I have always been a good teacher so it was natural for me to take on roles that helped facilitate customers achieving their goals.

When you first starting working in professional services, take all the unique customer situations offered.  By experiencing this diversity in customer scenarios, the learning you gain will enrich your contribution to your customers later in your career.

1. Under the Regan Administration I designed part of the space defense initiative and had my design tested in the Space Shuttle.  Anything is possible!!!

2.I lived in Madrid and worked for Iberia Airlines where I was responsible for overseeing their commercial aircraft Jet Engine maintenance.

3. I met my wife, Robin at the American Airlines baggage carousel in San Jose, California. The ironic thing was that I never check a bag.... some things were meant to be.

Raising five great kids… and my wild ride merging and turning around three money losing businesses over a 13 month period to create one of the most successful global businesses within United Technologies. 

Stripe Bass fishing with my Dad at the Port Jefferson, NY power generation plant.... followed closely by turning a double play single handed.

My Grandmother… she was one of the sharpest people I ever knew ... a perfect blend of intelligence and street smarts.

Boating on Lake Travis, Texas.  Nothing beats a day of water skiing followed by a bottle of champagne while watching the sunset with my wife.  Everyday on the lake is like a vacation.

90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey .  For pleasure… anything written by Tom Clancy.

Egypt and Uruguay ... thinking of working and living in South America.

Local YMCA to promote youth sports.

Probably running a wine business.  I always wanted to introduce the Dell business model to the industry ... unfortunately Cameron Hughes beat me to it!  The movie “A Good Year” is my favorite.... going to make it happen post services career.

I realized early on in my career that even the best technologies and products only brought value when aligned with business outcomes.  Professional Services is the Rosetta Stone that does exactly that.

Borrow rather than invent - look outside the industry for best practices and adapt them to PS.

1) I wrote a thesis about Islamic Fundamentalism in 1995.
2) I lived in Telluride, CO one winter so I could ski every day.
3) My first job out of college was with the Boston Celtics

Exploring my spirituality.

Summers at the beach on Long Island and fishing in the Adirondack Mountains with my family. 

My great grandparents.  I’m interested in the history of my family and never had the chance to meet any of them.

I blew out my knee playing lacrosse, went through an 8 month recovery process and then blew it out again and had to do rehab all over again. I did play lacrosse again - 2 years later.

Spending time with my wife and son.

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin is my current book. 
From Beirut to Jerusalem by Tom Freidman is probably my favorite.

Cape Town, South Africa

El Hogar Ministries. They run an orphanage for about 250 of the poorest boys and girls in Honduras.  They literally save lives one child at a time. It’s a wonderful organization run by a remarkable group of people.  They’ve transformed many lives including my own.

Coaching athletics or working in public service

I wrote a proposal about a new service I thought my company should offer and presented the idea to my CEO.  He reviewed the idea and then appointed me to head the team that would implement the service.  I didn’t know what a project manager was but I really enjoyed the learning process and transforming an idea into something concrete.  Then I went looking for professional services work and I’ve stayed in this profession because it constantly requires me to learn and grow. 

This work is about creating structure and order where it previously didn’t exist or was insufficient.  Good consultants are the ones who learn from their experiences, know that the learning never ends so they are always looking to add skills and experience.  Seek out a mentor who models the sort of behavior you aspire to and spend time developing relationship(s) that will last longer than your current job. If you feel unsure about which direction your career should go, consider taking the Myers Briggs personality test.  This can be a valuable way to identify preferences and skills you may not be consciously aware of. 

I was home-schooled (until High School), I was a Physics major, and I am a proud founder and author at http://www.chineselanguageblog.com. 

I moved to Beijing in 2003 and spent a year working for UNICEF, buying artwork from local painters and selling it on the web, and teaching at a Chinese kindergarten. It was a really interesting and fun year pursuing multiple interests and living in a great city on the other side of the world. 

My best childhood memories are from lake Winnipesaukee - warm sun, swimming, fun. 

I’d like to talk to myself when I’m 75.

The hardest thing I’ve ever done is pass my circuits class in college. I just did not get along with those circuits. 

My favorite hobby is skiing… I ski as often as I can.

My second favorite hobby is Internet marketing.

I spend about 100x more time on my second favorite hobby than my first.

I’m currently reading Twilight. I know it’s for teenage girls, but my sister recommended it and it’s pretty entertaining. I usually alternate reading business and fiction books. The last book I read was The Five Dysfunctions of the Team by Patrick Lencioni, which was quite interesting.

My favorite book is the Thorn Birds.

Next on my list are Thailand and Greece. 

I would give the cash to the American Red Cross because they are very efficient.

I would probably work in product management or research. I think I was also a software developer in a past life, although I can’t write any code in this one.

I was an Analyst at Deloitte Consulting after Cornell, and I never kicked the habit. 

Find out who the best people are at your firm and do whatever it takes to work with them. 

1. I started my career as a shift engineer in a cigarette factory.
2. I used to participate in motorcycle rallies.
3. I am a Bonsai enthusiast

I started a professional services company in 1999 and built it to a size of approx 1200 people before exiting in 2006. That was the first time that I did something in the IT field!! Imagine the excitement around building a business, understanding a new language and culture. It was chaotic and fun.

Spending time in the forests around our home

Sun Tzu, I have read his treatise a number of times and would love to understand from him first hand some of the nuances in his writings.

Exiting the company that I started.

I enjoy music and travelling.

I am currently reading “Collapse” by Jarred Diamond.

My favorite book is “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

The Aurora Borealis.

It would be an organization in the performing arts, perhaps the Celebrity Series of Boston. I do not think that societies today are invested in the performing arts beyond the commercial genre. If we do not correct this we will surely lose our cultural heritage. 

Investing in and mentoring start ups.

Purely by chance, I was part of a large conglomerate, working in the corporate Head Quarters; the company had a faltering IT outsourcing business, they asked me to look at it and either close it or grow it to profitability. I grew it. And I learned the business.

Value lies in what you know and not in what you do.

1. I am a true Washingtonian - born and raised in the DC area and never left. 
2. I lied about my age when I was 15 to get my first job and have been working ever since.
3. I love rollerblading and listening to my iPod.  This is when I do my best thinking.

Touring Europe (Amsterdam, Belgium, London and Scotland) with my two best friends.

Going to San Francisco with my brothers and Grandparents.

President Obama.  His views and morals are similar to mine and anyone who has the guts to take on the issues of this country is someone who I can learn from.

Sell my company.

Arts and crafts with my 3 year old daughter.

Currently reading: The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow which is a non-fictional book on women’s friendships and why they last so long. 

Favoritge Book Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.  I love books that have a historical facts intertwined with fiction.

Prague in the Czech Republic

The Joseph’s House in Washington, DC.  This organization is a hospice for Aides patients who have nowhere else to go in the last phases of their life.  The individuals who run this organization are compassionate, loving and strictly volunteers.  It holds a very dear place in my heart. 

Teaching

In 1990, a good friend of mine owned a consulting company and asked me if I wanted to be a Technical Recruiter.  From there, I went into account management, business development and later into operations management.  9 years ago I went into business for myself with another partner and last year sold that company to Cambridge where I am now running their BI and Data Warehouse division.

• Understand that in this business you must be proactive and reactive at the same time. 

• You will make a lot of mistakes but the key is learning from them so you don’t make them again. 

• You need to have thick skin in dealing with the customer.  Many times they are looking for a finger to point and handling this in a diplomatic manner can be tricky. 

• Make sure you foster a partnering relationship with your customer and internal organization.  You want to make them look good!  This will enable you to overcome any issues much easier and quicker to ensure you preserve the relationship with your customer.

1.  I adopted my two kids
2.  I’m a martial artist with a black belt in Karate
3.  “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd is my favorite song.

Raising my two boys who are now 19 and 24 years old.  There was never a dull moment and every year presented new and different challenges.  And they both turned out to be great adults (so far....).

Summers at the beach.  I will always gravitate to the ocean to recapture those feelings.

Barack Obama.  He provides our best hope for a positive future for our kids

Recently I overcame a rather complicated and serious illness that I am now finally recovered from.  I had to use all of my skills (including project managing my health care providers) and more energy than I knew that I had, to create a successful outcome.

Boating.  I love to take my boat out into the ocean off Cape Cod.  The scale of the ocean helps me keep everything in perspective.

While I’m not reading any book right now, The Jason Bourne series by Robert Ludlum are my favorites.

I would like to scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.  I’ll get there!

I would give to a number of Cancer related charities since Cancer has impacted my family and friends.

I’d be an Oceanographer (if only I could pass Physics).

I did some computer programming work in college on my way to my business degree.  I landed my first job as a programmer, leveraged that into a services marketing job at the same company and then became a Professional Services Practice Manager.

Two things, first only commit to what you can really accomplish.  There is lots of pressure to “just say yes” to win a deal in our business.  But nobody really wants you to say yes and then fail.  Second and related to the first point, remember that integrity comes first.  The only thing that you will carry with you from job to job as a consultant is your reputation.

1. I can cook, sew, and do housework in addition to the usual manly carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting, etc.
2. I race historic cars.
3. I love my job.

When I was 16, I was part of a crew that sailed the Bermuda Race.  While we placed 2nd in our division, the real adventure came when we went into the infamous Devil’s Triangle.  The sky got yellow, the instruments went nuts, and the wind died. We just sat there for 2 hours dead in the water.  And just as quickly as the condition came up, it cleared out.  Blue sky, full instruments and 15 knots of wind.  Creepy.  I have since done the race 4 more times and never had that same experience.

