Throughout my life, beginning with elementary school, there have been folks who have dramatically affected my life -- either by teaching me new skills or new ways of thinking and dealing with people. 

These folks, in alphabetical order, are my heroes: 

Ed Barber -- My most vivid memory of Ed Barber is seeing him sitting at his desk as publisher of the High Springs Herald, cutting out obituaries. He would then have them laminated, and he'd personally mail them to the widows and widowers, sending his condolences. I have never met a more compassionate, caring and ethical man as Ed Barber. When I was a student writer at the Independent Florida Alligator, Ed Barber was the general manager. Then the newspaper bought the High Springs Herald, and I was named its editor, with Ed Barber serving as publisher. 

Ed confirmed my love for journalism and its ability to do good. He used to get just as excited as I would about good stories, and he revels in the ability of a newspaper to dramatically affect a community. Ed also is the most ethical and honest man I have ever met, and he re-instilled in me the importance of remaining spotless, of always being a reporter that the public not only trusts but also wants to confide to. Ed often calls me his "son," and I can say with deepest pride and heartfelt love that if I didn't have a father, I would want him. (Go here to see a photo of him and I in my St. Petersburg office.)

Debbie Dunn-Rankin -- Whenever I'm confronted with a personality conflict or a seemingly overwhelming workload, I ask myself, "How would Debbie handle this?" Debbie is the general manager at Sunline, where I worked as the Internet Editor. Of all the great and wonderful people I have met in my lifetime, I have never met a person who can deal with people so effectively. Sometimes I sit in utter amazement, my jaw agape, as I watch her handle a room of diverse people. Debbie Dunn-Rankin, once she gets to know you, can tell instantly how you are feeling and knows just how to react. 

And she truly, truly cares how you feel. There is nothing fake about Debbie; she's the genuine article. Debbie also has a wonderful ability to handle several projects at once and coordinate them among several groups. I would put Debbie against any corporate executive in the country. Between her supreme organizational skills and ability to make people feel at ease, Debbie is a leader among leaders. 

Ronald & Barbara Dupont (My Parents) -- There is no way I can convey in words my love and appreciation of everything my parents have done for me. You always hear stories of kids growing up in dysfunctional families, but I had a wonderful childhood that prepared me for everything I face today. My father taught me to have respect for life and nature. And whether he knows it or not, he taught me the value of hard work. I watched him work from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. on almost a daily basis, often alone in the Everglades catching snakes as a herpetologist. He did more manual labor than most people will in several lifetimes. Whenever I get tired and think my workload is rough, I think of my Dad's workload and how easy I have it. 

And then there is my Mom. She taught me so many things, from having a love of learning to caring for people. But perhaps the most important lesson she taught me is to laugh. Yes, laugh. She has a way of looking at life in a pleasant manner. She, too, is a herpetologist, but in raising nine kids, I think she also should have degrees in psychology and emergency medical care. When I think of my Mom, my first mental images are of her smiling and laughing that special laugh she has. Because of my Mom, I will never get old because I will remain forever young in my heart, laughing and smiling through all of life’s adventures. 

Ed Eissey -- Ed was a big part of my life for many years. He was president of Palm Beach Junior College, and during my three years there, he became a great friend. I remember while still in high school, I approached him and said that I was coming to the college but that I wasn't happy that the newspaper didn't have computers. Later that year, at my request, he had all new computers put in. Then, during my three years on the newspaper, Ed refused to ever set foot in the newspaper offices -- not even for an official tour -- so that he could never be accused of trying to "control" us. 

But when I think back about Ed, my most vivid memory is of him sitting in the college cafeteria with groups of students. Rather than sitting in the area designated for teachers and administrators, Ed used to pick out a student table at random and surprise the students when he sat down. "Hi, I'm the college president. How are you doing?" he would say, making me laugh as I watched the jaws of students drop. He truly loved his job -- and that love and enhusiasm spilled over onto those around him. 

