"Every executive is interested in the subject of what it takes to achieve business breakthroughs. Don Mitchell and Carol Coles have impressive consulting and research credentials for examining this subject. Their new book effectively presents both the fundamental concepts and practical strategies for taking irresistible forces and making them work for you as your tailwinds for success." -- Robert H. Rock Chairman, Directors & Boards Donald W. Mitchell Mr. Mitchell is chairman and chief executive officer of Mitchell and Company, a management consulting firm established in 1977 which specializes in business strategy and financial consulting for major companies. His consulting clients are predominately found among the nation's 200 largest corporations. As one evidence of the firm's success, since 1977 Mitchell and Company's clients have increased their share values by more than $37 billion faster than the Standard and Poor's 500 Average has risen, following the implementation of an action recommended by the firm. In 1981, Mr. Mitchell founded Mitchell Investment Management Company, Inc., a firm specializing in acquisitions. He also serves as its president. Mr. Mitchell's clients are primarily successful executives in major corporations and entrepreneurs. In 1989, Mr. Mitchell founded Leading Executive Organizations 100, Inc., and serves as the company's president. The company provides advanced executive training to CEOs, CFOs, division presidents, and investor relations executives through OUTSTANDING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, LEADING CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS, LEADING DIVISION PRESIDENTS 100, SHARE PRICE GROWTH 100, and TWENTY TIMES PROGRESS. Over 150 major companies participate in these groups each year. Mr. Mitchell has been quoted in Business Week, Chief Executive Magazine, Dun's Business Month, Financial World, Forbes, Fortune, Institutional Investor, Money, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal, and by ABC News and United Press International concerning business strategy and investments. Mr. Mitchell is listed in many biographical references including Who's Who in the World. He has published over 20 articles on these subjects as well. He is a coauthor of the highly-reviewed book, The 2,000 Percent Solution. Prior to founding Mitchell and Company, Mr. Mitchell was Director, Strategic Planning for Heublein, Inc. His position prior to Heublein was as a project manager at the Boston Consulting Group Inc. Mr. Mitchell has an A.B. degree magna cum laude from Harvard College and a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School. While studying for his J.D. degree he attended Harvard Business School and pursued the field of marketing. He is a member of the bar in Massachusetts. He currently serves on the board of Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts. Mr. Mitchell is the former treasurer of the Harvard Law School Association and is a former director of the Harvard Alumni Association. He is a widely-read book reviewer. To read his reviews on Amazon.com, click here. Carol Bruckner Coles Ms. Coles is president and chief operating officer and co-founder of Mitchell and Company, a corporate finance and strategy consulting firm based in Waltham, Massachusetts, specializing in helping companies improve their corporate objectives and operating strategies toward rapid stock price growth. She also is co-administrator and designs and conducts research for four organizations: SHARE PRICE GROWTH 100, which focuses on better understanding how transactions affect value; LEADING DIVISION PRESIDENTS 100, which works on operating performance improvements; LEADING CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS; OUTSTANDING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS and TWENTY TIMES PROGRESS. She has spent eighteen years designing management processes for major corporations to support strategy, helping companies develop the strategic potential of their businesses, and helping corporations improve their market value. She has been quoted in Business Week, Forbes, Money, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and numerous key regional newspapers concerning the future direction of major corporations and of the stock market. Ms. Coles has also been a guest speaker at chapters of The Planning Forum, the Association for Corporate Growth, and the National Investor Relations Institute Fall Conference. She is a coauthor of the highly-reviewed book, The 2,000 Percent Solution. In addition to her experience as a member of the Boston Consulting Group, Ms. Coles was Manager, Strategic Planning for Heublein, Inc., where she was also responsible for developing and instituting the strategy audit process and for acquisition and merger activities. She is listed in Who's Who of American Women. Ms. Coles has a B.A. degree in Economics from New York University and an M.A. in Economics from Columbia University. Mitchell and Company Background The firm has pioneered a new form of cooperative learning among the most outstanding executives to help them increase their competitive advantages by taking areas where they are competent and showing them how to reach the level of star performance in other industries. In addition, the best techniques of star performance are combined in ways to create breakthrough advances in effectiveness. The firm provides research and administrative services to TWENTY TIMES PROGRESS, SHARE PRICE GROWTH 100, OUTSTANDING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, OUTSTANDING ASSISTANTS TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, LEADING DIVISION PRESIDENTS 100, and LEADING CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS. In each case the research topics are selected by members and are pursued under the direction of a member-led committee. Typical research projects involve multiple data sources including interviews with outstanding practitioners, statistical analysis of observed patterns, and evaluation of publicly available data. Some typical research projects relate to the amount of e.p.s. dilution associated with outperforming the S&P 500 following large acquisitions, how manufacturing companies that developed and sustained much higher profit margins managed the process of change, and what methods companies used to identify lasting competitive advantages through quality improvements. The firm is known for its pioneering work in applying behavioral research techniques to business problems. Mitchell and Company has developed a large number of proprietary data bases in areas like shareholder perceptions of executive and company performance, profit margin improvement, customer segmentation, acquisitions, divestitures, partial public offerings of high value subsidiaries, and share repurchases. These data bases are only available to Mitchell and Company clients. Founded in 1977, the firm has focused its practice on stock-price improvement for large companies, operating strategy enhancements for large divisions of major companies, and research for executive organizations on topics of interest to the members. Over 175 leading companies have employed Mitchell and Company since its founding. All assignments are supervised by one or both of the firm's two leading principals, Donald W. Mitchell, Chairman, or Carol Bruckner Coles, President.