Christmas mornings.  I was an only child, so I got plenty of neat gifts, but the real fun was when we went down to my cousins later in the day.  They, being proper Irish Catholic’s had 7 kids spanned out every 1.5 years.  This is where I was exposed to all the chaos that a large family of kids brings (much to the chagrin of my parents), and loved it.

My Grandparents on both sides.  They all died when I was young, so my memory of them is through pictures and stories.  There are so many questions that I want to ask about our family and it’s lineage.

Sit patiently in the hospital awaiting the results of my Mother’s heart operation.

My favorite hobby is to race historic cars.  Over the past 10 years I have owned and raced 48 of these fine machines with great enjoyment.  I currently have 5 in the stable that are exercised as much as my work schedule allows. My approach to racing is like any other professional endeavor: in order to be successful, you need to be prepared mentally and physically for the challenge, and be able to push the limits. The best part of this is that my fiance races as well!  This certainly makes the planning of time off together a much easier task.

I’m currently reading “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein.  Despite it’s name, the story is not really about racing. Interesting study on the human relationships and personal hardship told through the eyes of a dog.

I don’t really have a favorite, but I am a big Ludlum, Cussler,Clancy, Patricia Cornwell fan.  All the intrigue, suspense, who-done-it stories do it for me.  Then I have the Geek side, that reads auto/technical books and manuals.

Le Mans, France in June for the 24 hour race.

Habitat for Humanity.  After seeing all the natural disaster fallout, I can’t imagine not having a place to go at the end of the day.  Everyone needs a place that they can call home, no matter how humble.  It is core to the human condition.

I would definitely be a CSI. I am fascinated by how things happen.

When I was in college, they had just started offering programming classes.  This stuff called PL/1 and Cobol.  Those were the days (1983), when you either could or couldn’t do it.  No 4GL back then.  So, I guess I could do it and became a mainframe programmer on Wall Street.  Then I migrated in the networking/connectivity realm , designing Trading floor systems and eventually project management.  Coming from the technology side, this became my lead in to the world of PS.

Find a mentor.  This person can open doors to you professionally as well as be your guiding light from a career perspective.

1. I traveled around the world in 1999 visiting China, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.  I camped out in a tent for most of the trip; it was the last leg after working three years in the UK.

2. I have hosted a cable access TV show in Chicago that featured local musicians.  It is a fun hobby that keeps me in ‘tune’ with the Chicago music scene.

3. I co-founded a time and attendance and optimized scheduling software company in 2000, which we sold in 2003; we focused on restaurants, retail, and healthcare companies.

Living and working overseas in South Africa and the UK.

Spending my summers in Eagle River, Wisconsin and running the sailing program at a camp, as well as playing ice hockey.

Ayn Rand, I read her book The Fountainhead and have always been very intrigued with her perspective on business and life.

Tearing tendons in my foot and having to live with chronic pain, very humbling to know there are limitations.

Hosting a cable access TV show in Chicago and spending time with my family.

I am currently reading Managing The Professional Service Firm by David Maister.

My favorite book of late is The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.
Translated from German, this is a great short read about post war Germany. 

I’d love to go on safari again in Africa, I’ve been to Shamwari twice.

PAWS - Pets Are Worth Saving, I’m a huge dog fan, my wife and I have a dog named London

Working for a mergers and acquisitions firm in the technology space, helping entrepreneurs, and hosting cable access shows once in a while.

After college I joined a healthcare software company traveling around the US implementing applications and running projects.  I loved the job and have had the professional services bug ever since.

Read lots of books on professional services, align yourself with a senior and well respected mentor, and don’t be afraid to learn other aspects of the business, especially finance, product management, and sales.  These will be invaluable down the road.

1. My university’s mascot was the “Fighting Blue Hens”
2. Each year my family likes to pick wild blackberries and make a blackberry pie.
3. For a day, many years ago, I was a shepherd in a desert in Rajasthan, India.

Raising two young boys is definitely the biggest and greatest adventure.  In the most recent chapter I traveled for 41 hours to an orphanage in Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan, in Southern Siberia, to adopt our second son.

Clamming and crabbing in Merrill’s Inlet South Carolina while visiting my grandparents on summer vacations. 

Marvin Bower, who beginning in the 1930’s created the field of professional management consulting.  He was a man of tremendous vision and integrity.

Joining a start-up following the dot.com bust and helping it grow without external funding until successfully sold five years later.

Since moving from New York City to San Francisco surfing has become my favorite hobby.  Peering out across the horizon between sets is rejuvenating while riding waves is pure joy.

Current: Apples are from Kazakhstan: The Land that Disappeared by Christopher Robbins; It’s an entertaining and informative look at a long forgotten country that overnight became geopolitically relevant again.

Favorite: The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger; unlike the movie it’s both interesting and exciting. 

The temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

Conservation International because the world is a much more interesting place for all of us with its natural wonders protected.

Starting a company.

At my first employer I volunteered for a financial systems project that I really enjoyed.  A year later a catastrophic business event at a competitor caused our CFO to initiate a derivatives risk management system project.  Based on my prior project experience, he picked me to lead it.  I added a couple of management consultants from Coopers to my project team and soon realized I liked the kind of work they were doing.  After graduating with an MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU, I joined Ernst & Young as a management consultant.  When an interesting opportunity came up to help build a Professional Services group at a start-up, I moved in that direction.

Make sure the position will provide the mentoring, coaching, training and other development opportunities you need.  If not come up with a plan to supplement this need with outside resources.

1.  I plan to retire as a farmer
2.  I was a sharpshooter while working at Indian Customs
3.  I was a vegetarian for nearly a decade (I am hopeless carnivore playing catch up now!)

Getting married was the beginning of the adventure, having our first child elevated it and with second child it has been the craziest adventure for over a decade now.

Visiting my grandfather’s farm during summer holidays. It was a great break from city/suburban life and helped me realize that milk did indeed come from cows and not from super markets. 

That would be Mahatma Gandhi! He was way ahead of times by fostering democracy, non-violence, diplomacy and equality. Some governments haven’t adopted these concepts even to this day.

Several things I started off doing appeared to be hard at first but now they seem quite simple. Each of these endeavors provides enduring and enriching experience. I believe in all earnest there is nothing hard to accomplish if you put your heart and soul to it. 

Gardening. This is probably an outcome from visiting my grandfather’s farm.

A recent impulsive purchase titled “Politics” by Aristotle (and yes, I picked it up at an airport). Many books would qualify as favorite my but long time favorite has been “City of Joy” by Dominique Lapierre.

I would love to visit NASA and get into the deck of space shuttle Endeavour. The kind of technology that goes into these things amazes and inspires me.

CRY, Child Rights and You America Inc.  I have personally seen the defining change they made to a child’s life and would love to facilitate it further. 

I would have been in some uniformed service, that’s for sure. 

Although I love what I do, I did not plan to be in PS/consulting field. The previous startup I was associated with required someone with mix of technical and business perspective to fill the role and I was the natural choice. 

Focus on building technology strengths first and then move on to gain the business perspective of the technology. This combined skill set obtained would make you a strong customer advocate and a killer PS consultant. 

1. I enjoy playing video games
2. I was a pool shark in college
3. I am the only one of my siblings (4) that is not an engineer.

Getting married and raising 4 kids.  Its something you can’t prepare for.  You have to live it!

Playing baseball with my friends on lazy summer afternoons.

Probably Charles Darwin.  Talk about a person who understands we must adapt to our surroundings and there is always room for improvement.  Further progress is perpetual and never ending.  I would love the opportunity to meet a person with such passion about a different view that proved to be obvious.

See number 2 above.  However, the hardest endeavors are truly the most rewarding.

Bass Fishing - nothing like being the first boat on the lake, relaxing, while the mist rises off water as smooth as glass.

Currently reading The Fist of God by Frederick Forsyth.
Favorite ... so many great books ... most recent favorite ... The Berkut by Joseph Heywood

Hawaii

GreenLight Fund: The GreenLight Fund identifies ground-breaking, innovative, and results-oriented non-profits in cities around the country and helps bring those programs with the potential to address critical needs in Boston.

The GreenLight Fund supports organizations that address urban issues affecting primarily low-income families and children in key areas such as education, youth development, workforce development, and healthcare.

Self employed or in a senior technology/operations role in a staffing company.

I spent many years purchasing professional services.  While I was the Information Technology Director for a large staffing company we purchased and implemented an enterprise SaaS product called Bullhorn.  I was so impressed with the product and company I jumped at the opportunity to build their PSO.

In addition to the obvious, take the initiative to self educate through associations, networking, reading and conferences.  It’s a people business, get out there and meet people in the business. 

1. I volunteer at a local farm doing Community Sponsored Agriculture
2.  I love photography
3. I tutor kids

Moving to Singapore and then China with my family and then returning back to the States after nearly 6 years!

Teasing my brothers!

Mahatma Gandhi. His treatise on the 7 deadly sins (Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Commerce without morality; science without humanity; religion without sacrifice; politics without principle) that would destroy us is still so valid and more - so relevant that it is very inspiring.

Building a team in China for consulting and implementation services at a time when services was not valued!

Photography - I love to take photographs of things as they are and sometimes people as well!

Favorite Book: “Atlas Shrugged” - Ayn Rand

Currently reading: David Baldacci’s “The Whole Truth”

Alaska

American Heart Association : in further memory of my father.

General Management

Started in consulting!

Build on competency first and foremost. Style, methodology come next. 

1. I once held a Ham Radio license
2. I love English Bulldogs
3. I started playing piano at age 5

Being a mother - I have two beautiful young boys that keep me very busy and challenge me every moment of every day.

Fishing with my mom and dad when I was 4 and catching a catfish that was bigger than me!

