Many are called, few are chosen.

For a while that is how I felt in IBM in the early 90's regarding the internet. I was working on our worldwide CRM reengineering team when you sent out your broadcast note to all employees asking us to get on the internet any way we could. It is amazing to think about now, but those of us at 1133 were prevented from accessing the internet at that time from our work computers. When I inquired about internet job opportunities, I was encouraged by senior management to go back to the field and let this internet thing blow over. ;-o

But I had heard your invitation and I was inspired to find a way to participate, to learn, to lead. Your note launched a passion within me to help to redefine the technology landscape and IBM, and led to my next job with what was to become the internet division; I have grown through several jobs since but have not left the internet area, although the definition of what that means has changed many times. Most recently, I was honored to be a part of a team of outstanding IBM professionals who worked with the Sydney Organizing Committee to deliver the olympics.com web site to the world. Today, our team continues to reveal IBM's strengths using many sponsored web sites to tell IBM's story in relevant and evolving ways. See what you started.

Your passion was inpiring and far-reaching. The result of your invitation was significant to my career, though we didn't meet until years later. On behalf an industry, a company and me personally, thank you for everything.

All the best with your future journey in life, your personal happiness and that wonderful 'attitude'.