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2006 Great American Think-Off Finalist Biographies
GO TO 2006 ESSAYS
Competition or Cooperation: Which benefits
society more?
 Tom
Bailey, 39 years old, works in the Historical Resources
Center in the Research Medical Library of M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center in Houston where he and his partner live. He is, however,
only a recent arrival in both archival work and Texas. He has,
at one time or another, lived in England, Washington, D.C., and
New York City, but he was born and raised in Nashville, TN. His
jobs have ranged from tour guide at the Country Music Hall of
Fame, to sheriffís messenger, to bartender, to marketing
manager at an academic publishing house. He is most content writing
or daydreaming about hosting a game show. For fun he also likes
reading, swimming, cooking, and talking people into playing board
games he will probably lose. |
 Sarah
M. Dennison has been thinking about freedom quite intensely
for the last two years: What is it? What does a free society
look like? As part of that project, Sarah stepped away from her
position as the Dean of Academic Affairs at The Art Institutes
International Minnesota and became a full-time Creative Consultant.
She now works with small business and individual artists as well
as in higher education to develop creative solutions for knotty
problems. She also teaches in the Master of Liberal Studies program
at the University of Minnesota. This year's Great American Think
Off topic, by some good fortune, flowed quite naturally into
the tone and tenor of Sarah's work life and recent obsession
with envisioning a free society. |
 George says
he married his perfect soul mate and equally skilled chess rival,
Arlene, and considers himself a very fortunate man. George is father
of two sons, two daughters, and grandfather to Brandon, 14, Sean,
a four year old - fourth generation O'Neill, and newborn Abigail
Marie.
Still working full time, George says he strives to maintain close
contact with his friends, grown children, parents and eight siblings.
He was raised near Joliet, in a rural area about 65 miles southwest
of Chicago. George remembers his childhood as idyllic. He says, "That's
where I developed my love of reading, traveling, building, and
studying the unique and unusual."
George enlisted in the Air Force after high school, and spent
a year assigned to a remote mountain outpost above Ankara, Turkey.
George then worked for an electric utility company for over 20
years and has experience as a Licensed Nuclear Reactor Operator,
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, and Certified Training Instructor.
George earned a Masters degree in Communication Studies from Governors
State University in 1992.
His activities in civil affairs have included volunteer work in:
Hospice, the I-Read Literacy Program, Big Brothers, and the Seneca
Auxiliary Police Unit. He currently enjoys many interests, including:
drawing; designing and building music boxes and mechanical novelties;
classic movies; the performing arts; and good conversation.
George and Arlene recently fulfilled a life time dream when they
purchased their first new home. "It was a lot of work and
a stressful endeavor, but we're very thankful and satisfied" says
Arlene. "George is intense, provocative, and willing to make
sacrifices for his beliefs and goals." |
 Joseph "Joe" Pingo is
32 years old and lives in Rockford, Illinois. He graduated from
Beloit College with majors in psychology/sociology and is currently
taking graduate courses in behavior analysis and therapy. Joe is
the Director of Childcare/Program for an agency that cares for
developmentally disabled children.
During his down time Joe enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
and mixed martial arts, having philosophical/political debate with
his fiancé, listening to a variety of music (heavy metal
being his favorite), voraciously reading anything he can get his
hands on (from Friedrich Nietzsche to Harry Potter), communing
with nature (a cool way to say camping), and eating cheesecake.
Joe enjoys traveling and experiencing diverse cultures. He frequently
travels to Mexico and South America, but lately he has been focusing
his travels to locations within the United States. At this time,
he feels it is important to experience more of his own country
and its culture. Some of his more exciting adventures include:
sky diving in Las Vegas, swimming with dolphins, hiking down the
Grand Canyon, attending the AVN awards, and participating in a
polar plunge.
This is Joe's first year entering the Great American Think Off,
and he feels honored to be one of the finalists. He patiently waits
for the day that he can cast aside the yoke of his oppressors. |
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