In 1955, fresh with my diploma from Duke, I found myself holding a survey rod and peering through a transit on commercial construction sites in and around New York City. Subsequently, I was promoted to Superintendent on oxygen plants in the St. Louis and Pittsburgh areas. Later, I transitioned to the role of Sales Engineer for Dravo Corp, where I honed relationship marketing skills, negotiating multi-million dollar engineering/construction contracts for iron mines in Minnesota, California, Peru, and Australia. Noteworthy among them were Dravo's initial industrial contracts beyond the Mississippi and overseas. Successful in my pioneering efforts, I was offered the presidency of a new subsidiary in Sydney by executives at Dravo when I was just 31. Regrettably, I declined the offer due to family reasons.
My passion for writing marketing materials grew, encompassing brochures, ads, proposals, reports, presentations, and more. I discovered that imaginative communications could transform Request for Proposals (RFPs) into negotiations and negotiations into contracts. To share my newfound love and talents, I began writing for other companies during my spare time. Soon, my after-work hobby started surpassing my day job income, and the enjoyment kept me going.
After eighteen years in engineering/construction, facing a career shift, I embraced full-time freelance writing, primarily for Westinghouse, PPG Industries, US Steel, and Alcoa. My intuitive talent for relationship marketing and customer/employee satisfaction yielded remarkable benefits. All my new business originated from existing clients, reducing my sales expenses to zero. Operating at 140 percent of capacity, I humorously claimed I didn't need to sell. Throughout my fifty-plus years in business, I hired only two assistants, leading to my books "The Power of Dignity" and "The Power of Ethics."
My engineering background led to assignments covering topics such as engineering/construction, electricity, energy in various forms, building products, reinforced plastics, powder metallurgy, environmental analyses/remediation, and financial analyses. I estimate having written three million words for clients, equivalent to more than thirty Tom Clancy novels but not enough for a single movie theater.
Encouraged to share my expertise, I ventured into teaching, starting at the English Department at Carnegie Mellon University and later moving to the nascent Graduate School of Environmental Science and Management at Duquesne University. Acknowledged for my contributions, I received formal recognition as the second employee. My success in academia led me to teach writing at the Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania and various member firms, earning stellar ratings. Additionally, I tutor top executives who recognize the importance of improving their writing/communication skills for continued professional advancement.
I've authored numerous books, receiving favorable reviews and witnessing growing sales. Currently, I am working on or planning several more.
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