Abigail Adams - I would love to hear from her first hand about the challenges she faced as a women raising a family during the American Revolution and a wife to one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and Thyroid cancer in the same year.

Household “do-it-yourself” projects - I love Home Depot more than my husband.

Unfortunately I’m not reading anything at the moment but children’s books - of those, my favorites are the Magic Tree House series and Stop that Pickle! 

I want to visit Egypt and see the pyramids.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) - I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 2 years ago.  This is not typically an adult disease but in rare cases, me being one of them, I had late onset of this disease.  I know first-hand how scary it is and how crippling it can be and I can’t imagine having this disease as a child and having to cope with all the complications and daily rituals that are required.  I would do anything to help find a cure.

I’d be doing research to help find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes.

I’ve always loved network engineering, I have a passion for fixing things and I get bored doing the same thing for any length of time.  I need a constant influx of new problems and challenges and Professional Services was the perfect fit.

Understand that making mistakes are a part of the process.  A graduate must understand that they will make mistakes - big ones, but they shouldn’t give up just because they screw a few things up.  Admit your mistakes, learn from them, correct them and teach others about them.

1. I take guitar lessons with my kids.
2. I love Science Fiction.
3. “JavaPosse”, Howard Stern, and “The Disciplined Investor” are among my favorite iPod programs. 

Hitch-hiking across the country after high school, and driving through England on the wrong side of the road.

The Mattel “Crazy-Car”, my first kiss, dodge-ball, baseball, and Jerry West basketball camp. 

Richard Feynman, because that would be an interesting conversation, myself at age 100, for wisdom and a broader outlook on life and Jesus Christ, just because.

Quit college, start over again and finish in 3 years. 

I still love programming.  I invent little projects for myself, code them up in a new language or platform as a way of staying current.  I love the thrill of launching a program I wrote myself and watching it work just the way I want, even better if it actually does something useful....

Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is Number 1, followed closely by “Surely you must be Joking, Mr. Feynman”.
I also like Kurt Vonnegut, R.A. Heinlein, Neal Stephenson’s early stuff.  Biographies of any kind are also a great read.

The Taj Mahal, and the Earth from outer space (seriously). 

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) founded by Dean Kamen, the inventor of the insulin pump, portable water purification, and the iBOT and Segway personal mobility systems, created FIRST to get kids excited by Science and Technology again.  Kids work with mentors to build robots from everyday materials and then compete against kids from other schools to see which designs work best. 

Why I’d be jamming-out with Eric Clapton, of course. 

Interest in computers lead to “home-brew” software projects, which lead to an IT staff position, which led to consulting assignments with a System Integrator, which led to career opportunities at software companies in Silicon Valley and Germany. 

Grow where you’re planted.  Work your butt off always, but especially from ages 25 to 35.  Reputation and reliability are everything.  The difference between mediocrity and greatness is a mere 2%.  It’s that extra little bit that you do, that no one else does, that sets you apart from the rest. Do just that little bit more and watch what happens over the long run!

I have no secrets

I took a month out of college and traveled the US with little money and no timetable. I could have written a book on those thirty days.

Backyard football games.

Raise 4 teenagers.

Golf. However, it is disappointing to not be much better at my favorite hobby.

Conspiracy of Fools (Enron story) by Kurt Eichenwanld

All “1000 of the Places to See Before you Die”. 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cancer Home -They provide hospice care for terminal cancer patients who have no means or family to care for them.

Probably teaching high school math.

First job out of School was with Andersen Consulting; many non - PS jobs in between, but I came back to Professional Services in a management capacity about fifteen years ago.

Learn everything you can as quickly as you can - enjoy the diversity consulting brings and do it while you are young and with less responsibilties at home.

1. I almost got mugged delivering pizza as a pizza delivery boy for Dominos Pizza.
2. I have a golf date with my 4 year old son once a week - mostly at the driving range.
3. I played basketball at a professional level and got paid for it.

I am going through it every day - balancing life with two young kids, busy work schedule, your everyday challenges that life throws at you and additionally, currently taken on a huge remodeling project at our house.

Lazy strolls around the neighborhood with friends, gossiping, playing and laughing. No stress, just enjoying life.

Gandhi. I’d like to see how it feels to be able to inspire millions of human souls toward a good cause.

Saying goodbye to family and friends as a teenager and flying halfway across the world to start a new life.

Read a good story. Catch up on my magazines. Spend time at the gym. Golf.

About to read - The Quran (English translation).
Favorite - Lord of the Rings - Trilogy.

The Amazon.
Egypt -The Pyramids and the Nile from its birthplace to the ocean. 

A charity somewhere in a third world country (Asia / Africa). There is so much help needed and so much can be done with a small amount of funds - it’s amazing.

I’d be an Architect.

I grew into the occupation - after being a consultant at the starting point of my career.

Think outside of the box. Always look ahead at what might happen – in your code, in your company, around you and prepare yourself to respond.

1.  I collect / cultivate Japanese maples (over 15 different types).
2.  I was the first person to letter in football & tennis in my high school.
3.  I sang on stage with the group “The Persuasions.”

Traveling to Cairo in the mid 80’s - I got trapped inside of the Great Pyramid for 20 minutes when the lights went dark

Attending almost all Cleveland Browns football home games from 1958 - 1963 with my dad & uncle.

Mick Jagger & Keith Richard.  For the most part they have been able to stay at the top of their profession for over 40 years when the majority of their peers have faded on… the ultimate in sustainability!

Taking my 12 year old Boxer to be cremated.

Golf & travel together and sampling Pinot Noir (I’ve tried 200+ vintners).

“The Eight” - by Katherine Neville

“The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything” by John D.MacDonald - it got me interested in mysteries and had it all going on… good guys, bad guys, some semi-plausible fantasy - I read it over & over again every year at the beach.

A Mid-summer, Midwest Baseball Fantasy - I would love to some day mimic the following escapade as performed by a close friend back in Cleveland....

Take a family trip that encompasses 2 days each in:
Cincinatti/St.Louis/Milwaukee/Chicago/Detroit/ & Cleveland

• sightsee and play golf during the day
• hit the ballpark at night
• move on to the next city
• Repeat

Any foundation that sponsors research for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma - I lost 2 family members to that cancer.

Working in either a hotel or restaurant - preferably on the water in the deep south.

At Marriott Corp. in the 80’s I became a spokesperson for the Health Care Dietitians Service industry at large conventions - that was the jumpstart.

Always - “Under promise & over-deliver.”

1. I play the violin.
2. I am a wine geek.  I love to read about wine, taste wine, and match wine with food.
3. I did all my education in France but never worked in France.  I moved to the US straight after graduating.

This is a “déjà-vu” but being a dad has been my greatest adventure in life.  My two beautiful daughters are a daily source of joy, challenge, and unconditional love.

Summer camps where I got to do various activities: horse riding, kayaking, speleology, and more!

Thomas Jefferson, I would love to get his view on the current state of the USA, domestically and internationally.

Filling out this questionnaire
Seriously, raising kids is the hardest when you care so much about them.

I’ve been playing the violin for 9 years.  My grand-father was playing the violin, my father is playing the violin, and my daughter has started the violin this year.  It’s clearly in our genes.

I’m currently reading “You Staying Young” by Dr Roizen and Dr Oz.  This was a gift from a friend when I turned 40 last year, quite
“a propos”!

I also read a lot of magazines, Wine Spectator, Harvard Business Review, and business/management magazines from France.

I love to travel and I’ve traveled quite a bit so far but there are still lots of places I’d like to visit.  In particular, I’d love to see the midnight sun above the Arctic Circle and the aurora borealis.

National MS Society. I have a few friends who have been diagnosed with MS.

I would still be developing software.

It was a mix of chance and conscious decision.

Before Intersect Software, I had spent 8 years developing software.  I started at Intersect Software developing our product. In 2002, I was asked to go to France to demo our software in French.  I really enjoyed it and requested to move from R&D to Sales (my fellow developers called it “going to the dark side"). The company was small so I had to wear many hats: pre-sales and post-sales.  As the company grew, I had to “specialize” and chose to dedicate my efforts to professional services.

Become an expert in the product and pay attention to customer expectations, a consultant value is to bridge the gap between what a product does and how a customer wants to use the product.

I was President of a company at the age of 7 years old: Poppy’s Popcorn Parlor. We sold individual bags of popcorn for 5 cents at recess at the North School in Abington, MA. We had a $300 loan from a neighborhood bank (for which I signed) to start the business, our teacher listed her house as collateral, and we raised $3000 for charity.

My best friend calls my husband and me the “adventure twins.” Last spring we spent two weeks traveling around India. We attended a friend’s wedding, took a train to the beach, visited the Taj Mahal, and drove out to the mountains. Life in India is very different than life in the US, and it was interesting to see how others live.

Winning the State Champion Soccer Tournament in the 5th grade was pretty cool, but my best childhood memory really was driving into Boston with my uncle, three cousins, and my brother and sister the first Saturday of every December. My Uncle let us pick out our Christmas presents and then took us to The North End for pizza. All seven of us road in the cab of my uncle’s pickup truck.

President Lincoln. I see him as a man of character; someone who lived by his principles in a very difficult time.

I am grateful to say that my life has not been full of hardship. Saying goodbye to my Grandmother when she passed away was probably the hardest thing I have had to do.

I like being outdoors with my husband: Gardening, kayaking, hiking, biking, skiing, and riding around in our ‘79 VW bug with the top down. I can’t wait to con my sister and brother into letting us take their daughters with me.

I am reading a couple of things right now: 7 Habits of Highly Successful People by Steven Covey (my second time reading it - love it!) and Web Protocols and Practices by Balachander Krishnamurthy. My favorite book is probably Cane River by Lalita Tademy. There are few historical books written from the female perspective, let alone an African-American female.

