Advice From the Top
Page 10
“Even in the technologically advanced world we live in, it is important to be hard-working and dedicate yourself to achieve success in both your career and life.”
Real estate entrepreneur R. Donahue Peebles
“For a high school graduate, Take a trip to another country for two weeks and then take a summer job in an industry you are considering for a career. Prepare for surprises and disappointments and embrace both. To a college graduate, the adventure has begun and it's time to shift into high gear. Work hard and effectively. If at all possible, get a job in your dream field, even if the salary is less. If you can't get that job, don't give up, keep pushing. The most important word is perseverance. Most people give up before achieving their goals, often right before the finish line. You must be in the arena to compete.”
Deloitte & Touche Tohmatsu CEO Jim Quigley 2007-2012
“Nearly half of all teens say they would act unethically to get ahead or make more money, if they knew for sure they would not get caught. I find this troubling, and would advise any graduate to make ethical behavior their cornerstone. The question is not, ‘Will I get caught?’ or even, ‘Is it legal?’ To be successful in business and in life, follow the higher standard of, ‘Is it right?’ The people who follow this standard live richer, fuller lives and achieve success that lasts.”
Pep Boys CEO Jeffrey Rachor 2007-2008
“Master the art of communication. The ability to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life will differentiate you from most peers and position you for success in whatever endeavor or career path you pursue.”
Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz 2006-2009
“One, always have a plan. It's OK to change the plan. It's not OK to show up without one. Two, pick bosses, not jobs. Three, the harder you work, the luckier you'll get.”
Loews Hotel CEO Jonathan Tisch 1989-present
“Take a job, any job. It might not be exactly what you want, but you can learn from every experience, especially since we don't really know where we will end up.”
About the Editor
Del Leonard Jones, CEO of Casey Strikes Out Publishing, lives near Washington D.C. with his wife Dianna. He has two grown children. He recently published his first historical novel, The Cremation of Sam McGee, set in the 1898 heyday of yellow journalism and the pitched battle between newspaper moguls Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst.
Jones writes and podcasts Q&As with CEOs who have advice to share. Those interested in having a Q&A published in USA Today and/or appear with legendary CEOs in the second edition of this book are invited to suggest a topic via his web site https://caseystrikesout.wixsite.com/website.
He is available to speak on a number of topics including leadership, and how today’s changing journalism environment is both similar and dissimilar to the yellow journalism of the late 1890s.
Jones officiates high school and collegiate sports and is writing a second historical novel set in the dawn of professional baseball, inspired by the 1888 ballad Casey At the Bat and told from the umpire’s point of view. He is taking a stab at humor with Thursdays with Trump. All I Really Need To Know I Learned From the First Season of the Apprentice.
About The Cremation of Sam McGee
Fake news is nothing new…
At the behest of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, celebrated correspondent Jayson Kelley goes to Havana in 1898 to report on the escalating tensions in Cuba’s bid for independence. Except most of his front-page stories are fabricated to spread warmongering propaganda and boost readership in journalism’s own circulation war at home. When Jayson meets Sam McGee and his beautiful but aloof sister Luisa, he knows he has his next story, crafting an unbelievable tale of heroism that leaves Sam dead and Luisa on the run. As the Spanish-American War unfolds, Jayson travels from the heat of Havana to the frozen Klondike at the height of the Gold Rush to fulfill an impossible promise he made to the best friend he’s ever known and find the woman who stole his heart.
Based on the poems of Robert W. Service, Del Leonard Jones’s debut novel is a richly-told historical fable about yellow journalism, fame, love, lies and redemption that isn’t too far from the truth—and feels eerily believable in today’s political climate, twenty-four-hour news cycle, and the cutthroat competition for clicks. Sam McGee is an epic battle for the high ground of honesty that continues to this day.
“The Cremation of Sam McGee reminds us again that history repeats itself. The language is stellar, the dialogue terrific, the characters larger than life. Jones does an incredible job.”–T. Greenwood, author of Rust & Stardust.
Request the first chapter at https://caseystrikesout.wixsite.com/website