Dr. Doug Swanson is an accredited public relations practitioner, teacher, and consultant. He earned his doctorate at Oklahoma State University, and Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Eastern New Mexico University. He began his professional career as a radio announcer, although his first media job at age 11 involved delivering newspapers and selling subscriptions. He has worked in a number of capacities for radio stations, newspapers, and in TV news. He has worked in a public relations firm, and as an independent public relations consultant. He began teaching at the college level in 1990. Dr. Swanson has published numerous absorbing but mostly unnoticed journal articles and presented a variety of fascinating but sparsely attended conference presentations – all of which live in posterity on the Internet. He is the author of several eloquent chapters in dusty back shelf books on issues related to the media and media professions. He is not the Doug Swanson, famous professional bicyclist or Doug Swanson, the detective novel writer, and sadly, he receives no royalties from their work. Skilled in diverse trades, he is a ‘has been’ truck driver, door-to-door salesman, store clerk, janitor, and seasoned paddlewheel steamboat deckhand/ waiter. An avid traveler, he has visited all 50 states, many of them in an overloaded RV. A thrill seeker, he has ridden in a hot air balloon and been chased by a tornado (on different occasions). A social misfit, he does not have a Facebook account, nor does he want one. He is immensely proud of his wife, and his adult children who serve their nation in vastly different but important careers. He is protective of his Boston Terrier, and over-indulgent of his charming and intelligent granddaughter. He believes, as Art Buchwald once said, “the best things in life aren’t things.”