I’d love to visit Tuscany, but I also have a strong interest in visiting Gettysburg.

There are so many worthy charities. The American Heart Association is near and dear to my heart. I have lost a number of family members to heart disease, and many more live with heart disease every day, including my Mom and my 5-year old niece. Still, charities that deal with poverty, homelessness, and education are the charities that help our society the most, in my opinion. I think Habitat for Humanity would be at the top of the list. 

I would be working in Sports or Music...I’d love to own a night club cool enough for Madonna to unexpectedly stop by and perform a few songs.

I didn’t know about “professional services” when I started my career. However, I have always worked in a services company helping multiple customers address their needs. Whether it was in the publishing world, graphic design, or IT Software, companies are challenged with problems that only experts can help them address. Being a customer advocate, bringing my knowledge of “how others have done it,” and providing the highest quality services has always been a component of what I do and how I am successful. I try to instill these qualities in the members of my team as well.

Stay focused on making your customer successful. As a consultant, “your” customer is the guy across the table from you. If you can help him look better in front of his boss, you will have an advocate you can count on. Oh, and have a thick skin.... customers can be challenging.

1.  Although I went to University of Montana I am a die hard Oregon Duck fan.
2.  I have a burning desire to take a trip around the world.
3.  I have always wanted to sail.

Traveling in Costa Rica for 2 months with no set agenda or plan.

Spending endless weekends in Sunriver, or skiing, biking, and fishing.

Being laid off during the dot com bust was very difficult and coming to the realization that failure is sometimes out of your control.

Fly Fishing.  It is one of the few things in life that once I begin doing it, I block out all other thoughts and focus only on hooking that next fish.

Currently Reading - Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
My favorite book is - Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

An African Safari

Nature Conservancy.  Without the outdoors we would only have work.

Running my own guide business that specializes in heli skiing in the winter and fly fishing in the summer.

My first job out of college was with Andersen Consulting.  Helping customers realize their goals was always something I found enjoyment in.

Be sure and take time to celebrate the successes because there is a lot of time spent solving problems.

1. My daughter and I have movie night once a week (I think I can recite “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning” line by line).

2. My grandfather played for the Boston Celtics (John Janisch).

3.  Occasionally I like to smoke a good cigar (Ashton is my favorite brand).

Raising my daughter ..... the adventure continues.

LOL - I can’t believe I am writing this...... when I was 9, I won a lip-sync competition with my “stunning” rendition of Michael Jackson’s song ‘Thriller’.  My 14 year old brother, who used to beat me up daily, carried me out of the theater on his shoulders.  My prize: a 13-inch black and white TV.

Jesus.  He seems worthy of this choice and I would enjoy hearing his views on modern religious teachings and today’s political climate.

Marine Corps Boot Camp.

I love cooking and wine tasting.  I usually spend 1 week a year studying at The Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley continuing to enhance my wine and culinary skills. 

I am currently reading “When Professionals Have to Lead: A New Model for High Performance.” One of the authors was my favorite instructor at the Harvard Business School Program: Leading Professional Services Organizations.  The Iliad by Homer is my favorite book.

I want to see my daughter complete her undergraduate degree at The University of Virginia.  She is only 5 now so this is going to take awhile.

The Special Olympics.  I donate money and volunteer at the Washington, DC Special Olympics Summer Games every year.  It is a great cause.

Hosting my own cooking show on The Food Network...... well I’d like to think that’s what I would be doing.

After I was discharged from the Marines in 1999, I read that the two fastest growing industries over the next ten years were Health Care and IT.  I looked at the opportunities within the IT industry and started training in project management.  Early in my career I quickly learned that my strongest natural skills are being in front of customers, building relationships, understanding issues and executing plans for resolution.  Professional Services was a logical fit.

Ensure that you understand your career path in order to build a foundation with the experience and education you need in order to be successful.

1. My age
2. My weight
3. and my place of birth.

Moving my family from London to New York to work with Tideway .... or maybe it was living in a tent selling doughnuts on a beach in the South of France .... or maybe it was sailing from London to Sydney on a cruise liner as a two year old ...

Learning to ride a bicycle, aged six - the freedom was awesome.

My Mum before she died. I would have told her how much I love her.

Completing an MBA on a part-time basis. Also the easiest, with all the support that my wife gave me.

Loading the family into the car and exploring upstate New York on the weekend, then arriving home, packing the kids off to bed and enjoying a good bottle of wine with my wife and friends.

"Wine Spectator”, October 2008. Favorite business book has to be “Re-imagine" by Tom Peters. Second favorite is “Radical Careering” by Sally Hogshead. Most fun recent read was “Ronnie: The Autobiography” by Ronnie Woods of Rolling Stones fame, and I’m a sucker for any Ian Rankin books featuring John Rebus. 

The end of poverty.

Autism Research Institute. Anyone affected by autism benefits from their research and, as everyone knows, our children represent our future.

I’d be a serial entrepreneur using other peoples’ resources, time and budgets to introduce high return, but worthwhile, ventures into the world.

A beer, a twenty minute interview, and the promise of fun.

Think about and practice providing value. Worry about the P&L later. Knowledge is your secret weapon. Study Friedman and Peters.

1.  I collect US Postage Stamps.
2.  I have attended most of the major sporting events in the world.
3.  I have played poker (monthly) with the same guys for 35 years.

Traveling to numerous countries with my family (e.g., Tasmania was fun!)

Growing up as a “gym rat” at the local YMCA.

I’d like to speak with my great-great-grandchildren when they are about 25 years old.

Started a high-tech company from scratch.

Collecting US Postage Stamps & placing small wagers (offshore) on sporting events.

I’m currently reading The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki.  My favorite book is the Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 by John Godey.

I woul like to see the country of Chile.

Alzheimer’s.  My Dad died of Alzheimer’s related symptoms.

Working for the Atlanta Sports Council, bringing major sporting events to the city.

Migrated into PS/Consulting while with major hardware companies (IBM, NCR).

Understand that a ‘services’ sale is quite different - that you, or someone has to IMPLEMENT what was sold.

1.  I’ve run 2 marathons
2.  I have a black belt in Kuk Sool Won
3.  I was an options trader for 14 months prior to working at QuickArrow.

My greatest adventure was backpacking around Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji for 7 months after graduating college.

Summer vacation, when I was very young.  We used to drive from the suburbs of Chicago to a place in Michigan called Castle Park.  My Aunt, Uncle and cousins would come up from Ohio and we’d spend the week kicking around the sleepy, little town and playing on the beach/lakefront.

I’d like to talk to my great-grandmother on my Dad’s side.  She was born in 1891 and at the age of 9, she left Slovakia by herself and moved to Chicago to meet up with other members of her family.  She died in 1986 and I’d like to talk to her about her life and the perspective she had regarding the world and how it was changing.

My first marathon, Chicago 2001.

Traveling - even though most of my travel is work-related, I like to find local places that I otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to see/try.

I’m currently reading Bridge of Sighs, by Richard Russo.  My favorite book is Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse - it’s the only book that I’ve read and then immediately turned to the first page to read again.

At some point, I’d like to see a total solar eclipse and actually see the corona of the sun.  Otherwise, I’d love to go on a safari and see the wild animals of Africa.

The Austin Humane Society.  The Humane Society helps animals that are too often neglected and truly need help.  Also, I think that giving locally is important and I’d like to see the impact directly.

I’d be a Fireman.

I started as a consultant because I enjoyed solving problems and the variety that new clients provided. 

Listening is the most important skill that a consultant can have.  Develop that and the rest will fall into place.

1.  I jumped out of the first plane flight I ever took.
2.  I was part of a Navy battle group involved in action in the Persian Gulf.
3.  I’ve saved 3 people from drowning though I’ve never been a lifeguard.  They just keep sinking around me and I just keep pulling ‘em back up.....

Family, both the one I grew up in and my own.  Unoriginal, I know, but it’s true.

I was the oldest of 4 ‘spirited’ sons and yet somehow married a girly girl and we have two beautiful girly girl daughters.  What a collision of backgrounds. I think I’m still holding my own but I’m not sure if it’s really true or if they’re just letting me believe that.

Summer vacations at Plum Island, Massachusetts.  My mother was one of 8 siblings (good Catholics up there!) and everyone went together for vacation.  I had about 50 cousins and 2nd cousins so it was a free for all.  The water was so cold you could only comfortably swim in it on August 5th, from 11 - 2 :- ) but the rest of the time you got numb pretty quick and then didn’t notice - and the waves were great.

It’s October 2008 so my answer is Warren Buffett, to ask for some advice .... and a loan!

It’s a toss-up between walking 100 miles with 2 broken legs and 7 bullet wounds in me while dragging 3 elephant carcasses across the blazing desert, or trying to consistently shoot in the 70s in golf.

Golf.  Want to know my least favorite hobby?  Golf.

“Succeeding with SOA” by TIBCO’s own Paul Brown.

I have a ton of favorite books but the one I think is the coolest is my autographed copy of “Discovery of the Titanic” by Robert Ballard.  Almost 100 years later the story still attracts new interested people every year.

Australia, specifically the Barrier Reef, The Rocks, Bondi Beach, and The Australia Zoo to see Steve Irwin’s legacy.

Miss you, Croc Hunter!!

The American Cancer Society.

Probably selling software and working with professional services folks.  I love the software space and feel very fortunate to make my living in it.

How much time do you have?.....

Like most, I didn’t graduate saying “Hmmmm, I hear that PS is a great career.  I’m doing that!” After my stint in the Navy I started teaching technology at a small school, days AND nights because teaching doesn’t pay, and I also took Novell classes and bartended in my ‘spare time’.

