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6 DEARREADER www.ChildCareExchange.com EXCHANGEJULY/AUGUST2014

DearReader,FromthefirstinklingoftheideathatbecameExchangemagazine,ahostofmentorshasinfluencedthedevelopmentofourwork,andforeachofyouweareextremelygrateful.Inthisissuededicatedtotheartofmentorship,wewouldliketothankespeciallytheseeightpeoplewhosegenerosityofexpertiseandspirithelpedusfindourwaytobringtheideatolife.

Gwen Morgan,ourfirstandlongest-termadvisor,spenthourafterhourtutoringmeonthepoliticsandpracticesoftheearlychildhoodfield.ThenwhenIfoundfewresourcesonthemanagementsideofchildcare,

sheintroducedmetoahostoforganizationalconsultantsfromtheworldofbusiness.And,allalongtheway,shehasbeenasteadfastcheerleader.

Dana Friedman,thenattheDayCareandChildDevelopmentCouncilofAmerica,helpedmefindtwostellardirectorsinall50statesthatbecametheExchangePanelof100.FordecadeswereliedonthisPaneltofeedusideasonsupervisingstaff,workingwithparents,andkeepingachildcareorganizationmovingforward.

Bob Lurie,whomImetinanadministrator’scoursethatGwenandIorganizedatWheelockCollege,helpedusgrowthereputationofthefledglingmagazinebyco-sponsoringaseriesofInfant/Toddlerconferencesandwasavaluableadvisoronbusinesschallengeswefacedintheearlyyears.

David Gleason,whomImetwhilepassingoutourfirstbrochure,“WhatHas14Hands,”atanNAEYCconference,hasbeenatrustedadvisorfordecades,alwaystakingthelong-rangeperspective.HealsowasoneofthefoundersoftheWorldForumFoundation.

Bob Benson,whomwemetwhenhewasCEOofChildren’sWorld,haseversincebeenourrolemodelforhisunparalleledintegrity,discipline,andforesight.

Carl Staley, atthetimedirectorofUnitedDayCareServicesinNorthCarolina,tutoredusontheeconomicsofchildcare,includingbothtraditionalandout-of-theboxwaysofviewingprogramfinances.

Jim Greenmantrustedthenewkidsontheblockwithhispreciousbook,Caring Spaces, Learning Places,andbecameagreatfriend,alwayswillingtosharesomedeeplysarcasticadvicetokeepusintouchwiththerealworld.

Nancy TravisandJoe Perreault,whotogetherledtheSouthernStates’officeofSavetheChildren,impactingthequalityofcenterandfamilychildcarethroughouttheSouth,selflesslyhelpedusgainvisibilityandconnections,whilesharinggreatfellowship.

Wearedeeplyindebtedtotheseearlymentorsandallthementorswhohavefollowed.

Wake up to ExchangeEveryDay, the free daily online newsbrief published by Exchange magazine: www.ChildCareExchange.com/eed

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