When I returned to New York from California 27 years ago, I had published two educational projects in a unique format that I thought would sweep the nation and change the way Black American history and Mexican American history were taught. But that didn’t happen, and my second hope — that I’d find a cushy publishing job — that didn’t happen either. I found myself working for $5 an hour calling shareholders to persuade them to send in proxy votes.

Then, I discovered the book, What Color is Your Parachute?, that helped me identify exactly the kind of institution I wanted to work in, one that had the imagination, the power and the commitment to enrich people’s lives.

And I found Thirteen. I was hired by Tim Gunn to produce education materials for HERITAGE: CIVILIZATION AND THE JEWS, which was being produced by Arnie Labaton, with the series producer, John Fox, who’s also here at Thirteen.

My dream then was to create engaging materials about important issues, and I have been living that dream here at Thirteen for 25 years. Thirteen has been a perfect home for me and my dream.

My story at Thirteen has been my autobiography; my personal and professional growth, my triumphs, my joys, all have been woven into my life here.

In these 25 years, there have been times of turmoil. I’ve gotten through them by keeping my focus on creating publications that would make the producers proud, the Thirteen community at large proud and that I was proud of. Along the way, I was helped by extraordinary mentors: Bill Moyers and Tammy Robinson, to name two — tough, generous people of imagination and great compassion.

I have so many friends, who are so dear to me, that I don’t want to single anyone out. But I hold everyone at Thirteen close to me — my friends in the programming staffs, in design, in finance & accounting, the mail room, shipping & Bay 3, marketing, underwriting, business affairs, human resources, legal, publicity, I&B, please forgive me if I’ve missed an area — your faces come to me as I run through these…

I want to thank Ron Thorpe, a man of vision, commitment and passion, who’s made it tough for me to leave, because of the exciting things he’s doing for education; and to thank my friends and team members: David Reisman, so talented an editor, as well as an artist, that you won’t even know I’m gone; Cris Draper, who’s become a first rate producer of our visual materials, and whose joy in life has lifted the department and sustained me. Bob Adleman, my dear friend and colleague, talented musician, whose incredible financial insight has kept me in the black all these years and the designers who have consistently made the stuff look great. And my wife Donna, a woman whose beauty and talent and generosity of spirit are as strong as the day I married her, who now will have the difficult prospect of contending with me full time.

It’s been fantastic to be here. It’s hard to leave, but it feels like the right time, and I want to do it before you change your mind about me. You’re the greatest. Thank you.