I got Novell certified during the client-server boom and an awesome ERP company was desperate enough for consultants that they actually hired me without any DBMS or business app experience.  Turned out to be one of the 5 best things that ever happened to me, and I’ll be forever grateful for it.

Narrowing this down is tough because there is so much I’ve learned from other great PS veterans throughout the years.  Since I like to be on the sales side, I guess this one is top of mind for me lately. There are always 2 answers to every question - the hard (factual/technical) answer, and the soft (nuanced/situationally aware) answer.  S/he who knows how to use and blend both optimally - and always ethically - will always be much more successful than the one trick ponies. 

1. My middle name is ‘Motek’, it’s a family name passed down.  It means ‘Sweetie’ in Hebrew (keep the laughter to yourself!) Also, my surname is Finnish, which should be evident when you look at my picture.  Over the phone, however, I’ve had people assume I was everything from Hawaiian to Indian, with various other nationalities in between.

2. I used to run a computer BBS system, back in the days of 2400 baud modems.  I can’t believe how many hours I wasted on that.

3. I survived a head-on car accident when I was 16, and luckily managed to escape with just a 1.5” scar between my eyes, where my head hit the steering wheel.  No airbags, of course, but the Dodge Colt (same one as above) was totaled.  If they say everyone has one near-death experience in their life, I’m glad to have gotten mine out of the way early!

I’d consider myself lucky to be able to have taken advantage of the ‘side benefits’ of a career revolving around travel.  All of the places I’ve been were great, but I think the most unique has been Bali.

Playing baseball with my dad.  We had a diamond a block from our house, so we’d go over there and he’d pitch to me for a couple of hours.  I never could hit one all the way out, but I came close.

Leonardo da Vinci.  I don’t think there was ever someone so versatile in their abilities. I would love to get insight into how he looked at the world.

I think this is all relative, as I feel I’ve had a pretty lucky upbringing and haven’t really had to face any ‘real’ challenges.  Maybe the biggest will be upcoming… having to raise children.

Most of my free time seems to revolve around computers or video games, although I do try to go to the gym 4-5 times a week to help clear my head.

I’ve had it sitting around for a couple of years, but I just finished reading “The Wal-Mart Effect” by Charles Fishman.

However, since you offered the opportunity for a shameless plug, my favorite book is…

“Mona and Uriah’s Guide to Planning a Destination Wedding“

You can find it on Amazon.com. 

I’d love to go on a safari in Africa to see the Big 5.

One that would allow underprivileged children the ability to go to college.  I think education is really the strongest driver for success in our country, and many qualified people just can’t go because of the economics of it. 

I could never see myself holding a ‘regular’ 9-5 job.  Being a bartender on an island in the South Pacific would suit me just fine!

I started with PeopleSoft Consulting right out of college.  I definitely wasn’t really sure what exactly I was getting into, but ended up getting hooked immediately.

Try to look into what the customer is saying and truly understand the business problems they are trying to solve.  Most of the time they don’t really know exactly what they need either, and your challenge is to figure that out.  Also, remember that technology always changes but the core competencies of a good consultant have stayed the same for a long time.

1) I’m 6th of 7 children in my family, and all of us paid our own way through college to earn at least a bachelor’s degree

2) My first job was as a dishwasher at the Ole South Barbeque at age 13, working for the princely sum of $1.50/hr!

3) I can cross my eyes, and then move each one independently. 

When I was 21, I hitchhiked 1,000 miles by myself to go visit a brother in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.  It took two days each way, and I met lots of interesting people along the way!

The Christmas holidays when I was in grade school.  Seven of us (four of my siblings and my parents) would pile into the family car and drive five hours to see our grandparents and relatives in Birmingham, Alabama.  Both of my parents are also from large families, so there would be dozens of relatives to play with.  It really made the Christmas spirit come alive for us.

Michelangelo; I’m amazed at the perfection in his creations, whether painting, sculpture or architecture.

I paid for two of my years in college by working in the summer selling educational books door-to-door.  You would relocate to another part of the country with other students for the whole summer (in my case, the farmland of Illinois and Kentucky), and work alone 80 hours each week from the first day of summer until returning to school in the fall.  Very tough work, but you’d be amazed how many life lessons you can experience on the “bookfield”. 

I love to travel and see new places (which of course comes in handy for a consultant).  I also enjoy scuba diving when I am able.

Currently reading “The Singularity is Near” by Ray Kurzweil.

I have lots of favorites, but if I had to pick one, it would probably be “Up from Slavery” by Booker T. Washington.  Written by a freed slave just over 100 years ago, I found it quite interesting how the turn of the century was seen through contemporary eyes, and was also inspired by the optimism and insight from this man who came from such humble beginnings.

Having just visited Rome, Italy for the first time last summer, I now would love to visit the Acropolis in Athens and walk in the steps of the founders of modern democracy and philosophy.

Habitat for Humanity.  Based on the simple principle that everyone deserves a decent and safe place to live and raise their family, they positively impact not only the new and first-time homeowners, but the entire community in which we all live. 

Commercial airline pilot.

I was fascinated by technology all the way back in high school (when it was still known as data processing).  When I learned that you could actually make a living working with computers to solve complex equations and issues, my course was set.  Keep in mind that this was at a time when most computers still filled buildings, and the term “personal computer” hadn’t even been coined…

Always be learning.  Today’s expert is tomorrow’s dinosaur.  Technology is moving at an exponentially increasing pace, so you have to make it your mission to be hungry for new knowledge and experiences.  One thing that never changes though is the importance for integrity in what you do.  Always make it a point to deliver what you promise, when you promise. 

1. My maternal grandfather was Chinese.  He’s of Russian-Jewish descent, so you could argue that he’s not ancestrally Chinese, but he was born and raised in Harbin, Manchuria.

2. I was raised by a single mom and really didn’t get to know my father’s side of the family until later in life.  Now we go back East at least once a year because it’s fun to see our dozens of cousins across four generations.

3. I grew up working on cars and paid my way through college as a mechanic.  Full disclosure: it was my grandfather’s car shop, but I became a good mechanic over the years (I have ‘62 VW in my garage waiting for me to have time for a hobby again).  I started working at the shop summers at age 9, doing simple chores, and actually started working on cars at age 13 (I was tall and had facial hair early so I looked older).  Grandpa actually almost fired me in my first month because I made some costly mistakes, but I came around.

During the dot-com days, my wife and I were both at startups and we made an agreement that before we settled down to having kids, we’d exit (rich-rich-rich) from our dot-coms and travel the world.  Well, we didn’t get rich-rich-rich (or rich-rich or rich), but when our dot-coms imploded, we found a way to do the trip.  We traveled around India and Southeast Asia for four months.  An amazing trip, life-altering in many ways and something we are proud to have done together.

It’s difficult to pick any one, but I can say that some of my happiest moments were creating with my Legos.  I have kept the boxes and boxes of Legos in wait to give to my daughter when she’s ready.  Looking forward to that day!

The more I see our country gridlocked in policy on the one hand and unilaterally going it alone on the other, I wonder how the founders had the guts to pull off what they pulled off 200+ years ago.  It really is amazing how they thought things through and what they did.  I’d take any founding father out for a pint to get his opinion on things.

Honestly, I feel that I’ve been fortunate.  My life has not been hard in any way that I can measure.  Sorry to cop out on the question.

My daughter is my favorite hobby and she’s wonderful.  I used to ski, mountain bike, etc., but we worked a bit to have our kid and are enjoying as many minutes of her life as we can.  It goes so quickly.  And then there’s that VW waiting for me in the garage.

I don’t have a favorite book.  Authors continue to put out great literature and the written word is definitely one of my favorite things.  I’m currently reading “What is What” by Dave Eggers about the Sudanese war’s impact, though by the time you read this I’’l probably be reading something new.  I try to use plane time between customers for at least some reading along with work, and, of course, the New Yorker or a good book is excellent for settling down to sleep after a long day with the client when I’m on the road.

China.  As I mentioned, my grandfather is from Manchuria, but I’ve never been to China.  I’d love to spend some time there, particularly in the winter to see the ice festival.

One of the family-oriented non-profits in San Francisco.  I believe in giving locally and the City is a tough place for a single mom.  My wife is on the board of the Family Service Agency of San Francisco, so that would probably be my choice.

If I had my “million” dollar retirement wrapped up, I’d be doing NGO work somewhere in the world, most likely Africa.  If I had to pick another profession, I’d go back to running an auto repair shop, probably with a more green/eco-friendly focus.

Up until my late teens, I wanted to be an architect and entered contests and took classes throughout high school toward that end.  Then, somewhere along the way, I realized I didn’t much like the actual drafting work (too bad it wasn’t a few years later, since I would have loved CAD systems) and decided that what I really liked about architecture was the conversations with clients to understand their requirements and to create something to meet those.  Then, in college, all of those Arthur Andersen Consulting (not yet Accenture) brochures talking about going anywhere in the world led me into consulting.

Learn everything you can about what your customers’ business problems are.  Don’t worry about the promotional track, you’re likely not going to be at the firm you’re at for that long.  And even if you are, it’s still a great skillset, because understanding your customer’s needs is the key to consulting. 

Also, if you aren’t good at project management - visualizing the task plan and the timeline to get it done - take classes, get mentorship, do whatever it takes to become a good project manager.  The best sales people, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, stay-at-home-moms/dads, etc. are all great project managers.  Good project management is a life skill and isn’t that hard.  But it takes practice and is highly admired by those you are managing.

1. I like to play tennis
2. I lived and worked in Poland for one year
3. I’ve operated heavy construction equipment

Having children.