Karen Buchanan Gomer -- This is my 1st-grade teacher, with whom I'm still in touch. I had the good fortune of having her as my teacher in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades. She made learning fun, and I can still remember the joy I felt when I learned how a period at the end of a sentence works. And I remember glowing with pride when I finished reading my first book. Because she made learning fun, I enjoyed all my schooling and still enjoy learning and exploring today. 

Jay Linksman -- Other than my parents, nobody had a more dramatic impact on me than my high school journalism teacher. He pounded into us the basics of journalism and had us writing news stories on a daily basis as freshman. Think about it -- writing daily stories as a freshman. We were basically learning how to work at a daily newspaper right off the bat. Then we learned layout, design, photography and editing. Jay Linksman also introduced us to modems and computers. In fact, we were the first high school in Florida to send copy via a modem. I still have a picture of us doing that. Take a look. And he never treated us as "students." We were treated as mature adults and were given leeway to cover any issues we wanted, no matter how serious or controversial they may have been. To this day, I still fall back on the basic skills Jay Linksman taught me. It is because of him that I'm a journalist today. 

Bob Markey Sr. and Bob Markey II -- Okay, imagine this. You're running one of the state's largest chain of weekly newspapers, and a high school freshman in a cheesy 3-piece suit drives up in a loud jury-rigged motor scooter (without a muffler and spewing smoke), gets out and says, "Hi there. I have virtually no writing experience and certainly no professional experience. But I'd like to write for you." That was me. And Town-Crier newspapers Publisher Bob Markey Sr. and Editor Bob Markey II said yes to me. 

I still have the very first news story (about fish dying locally from the heat) that I wrote for the paper. Bob Sr. and Bob II have a wonderful love for the good that journalism can do, and I remember very much feeling so proud while I worked there. The Town-Crier did more for the growth of that community than any other business or institution. And because of Bob Sr. and Bob II, I have never forgotten that community journalism is the most important journalism any writer can tackle. 

Robert Rivas & Florence Snyder-Rivas -- Robert Rivas was the city editor at the Palm Beach Post when I was there, and Florence Snyder-Rivas, his wife, was (and still is) an attorney specializing in newspaper issues. Robert Rivas made getting edited a fun experience. He used to read my stories out loud, dramatically acting them out, punctuating them with an actor's flare. I and other writers actually wanted to be edited when he was around. We learned from him, and we had fun doing it. My editing style with reporters today mimics what I learned from Robert Rivas. 

Florence Snyder-Rivas has the wonderful ability of smiling and making you feel wonderful. I had to consult with her on many occasions professionally and remember being in awe at her expansive knowledge and ability to leave me wanting to know more. I learned more about journalism law from my conversations with her than I did in all the college courses I took. We became good friends, and to this day, whenever I see her or hear her on the phone, I can't help but sit back and smile, waiting for wonderful gems of wisdom. 

Randy Schultz -- During my high school years, those who made the most impact on me were those who treated me as an adult. Randy Schultz, who was then an editor at the Palm Beach Post (and is now the editorial page editor), hired me on as a high school student and immediately expected me to produce stories on a regular basis. He gave me the first major break I needed and then stuck by me during my learning curve. Other editors likely would have said, "Come back, kid, when you're out of college." But Randy Schultz gave an Opie-looking redheaded kid a chance, and I'll never forget him for that. At my going-away party, just before I left for the University of Florida, I playfully joked with Randy Schultz. Check out the photo here: 

Glenda Thompson -- Up until 10th-grade, I had a hard time grasping grammar. I desperately wanted to be a journalist, and yet I was held back by trying to figure out when to use "that" and "which" in a sentence. Then along comes Glenda Thompson, my 10th-grade English teacher. Grammar became clear to me and she inculcated into me a wonderful appreciation of reading. And as is the case with all the teachers who dramatically affected me, Glenda Thompson treated all her students as adults. We were never talked down to. (And, yes, Mrs. Thompson, I know I ended the previous sentence with a preposition.).....(grin)