About Douglas: In 1969, Doug married Judi Bauer, a girl he met in Sunday school and fell in love with when they were both four years old, and the two have lived happily ever after. Along the way they've had five children and, as of 2012, are up to four grandchildren. He continued to play senior-level baseball and hockey until the early 1980s when the need to care for ailing parents and a disabled brother squeezed the time for those pursuits out of his schedule.

After receiving his BBA from the University of Michigan - Dearborn in 1970, he spent two years in public accounting with Ernst & Ernst (where he earned his CPA) followed by 13 years as a financial executive at two auto industry suppliers. By 1985, he had tired of the corporate world and decided to "hang out his shingle" as an independent cost measurement and management consultant. Since then he has flown over a million miles, consulted with 200+ organizations, spoken at 300+ professional events, written dozens of articles for professional and trade publications and authored three books on 21st Century costing practices that have sold over 15,000 copies worldwide. He also discovered the truth in Henry McKay's adage, "Find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life." Retirement is not in the plans. His consulting practice's website is www.dthicksco.com.

Doug and Judi have lived in Canton, Michigan since 1975 - a home that remains a center of activity for their children and grandchildren - except for the garage where the smoke from Doug's cigars keeps everyone away.