Playing after dinner in the summertime.

OJ Simpson, to get the real story.

Raising children.

I love surfing!

Raising Cain

The Maldives. The Maldives are a collection of 1190 coral atolls situated within the warm gentle waters of the Indian Ocean, South West of Sri Lanka. They are often referred to as the pearls of the Indian Ocean.

Cancer Research

Teaching and Coaching

The Tech Boom in the 90’s

Technical skills are perpetually commoditized.  True and holistic consulting skills will always be in demand.

1. I’m a fire buff.
2. I wrote nearly 200 pages of a novel in junior high school.  I have no idea what happened to my handwritten manuscript.
3. On the morning of my wedding, my best man and I waited in line to buy U2 tickets.

Parenthood continues to be the greatest adventure of my life, from the first stressful weekend while my wife was in labor to the time I spent getting the kids out of the house this morning.  I’m excited every day to see what my kids are thinking and learning. 

The night my sister was born.  I was fourteen years old and had been an only child to that point.  My parents had left for the hospital only 45 minutes earlier, and the call waiting rang with my father on the other end.  He told me I had a new baby sister and I ran downstairs to tell my grandmother.
Since it had been so little time and she hadn’t heard the phone, she didn’t believe me.

My mother had had a crash C-section but both of them were all right.  I’ll never forget the tone of my father’s voice, elated that everything turned out OK.

My maternal grandfather.  Knowing what he most valued in life, I think we would have some great conversations today and I’d learn a lot from getting to know him as an adult. 

Held my grandmother’s hand while she died.

I love to cook, and to share what I prepare with others.  Even cooking a simple every day dinner can reduce my stress.  I try to use local and seasonal ingredients, and have the most fun when I stretch myself with new recipes and techniques.  I believe in doing everything from scratch, and have even tried my hand at making my own butter, cheese, and other basic ingredients.

I’ve gotten into a terrible habit of starting several books at once.  I’m currently reading the following:

• Getting Real by 37signals
• Empire Falls by Richard Russo
• Papal Sin by Garry Wills
• The Ruby Programming Language by David Flanagan & Yukihiro Matsumoto
• Pro Drupal Development by John VanDyk and Matt Westgate
• What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

My favorite book is The Godfather.  It’s not all “made him an offer he couldn’t refuse” there are a lot of lessons about life and relationships behind the mafia imagery.

I haven’t been to Italy, in spite of my heritage.  We have roots in Sicily and Abruzzo, and I’d love to see both with my father and son.  No one in our family has any contact with “old-country” relatives, and very few have made the trip. 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation.  When I was in high school my girlfriend’s little sister was a Wish Kid.  They went to Disney World, and the effect it had on the entire family was amazing.

There’s the “dream” answer and the practical answer.

Practically, I’d be in another sort of IT role, most likely at a University. 

In my dreams, I’d have a small restaurant with twenty-five or fewer seats.  I’d establish relationships with local farmers to serve a small menu of seasonal, regionally-sourced dishes. 

I originally got into PS because I noticed that consultants were working on all of the coolest projects at my employer.  I thought I’d do it for two or three years and then “settle down” into another full-time IT role.  On my first few projects, we implemented Internet capabilities and project methodologies for clients that had neither.  Watching them “get it” made the long hours and client challenges worth it.  That’s why I’m consulting, and I’ve become a manager to get that same feeling everyday with my team.

View every project as a chance to learn new things.  It may be your tenth implementation of the same basic use cases for you company’s product, but there’s always new things to learn if you look for them.  It might be new technical tricks, or techniques for dealing with clients, or, if you’re lucky, lessons about yourself.  If you can come out of every project just a little bit smarter than when you went in, you’ll have great success. 

1. I am part native American Indian - Mohawk.
2. I hold a US Coast Guard Captain’s rating - so I can perform marriages at sea on those deep sea sport fishing charters many people take. I have done this for fun with several couples. Do you think they still think they’re legally married?
3. I used to be a programmer. 

Getting married to my soul mate and raising two great kids.

Winning my 1st sail boat race at the age of thirteen with my cousin in a very small boat!

A great question, Michelangelo Simoni, he was a renaissance painter, sculptor, architect and engineer, he did an exceptional amount in a relatively short period of time, it would be an honor to meet him and spend time with him.

Put my first golden retriever to sleep - she was 14 years old and a good friend for all those years.

Golfing with my college buddies, it’s a Spring time ritual.

I just finished reading The Breakthrough Company by Keith McFarland.

My favorite is The Fountain Head by Ayn Rand.

New Zealand - I’ve never been there but I hear it’s awesome.

American Cancer Society

Running my own small business, but centered around customer services.

I began my career as a programmer and early on spent time in operations, manufacturing and engineering. I spent the later part of my professional career in customer facing roles managing various Services P&L’s. I believe strongly that PS is a key determinant in the success of any company. People make the difference especially the people gluing it together in the field with customers/partners. It is a challenge for all of those in the profession.

PS is an outstanding place to start one’s career it gives you all the necessary experiences from which to build one’s professional toolkit for success.

My two cents:

“Do what’s right for the end customer and you will be successful despite pressures to do something counter intuitive by management”.

1. I have started to learn piano one year ago.
2. I am a fan of mythology.
3. I read a lot, around two books per week.

The birth of my kids.

Week-ends at the beach with my family enjoying sun, fun and a simple and fresh lunch.(I am living in Nice on the Riviera).

I would like to have a conversation with Moses and try to understand why I am here, where am I going ....

Joker

Cooking!!! I take recipes from the most difficult french cooks (my favorite being Alain Ducasse) and I try to recreate them as close to the original version as possible. It usually takes me a day to prepare dinner, but usually the guests thoroughly enjoy it.

I am currently reading the famous book of Stieg Laarson, Millenium, and a Chinese writer Chi Li.

My favorite book, or I would say my favorite writer is so far a french writer call Philippe Claudel. I can’t say that I have any specific favorites in all his catalogue, but the ones I’ve enjoyed the most were:

1. “Les ames grises”
2. “La petite fille de Monsieur Linh”
3. “Eldorado”and
   
4. “La mort du Roi Tsongor”

I’d like to see the pyramids in Egypt and discover Asia, which I plan to do in June.

I would give the money to a foundation that takes care of educating children in countries that don’t have the means to afford it. I believe that this is the key to progress and a brighter future. The effects are not immediate but you can see the consequence, of countries that have neglected this. Little by little they have sunk.

I’d be an Architect or a Doctor.

Chance.
I started at an Engineering school in France and then graduated with an MBA in Finance and risk management. One company in Paris paid my tuition and offered me a job at the end of my schooling. They were developing software for the banking industry and that’s where I got started.

The customer is at the heart of your job. Be curious, think industrial, but stay practical.

1. My mother was a Nun (before she met my father and chose to leave the convent)
2. I sold cleaning products door to door when I was 9 years old.  I didn’t make much money but I got to know the neighborhood pretty well.  (Which paid off later when I started mowing their lawns the following year.)
3. One of my junior high school classmates was the voice of “Lucy” in the Charlie Brown cartoons.

My service in the U.S Air Force was very exciting and afforded me lots of travel to interesting locations.  I’d have to list that right up with meeting my wife and watching my daughter grow up.

That’s a hard one; lots of good ones come to mind.  I guess I’d say the vacation trip our family (all 7 of us) took in 1971 to the mountains.  I was 10 at the time, learned to fish, did a lot of boating, hung out with my siblings and just had a good time.

I would definitely love to have a conversation with Lao Tsu.  (Author of the Tao Te Ching)

Giving the eulogy at my mother’s funeral.

Photography, Food, Wine (not necessarily in that order)

I’m currently reading a pretty varied selection of books including “Meatball Sundae” by Seth Godin, “The Audacity of Hope” by Barack Obama, and the “Speed of Trust” by Stephen MR Covey.  What’s my favorite book?  I’d have to say it’s a toss up between “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” by Hunter S. Thompson and “Speaker For The Dead” by Orson Scott Card.

I’d like to visit the Louvre, travel to South America (In particular, Costa Rica and Peru) and to drive (during the summer and in a convertible) from Chicago to Los Angeles along Route 66.

I’d give it all to the Colfax Community Network here in Denver, CO.  Many families living in poverty in the Denver area are forced to live in motels as a temporary solution to homelessness. While motels provide immediate shelter, the high cost of motel rent and the inability to secure the necessary funds for permanent housing often hold families in the “motel trap.” This is a crying shame and I certainly plan to do something about it.

1. Writing books and speaking publicly about effective client engagement and customer service.
2. Donating my time to fight poverty and improve education in this country and around the world.
3. Working to promote a unified understanding of our place on this planet and fighting bigotry, bias, and hatred.
4. Taking pictures.

I have worked for the large commercial firms and large government agencies for most of my adult working life and started to realize that (for me) the thrill of defining, launching, managing, and finishing any project endeavor eventually wore off.

I always liked the “type” of work but I needed more variety in terms of industry sector, project subject, and how my work impacted people in general.  I love learning about different industries, technologies, communities, and people and by consulting I get the opportunity to do just that. 

This variety is what keeps me interested and energized.

• Always be prepared, always have a plan, and remember to trust “the data”.  With that said however, you should be ready to adjust your plan to fit your customer’s needs, their particular situation, and your specific strengths.

• Never assume that you know what your customer wants and what they need.  Take the time to really understand what your customer is trying to tell you about not only what drives their business but also what drives “them”.

• Building this trust with your customer “earns” you the opportunity to deliver results for them. 

