About the Author: Winthrop (Win) H. Smith Jr.

Image
Barrie Fisher_131001_-0016 copy.jpg
Name:
Winthrop (Win) H. Smith Jr.

Current Home:
Warren, Vermont

Place of Birth:
New York City

Education:
Buckley School 1963  (NYC)
Deerfield Acaademy 1967
Amherst College 1971
Wharton Graduate MBA 1974

Why did you choose to come to Amherst?
My grandfather and father attended.  I wanted a small liberal arts college in New England.

Most memorable or most influential classes at Amherst  
Political Science classes

Most memorable or most influential professors  
Ben Ziegler, Peter Gooding

Research interests:
Leadership

Awards and Prizes   
Champlain College Distinguished Citizen of the Year
Mad River Valley Rotary Club Distinguished Citizen of the Year

Favorite book:
"Why do Bad Things Happen to Good People" 

Favorite author:
Thomas Friedman

Tips for aspiring (and active) writers:
Be passionate about the subject and be disciplined.

How did you become an author?
After the near collapse of Merrill Lynch in 2008, I felt that the true history of this iconic firm needed to be told.  I wanted to explain how a strong culture can be established that enables success and also to show how quickly a culture can be destroyed and lead to failure.