Anthony Vultaggio

“Physician, heal thyself.”

Those are words to live by according to Johnny Campbell better known the world over as “The Transition Man.”

Johnny travels the country speaking to groups of all sizes about how to deal with everything from corporate downsizing and business restructuring to personal issues such as disrupted careers, depleted savings, divorce, and an overall lack of motivation. Referring to himself as a “Personal Agent of Change,” Johnny helps people and businesses to succeed in these changing times.

Having cut his teeth on the realities of change during his 10-year career as an insurance claims adjuster, Johnny learned every one of the principles he teaches working with people one-on-one.

Born the in the United States of immigrant parents from Colombia, Patricia Alcivar and her three sisters did not begin life living the American dream. Though her trials were often horrific, Patricia was and is a fighter. Her story is not one of horror and pain, but of hope and promise. She lived through what many could never imagine yet too many must endure. In the true style of a Rocky story however, she is not a victim … She is the victor. And to the victorious go the spoils.

By the time you’re pregnant with your fifth child, you know what to expect. At least that’s what Phil and Andrea Rizzo thought. After nine months of an uneventful pregnancy, they checked into a hospital in Riverside, CA to induce labor. While preparing Andrea for the birth, the nurse noticed that the baby had flipped. They decided to wait instead of inducing labor that day. Though the Rizzos didn’t know it, this was a hidden blessing.

Lynda and her Partner Kendra

In 2001 Lynda King and her husband decided to surprise their daughter with a car for Christmas. Wanting to make the gift something special she called 10 car dealerships looking for a big bow.

“They told me they wished they had a company to refer me to,” recalls Lynda. “That’s when the idea struck.”

Lynda made the bow for her daughter’s gift then began designing another for production. Playing off of her own last name she named the bows the King Size Bows.

Born with glaucoma, given up for adoption, blind by twelve, a high school drop-out ... all this spelled long odds for an African-American kid in New York City. But, the odds-makers didn’t know Dennis Holston. Dennis who is now 30 and resides in Manhattan, boot-strapped his way to a successful life as a computer teacher, radio host/producer and artist recruiter. He mentors two teens through Mentoring USA and I Mentor. Now in his third year at the helm of a national nonprofit, Holston’s leadership is making inroads into the sighted world for blind entertainers, a vital step for improving acceptance and opportunity for all blind Americans.

A survey released by SUCCESS magazine revealed that 33 percent of Americans say that their top goal in life is to run their own company. Coming in a close second, 31 percent stated that their top goal is to retire early. These were followed by raising a family (16 percent), purchase a dream house and get in shape (both 10 percent).

While 33 percent may seem like a high figure, the reality is that America is a country that was built by independent thinkers who weren't afraid to strike out on their own and create their own destiny. Generations past valued held fast to the belief that life would be better with a corporate sponsored pension. Of course that was back in the day when health insurance was covered by employers.

When the body is chained, the spirit finds freedom. That's the lesson learned by Antoine Bacha at the youthful age of 25. Captured by Palestinian terrorists while working as a flight engineer on a 747 that made routine flights between France and Athens.

"I loved flying," recalls Antoine. "For me it was freedom, like the birds who fly where they will," says Antoine. "At 25, traveling back and forth to Athens, Greece was a fun adventure."

Until one fateful day in 1982 when, on a routine flight, the cockpit was rushed by four armed men and the plane was hijacked.

Dana Butler, Shea Center Executive Director

What makes a 13-year-old girl, volunteer her time to walk next to a horse ridden by a child with disabilities? What makes a 14-year-old girl offer six months worth of her own, hard earned babysitting money, to help pay for a rider’s tuition for therapy?

“It’s love in action,” says Dana Butler, Executive Director of The J. F. Shea Center for Therapeutic Riding.

The news today is filled with talk of war, recession, natural disasters and crime. Our educational system is in trouble, global warming is getting worse, people are worried about the future. In trying times it’s easy to forget the power of love … until you visit The Shea Center.

Your kindergarten teacher taught you to play in the sandbox. Your football coach assigned you a buddy during drills. Your boss preached about it at the last sales meeting. It's teamwork. It's the synergistic magic that happens when all parts come together to create something that is greater than their sum. Now it's your turn to create it. But how? Choosing the right people for a project is the key to success. Apply these 5 steps and you'll create teams that get the job done right!

Spending the day as a pool reporter following Senator John McCain as he visited locations in Orange County was as enlightening as it was exhausting. It began early in the morning, included stops in the blistering California sun and ended with McCain addressing a group of volunteers at a phone bank for the Republican party. While reporters were given leave, McCain went on to prepare for his participation in the civil forum at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. Politics aside, it takes a strong individual to keep this grueling pace day in and day out.