• Constantly ask yourself:
  
  • “Do my customers feel that I’m really listening to them?”
  • “How do I demonstrate to them (both verbally and in writing) that I “get” what they are trying to tell me?”
• One more thing; never show up to a client meeting without paper and pen....

1. I lead a secret life as a ‘B Tier’ political blogger.
2. I participate in several organizations that promote alternative energy.
3. I can and sometimes do D.J. charity events.

Without a doubt, raising my adopted daughter.

Climbing Mt. Misery in St. Kitts - without a map!

H.G. Wells, mostly to tease him about the numerous books that nobody remembers.

Tried to learn Chinese.

Right now I’m converting an extensive vinyl music library into digital format.

Right now I’m reading “Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why” by Bart D. Ehrman.  My favorite book of all time is “Nausea” by Jean Paul Sartre

There are so many places I want to see that it’s hard to choose!  However if there was only one more trip I could take, I would go see the Sichuan province in Southern China.

I would contribute to the Nature Conservancy, for the exceptional work they do in bringing various interests together to conserve critical pieces of wildlife habitat.

Producing music.

I started out as a software engineer, for which I had little aptitude, was recruited into application engineering, where I prospered, did a brief stint in marketing, then started my own professional services systems integration business.

Stay technical and an individual contributor as long as you possibly can!  Go into management as a last resort

1. I was a boy scout as a kid.
2. I love snowboarding.
3. I am a HUGE Chicago Bears fan (actually, just about anyone who meets me knows the last one, but I figured I’d throw it in for my cyber friends out there who may not know yet...now you know.  Go Bears!)

Having a child.  I’ve learned more about myself and my outlook on life in the past six months than in all my previous years.

The day my family brought home our first dog (a chocolate lab named Janko). I was in 7th grade.

I think I’d like to talk to my future self from about 30 years from now and ask myself about all the many mistakes I’m going to make so that I can attempt to avoid the big ones and gain wisdom from the smaller ones. I wouldn’t mind knowing if I’m going to lose my hair too, that way I can get over the anxiety and save some money on the expensive shampoos.

Admit I was wrong about something pretty big and ask for forgiveness from those who were affected.  I’d also rate it as my greatest accomplishment, however.

Spending time with my family.... not too long ago I might’ve said snowboarding or scuba diving, but children change everything!

I’m currently reading three books:

1. America: The Last Best Hope vol. I by William Bennett (a great presentation of the history of the U.S.)
2. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When the Stakes Are High, by Kerry Patterson et al (a decent book about influencing others through conversation), and
3. Call to Arms, by W.E.B. Griffin.

I’ve never gone diving at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.... something I’ll have to do before my time is up.

Catholic Charities USA - it helps to counter many of the ills of the world, not only by donating much-needed financial aid, education and services, but also by instilling faith and values even when it’s not always politically correct to do so.

I’d be a rock star. But given that I hate tight leather pants and have no musical talent, I’ll stick with PS.

I got here in a roundabout way, but the short story is that I had a wonderful mentor who encouraged me to do so based on my strengths and interests.

Be patient and learn everything you can - each engagement, each client, each project-gone-wrong will teach you valuable lessons.  Often, we learn more from our failures than from our successes… embrace the lessons, just don’t repeat the failures.

Scott may be contacted at (scott dot liewehr at onestagroup dot com)

1. My first job in high school was working in a flea market on Long Island selling women’s clothing.
2. I sold timeshares on the beach in Florida during college summer breaks.
3. For 3 years I was a teaching assistant for a psychology course during college.

Learning to surf in Hawaii.

Driving to Florida for winter vacations. It was the best family time and always a sense of adventure. We loved the beach. Going on vacation with our children is the best memories I have over recent years.

It would be to spend another hour with my Dad who died suddenly 10 years ago.  I’d love to be able to tell him about my family. For famous people, it would be Ben Franklin.  He invented so many things while helping shape politics, it would be fascinating to see what he was like.

Being a parent.  It’s the most fun and rewarding thing I’ve ever done, but also the decisions can be much tougher than work.  At work there is more time to learn and handle the situation better the 2nd time around.  I’ve been working 20 years and still learning. With parenting the runway is much shorter and you want to get it right the first time.

I love to exercise, running a few times a week.  I never exercised until my late 30’s.  I figured this was the best way to stay healthy as I get older.  The most valuable thing you have is your health and that of your family, no amount of money can buy it back if you lose it.  Once I started for the health benefits, I got the bug for running and now enjoy it so much that I’m a big grumpy if I don’t get my run in to clear the mind.  It’s probably the only area where I consistently make time for myself.

Favorite book is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.  I’m currently reading The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman, and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I frequently download audio books to my Ipod and listen while running, it’s a time saver and the only way I get through a full book these days.

I’d love to see the Middle East.  Seeing the Pyramids in Egypt, and archaeology in Israel would be fascinating.

There are a dozen medical charities I’d love to give money to, but they get a lot of attention, I’d probably give it to the local animal shelter where it would have a big impact.  It’s a crime how many unwanted pets are put down every day.  Animals enrich our lives so much.  I saw a plaque that read “My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog thinks I am”.  I think that fits.

I’d probably be closer to academics and teaching.  I’d also love to volunteer on the local ambulance squad and get more involved in political campaigns.  I think down the road these will all be good early retirement or pre-retirement activities, just not things that fit where I want to focus today.

In high school I signed up for programming classes during the usual morning ‘homeroom’ period to fit them into my schedule.  For college, the typical computer science or electrical engineering degree didn’t seem to fit what I wanted.  I found that Carnegie Mellon University had one of the first Information Systems degrees where previously Computer Science was typically the only option. In the 80’s, Oracle was doing heavy recruiting on campus and I was on a customer site a couple months after graduation.  Oracle was a great place to start in the 80’s as the company was growing so quickly, anyone who went the extra mile got additional responsibility very quickly. 

First: Find a mentor.  Having a project manager or senior staff member who takes an interest in you to show you the ropes can be worth a lot.  Project leaders are grateful for those who go the extra mile to get a project done.  Hard work and dedication on your first projects is a great way to find such a mentor, they will often find you as they seek you out on their future projects. 

Second: Remember that consulting is as much about the people as the technology.  You need to be a good communicator and build relationships with customers and peers in order to turn the technology into something valuable for the client.

1. Audrey Hepburn is my idol.
2. I collect kitsch toys whenever possible and hope no one notices.
3. I was a professional dancer between the ages of 10 and 20 and had a few acting roles in television drama’s where I worked along side Nicole Kidman.

Meeting and marrying my husband Mitch. Without him I would also not have my three beautiful children who provide me with an adventure every day.

Creating cubby houses out of my parent’s outdoor furniture and picnic rugs and family holidays by the beach.

Audrey Hepburn. She lived an incredible life. She was beautiful outside and within. Her work with UNICEF right up to her death was inspiring and she approached everything in her life with class and dignity.

Helping a friend through a terrible tragedy - her baby died shortly after birth. It was a harrowing time.

Going to the cinema to see any latest release. I love the whole cinema experience complete with full Dolby Digital or THX surround sound. Much to the disappointment of Mitch, you cannot truly replicate that experience in your living room no matter how hard you try or how many ‘toys’ you buy. (Not that he’ll ever stop trying!)

A Michael Connelly crime novel - The Poet.

Favorite book, Mmmm..... That is a hard one; I have so many favorite books, but probably Audrey Hepburn - An Elegant Spirit, written by her son Sean H. Ferrer

I would love to visit Egypt and explore inside the Pyramids

The Breast Cancer Institute -There is not a man or woman that hasn’t at some time known or loved a female friend or relative who has battled with or been lost to this terrible illness. 

I am a closet genetic scientist. I thought I was destined for a life in science but changed my mind at 18 to work in Film and Television. 

After leading an organization delivering Educational and Training services, I saw an opportunity to set up my own consultancy firm delivering Professional Services to the broadcast and media industry in Australia and New Zealand.

People skills are your greatest asset. Understand the business of your clients and really listen to their needs. Always go that extra mile in treating your clients’ businesses and money, as if they were your own. You will gain their trust and demonstrate that their business is in safe hands - yours.

1. I love to play squash.
2. I hate a humid climate.
3. I love to do work with wood, just don’t seem to ever find the time.

3 month backpacking with my wife (our honeymoon) trip to South America - Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

Going with my parents on a long weekend trip down to Eilat (Israel).

Myself - 20 years ago. I would have explained to me what I learned so far and the mistakes I made - so I could avoid making those mistakes and make others instead. 

Fire people I like.

I love to play squash - it is the best way to get a workout without thinking about how hard you work, have fun, scream at your partner, hit him sometimes, by “mistake” with the bat, and still go home relaxed like being in a spa.

I love Stephen King, and most of the time read his books. Right now I am actually re-reading “Crossing the Chasm” It’s amazing how every time you read his book, you pick up on details you missed the time before.

Japan

To the place my wife works - C.A.R. in Palo Alto, who work with kids 0-3 with a whole range of development issues.

Still in R&D ....

I started as a software developer, and gradually climbed up the R&D management levels until I managed and ran almost every possible groups in R&D (over 3-4 companies). As time went - I found myself attracted more to the customer/partner facing side of the R&D, integration, customizations, product management. Eventually, the opportunity presented to switch to a senior service role ... and from then the rest is history.

Start by first being a strong professional - technical, project manager. Build you experience in the field, working with customers, and only then look to climb up ...

1. I was an avid beer can and baseball card collector in my younger days.  I have the entire Schmidt Beer can collection!!
2. I threw a one-hitter for my high school baseball team.
3. I was the best grill-man at McDonald’s!

My friend and I took a trip to Hong Kong and Bangkok in 1989.  It was the first time I was out of the country.  It was an amazing and eye-opening experience.  I also have the custom made suit I purchased in Hong Kong.  Still fits great!

