Dick Lee

After graduating from Reed College, Dick Lee (1946 -) became a professional lighting designer in theater and opera. However, being young and impressionable and needing money, before long he changed venues, migrating to the nascent rock music lighting business. Finally wanting to regain some semblance of sanity, he made a "graceful" transition from the underworld to the corporate world, becoming a business marketing strategist - but with a twist.

Lee believed customers, not mass marketing, should be the focal point of business market planning, which contravened the marketing principles of the day. Despite being a maverick, he became CEO of customer-centric marketing agency until he decided to stop bucking the tide and start independent consulting. He continued down that path for almost 20 years, writing three books, one a best seller, and co-authoring several research studies, including the landmark "Customers Say What Companies Don't Want to Hear."

In 2012, Dick decided to focus full-time on researching and writing. In 2014, he completed "We Are Buyers. You Are Sellers. You're Busted," a humorous yet deadly serious look at how corporate America has abused the American public and the likely, unpleasant endgame ahead.