I want to offer a hearty thank-you to two friends I highly respect. Dr. Sylvio Dupuis and the Honorable John Broderick, Jr. kindly endorsed my book, Prepare for Crisis – Plan to Thrive.
Dr. Sylvio Dupuis wrote: “Always focus on doing what’s right — for employees, customers, and society. If you do this, the results will come. Tom has written more than a book — he has condensed decades of leadership into a solid compendium for success in all aspects of life. Its lessons are timeless. I urge you to read and keep it at your deskside as a constant reminder of how life should be lived in all its aspects. It is Tom’s best work, and following its wise counsel will change your life forever.”
Dr. Dupuis is the former President of Notre Dame College and Catholic Medical Center and the former Mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire. He became my mentor and friend when I moved to New Hampshire in 1995. He encouraged me to build community relationships and introduced me to key business and nonprofit leaders. Sylvio models leadership that builds and sustains excellence, and his lifetime of civic engagement has included developing arts and education; providing political, economic, and nonprofit leadership; all while promoting ethical behavior. One of the key New Hampshire leaders he introduced me to was then the Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, the Honorable John Broderick, Jr.
The Former Chief Justice, wrote: “Tom’s thoughtful book on leadership is important in all seasons and for all companies. It’s insightful yet practical prescriptions have been road-tested by Tom with enormous success over twenty-five years at his company, including the pandemic. It is an important, engaging, and very timely read. He has earned deep and wide respect inside Northeast Delta Dental as well as in the broader community, where his positive impact is unceasing. At the end of the day, a successful leader’s integrity, character, decency, and values do the most to inspire excellence in colleagues. By that measure, they just don’t come any better than Tom Raffio. He personifies ‘servant leadership,’ and his book demonstrates its success.”
John is also the former President of the University of New Hampshire School of Law. He is now the Senior Director of External Affairs for Dartmouth-Hitchcock and advocates for its mental health awareness program. He works tirelessly to destigmatize mental health. He uses his own family story to get people conversing about mental health in the hope that, eventually, the nation will address its ongoing mental health crisis. In addition, he is the founder of the R.E.A.C.T. Awareness Campaign that provides tips to students in New Hampshire and Vermont on how to deal with signs of emotional suffering and gives them resources to contact for support and help.
In addition to their written endorsements, which appear in the book, these two friends recently had a conversation about me, my company, and my book on camera. Later, I joined them to express my appreciation for their friendship and their book endorsements in another short video.
I can’t overstate what an incredibly positive impact these two men have had on my life, both personally and professionally.
