Early influences blossomed from stories of belief, imagination, and excellence by Richard Bach, Walt Disney, Mark Twain, and James Baldwin.   I lived on a quieter Beale Street, swam in the bumpy Rock River instead of the mighty Mississippi, worked at the place where magic resides, and met the modern existentialist himself.   I have had the opportunity to  teach literature, writing, technology application, and professional development at post secondary, collegiate, and corporate institutions. Having been honored with multiple, award winning verses, publication of a novel, an business book, my wife, Teri, and I decided to  expand our EIII storytelling model and started Story Institute (http://www.storyinstitute.com).  At Story Institute, we inspire you to imagine, enhance, and grow your stories personally and professionally while helping you share your successes in print, online, and in person.  We have contests for poetry and short stories with actual, published books available on Amazon at the end of each contest.  We will also be looking for other authors to market as we grow our storytelling endeavors.    Follow my one-liner ramblings at: https://twitter.com/johnmurrayiii   

 Received a Disney Excellence Award (2000, 2004)
 Received Disney’s Partners In Excellence Award (1997)
 Member of American Society for Training & Development (ASTD)
 American Evaluation Association Membership (2000-2006)
 Teacher certification in English and Psychology (grades 6-12, Illinois)
 Service Above Self, Humanitarian Award
 Fifteen individual writing pieces published in various magazines and journals
 Published Business Book, Driving ROI (2007)
 Published first novel, Alone With Someone (2008)