I grew up in a little town of 1200 on northern Minnesota’s Iron Range.  At different times, my father was the mayor, dentist and school bus driver.  Even though I was voted  class clown, I earned Eagle Scout at 14.  Armed with a journalism degree, I wanted a Pulitzer for a long time.  Some say I have the acidic style of Spencer Tracy where he plays a reporter amidst a buzzing newsroom (one of my most prized possessions is an old, black Underwood manual typewriter my wife gave me for our first anniversary).  My 19 years in journalism culminated with me being the Chicago Bureau Chief for a national news service.  After that, I traveled worldwide as a PR manager for Motorola.  I graduated from Marquette University, but I really wanted to go to West Point.  That story, however, can be saved for an after-hours gin martini.  Straight up, with a twist.