Playing baseball.  I loved the game and spent every summer day at the park either playing pick up games or in Little League.  I always hated when the street lights went on, that was my signal to head home.

Jesus for obvious reasons.

Being a good parent.  I have 3 wonderful children and each day brings with it many great times and challenges.

I wish I could say I have one.  I guess my hobby is my children.  Between work and traveling, they take up the rest of my day.

From a business perspective it’s Good to Great by James Collins.  From a personal perspective, Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow I’m currently reading a series of children’s books to my kids at bedtime.

I’ve always dreamed about going to Tahiti.  One of these days.....

I’d give it to the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation. My grandmother passed away from the disease.  I witnessed the impact and it was devastating.

I - Hmm.  Based on my education, I’d probably be working for an IT organization.  If I had my wish, I’d be retiring from the Cubs.

I received an internship with Andersen Consulting when I was in school.  I really enjoyed the work and the partner in charge especially liked me because I was a ND high school grad.  I received a full time position when I graduated and the rest is history.

Listen, take good notes, think before you open your mouth, be customer focused, go to great lengths to know your subject matter, arrive before the client and leave afterwards, always carry a note book and go to great lengths to make a favorable impression.

1.  I played field hockey at student international level
2.  I made a few extra pennies as a chef when I was a teenager
3.  I’d like one day to write fiction and run my own brasserie.

Fatherhood. By some distance the most exciting and rewarding passage of my life so far.

Summers spent in the Dordogne (a region in France), messing about on the next door farm.

1. The architect responsible for the Great Pyramid at Giza - I’d love to know the real story about why and how it was built.
2. Myself as a young teenager - to persuade myself to focus more on studying to give me more choice… and to follow my dreams.

Having to leave my son when I divorced his mother.

1.  Having fun with my son and chatting about the universe with him.
2.  Playing golf - a true test of character and a physical test of risk management ability. 
3.  Cooking - making up interesting recipes fusing influences from around the world.

The Strange Death of Doctor Kelly by Norman Baker MP.  Just finished the Pullman trilogy His Dark Materials, The Ghost, Vice and Al Gore’s latest.  I love the novels of Robert Ludlum and Frederick Forsyth and read at least three or four per year.

The Great Pyramids, Easter Island & Macchu Picchu.

The Web of Hope of which I am a trustee - devoted to providing information and education on sustainable development and practical ways we can all make a difference to saving the planet from our own follies… check out the website and add your own stories of Hope!

Writing, cooking and spending more time with my son.

A series of coincidences.

• Never stop learning.
• Never assume you know more about your clients’ organisations and operations than they do.
• Never assume that because you were asked a question the answer will be welcome.
• Never forget to say thank you to those who assist you.
• Remember always that today’s adversary could be tomorrow’s customer.
• Never assume that the hypothetical ultimate solution will work in practice.
• Always assume that your client is at least as clever and knowledgeable as you are.

1. I’m currently back in school to get an MBA at the University of Michigan.
2. Love spending time with my 2 daughters - Ria 8 and Raveena 6.
3. Love to collect California wines.

Coming to America from India when I was 23 for a 3 month project and staying on....

Going swimming in the river by my town.

I would love to hang out with Tom Brady of the Patriots and ask him what it’s like out there in the zone.

Filling out this questionaire.

Biking - I love to go mountain biking.

The Language Instinct by Stephen Pinker. 

Would love to spend time in Malta a small island halfway between the coasts of Sicily and North Africa, in the Mediterranean Sea. I have only seen it in pictures and on TV - it looks fantastic!

I would support Schools For Humanity, where I knew the $10,000 would have a real impact on giving children in Ethiopia the chance to go to school and get an education and have an opportunity to break out of the cycle of poverty! 

Product Management, Marketing Management

I became attracted to PS/Consulting because it offers the opportunity to meet new people, solve problems and keeps me challenged!

Listen carefully to what the customer wants, be the customer’s advocate and trusted advisor and be prepared to disagree with the customer when appropriate.

I would say that my greatest adventure was a 3 month trip I made to Australia and New Zealand in 1994 where I crossed the Australian desert using a 4 wheel drive.  It was an exciting time that I think of often.  I would love to make a return trip and do it again some day when I have the time.

Weekends that I used to spend with my mother on the beach taking a small boat and steering it far away from the shore

Lance Armstrong

The sleepless weeks I spent in the Army, while we were training in the desert for three months. It taught me a lot about myself and my ability to sustain under pressure and demand.

I started doing Triathlons 2 years ago, and have completed dozens of them already. I ran my first Marathon this January, and I’m now practicing for the Ironman in Klagenfurt, Austria. The Ironman consists of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles followed by a 26.2 mile run and will take place on July 13th. 2008.

I usually read thrillers and I have several of them lying near my bed. I also read magazines that center around Triathlons. 

I’d like to go back to the Australian Desert and visit South America.

I’d give it to S.O.S. Pet Association, which is an organization that takes care of animals.

If I was not working in this industry I would probably find myself somewhere in Finance.

Actually I started as a programmer, but after 4 years I joined a friend of mine who opened a small firm that provided consultancy around Unix and Internet Servers, when the Internet was just getting started. From that moment I stayed involved in the services world, and soon moved to Professional Services.

There’s so much advice I could give to a Professional Services novice, but I’ll narrow it down to the three that I believe best describe the PS business: 

1. Plans are worthless, planning is priceless.
2. Plan for the best, prepare for the worst.
3. Make sure you surround yourself with good people who can help you run the business.

1. I’m the 7th of 7 children (5 girls/2 boys).
2. I have dual citizenship with the US and UK.
3. I have bungee jumped 3 different times.

I love traveling and specifically exploring the UK with my Aunty Carol.  We travel over every year and spend a week or so exploring areas we’ve not yet been to visit.

Rough-housing with my brother and sister.  We played football where my sister and I were one team and my brother was the other (he was much taller/bigger than both of us and beat us every time)

Present: George W - “what were you thinking about in the past 8 yrs.? Oh, and any answer that includes the words ‘WMD’ or ‘terrorist’ simply won’t suffice.”
Past: Picasso - “What was your most inspiring person, idea or thing?”

Future: 1st female president of the US - “How did you get here? And what took you so long?”

Give my Mother’s eulogy on July 31st, 2001. 

I enjoy extreme sports/activities which include b-jumping, hiking, parasailing, parachuting (which I’ve yet to try) and shooting at a range.

Current - Profiles in Audacity: Great Decisions and How They Were Made by Alan Axelrod
Favorite - Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have by Justin Menkes

I’ve never been to Australia, any of the Pacific Rim, Greece or Russia and would enjoy visiting all of them.

I would give the money to Youth Pride.  I think it is a travesty that young people do not feel comfortable with who they are in the 21st century and resort to alienation and suicide induced by societal peer pressure.

I would travel the world.

I fell into it. -Seriously, I was discontent with my position at a large hotel company and decided to do something about it.  I ‘dialed for dollars’ each day contacting at least 3 different people until finally I received a call from the Retail Practice Leader at Lawson Software. I was there for 7 years, leaving as the Technology Practice Director for Public Sector.  While I currently work for Deloitte, that position and the leadership that surrounded me prepared me the most for where I am today. 

I would advise them to network with as many people in your organization as possible, no matter what their level.  Your reputation is what people remember and what will propel your career - ensure it is pristine. 

1. One of my first real jobs was as a school bus driver at the age of 16.
2. I was famous for a weekend being on the cover of the Washington Post’s “Living” section about 10 years ago.

3. I started college classes a year before actually graduating from high school.

Outside of raising a family I’d say my military experience.  I believe it had a strong influence on my life and helped me focus as a young adult. 

Growing up in western NC my family and I use to go to abandoned mines on the weekends and hunt for gems.  A young boy taking a hammer to a million rocks all day long.  I even found a gem (aquamarine) once that my mother had made into a ring.

Always a tough question, but I think I’d choose going into the future and speaking with my two daughters when they’re my age to see if I taught them to make good decisions.

In my professional life it would be laying someone off.

I think playing with new gadgets is my favorite hobby.  There’s nothing better than getting a new tech toy and spending an hour (or 5) figuring all the cool little features it has.  My latest is a Sonos player.

Mines, Miners, and Minerals OK, so it’s because my uncle wrote it but he’s a really funny guy.

There are still several places on my list to see but for now I’ll pick the Pyramids in Egypt. 

St. Jude’s.  My wife and I have experienced the pain of a child going through health issues and we are always looking for ways to give back. 

A software developer.  It’s what I started out to do but found I wasn’t nearly eccentric enough to make it.

While working at Oracle as a developer I learned that I had more talent in explaining common sense approaches to our customers than writing code.  My slightly blunt but honest approach resonated with customers and it made me feel as though I was making more of a difference.  “A difference” is what I strive for in anything that I take on.

Regardless of your skill set you must develop the ability to build and maintain solid relationships with your customers.  It will make harder decisions you’ll be faced with at times much easier.  It’s also what makes the good ones great.

• I volunteered as a blacksmith in a museum with a replica 1920's village. I made horseshoes out of iron rods on a coal fire, hammering it out on the anvil, etc.
• I trained at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for rifle shooting. There was a huge storm while I was there and we had to stay in the basement with the women's volleyball team.
• I was a Programmer Analyst (Consulting) working on the welfare system for the State of Alaska and spent about 1.5 years in Juneau where I got a free car (long story) that required a screwdriver to open the trunk and had mushrooms growing on the floor in the back (this was my worst car ever). I sold it for $50 to a guy who wanted to sleep in it when he was fighting with his wife.