“Surround Yourself with Great People’ is not only the name of a chapter in
this book. It’s a rule I’ve lived by my whole life. I’ve been extremely
fortunate to find many, many great people to count on during my career. The
City of New York employs some 250,000 at any given time. Of course I didn’t
personally know all of these people, but with very few exceptions, they
earned my gratitude. Most could have chosen more lucrative careers outside
the public sector. The same is true of the lawyers I worked with during two
tours in the Justice Department and two stints in the U.S. Attorney’s
office. And then there are hundreds of family, friends, teachers, mentors,
colleagues, partners, and even rivals, all of whom helped to develop my
thinking about leadership.
As mayor, my staff was my second family.
My commissioners and agency heads served the city with distinction.
Others in city government merit mention.
I’m joined in various business pursuits by many wonderful people.
I’m blessed to have many terrific friends and supporters. An incomplete list
includes Alan Placa, Howard Koeppel, Mark Hsiao, Regina Peruggi, Raoul and
Myrna Felder, Jim Simpson, Elliott Cuker, Ted Olson, Carl Figliola, Joe
Torre, George Steinbrenner, Fred and Jeff Wilpon, BETTE MIDLER, Larry King,
Goalie Giuliani, Tony Bennett, DAVID LETTERMAN, Lorne Michaels, Cardinal
O’Connor, Bill Weld, Arnie Burns, Willie Mays, Jim Kelly, Edward Weinfeld,
Sidney Lumet, Adam Sandler, Bob Leuci, Richard Green, Imam Pasha, Rabbis
Shea Hecht, Arthur Schneier, Moshe Sherer, Sholom Klass and Yehuda Krinsky,
Susan Alter, Henry Kissinger, Ken Langone, Georgette Mosbacher, Bernie
Mendik, Jerry Speyer, Ken Bialkin, Saul Cohen, Jack Hennessey, Whitney
Nathan, Mindy Levin, Roberta Waldman, Whitman Knapp, Sara Vidal, Placido
Domingo, Michael Pesce, and Louis Lefkowitz.
Mister D: This was just a partial list, but nice to see her mentioned….
