Laid-off Biotech Executive Pens Book About the Legacies of 25 Distinguished Americans

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- What do a professional mountain climber, a world-renowned explorer, an ethical dissenter, the founder of the first non-profit pharmaceutical company and a survivor of the collapse of One World Trade Center have in common? Two things. All are leaders who have made a positive difference in the world and they, along with 20 other outstanding Americans, are profiled in the new book Legacy: Passing on Cherished Values in a Values-Starved World (ISBN: 0-615-31164-4) by author Vince Reardon.

"During 2008-2009 as the world economy teetered on the brink of financial collapse, concerns mounted about America's declining values and leadership in the world," Reardon said. "Day after day the media related stories of amoral Wall Street bankers, out-of-touch CEOs, womanizing politicians, drug-doping athletes and over-the-top radio talk show hosts. Laid off from my job in the biotech industry, I decided to interview and profile women and men of true distinction who held themselves to a higher standard of conduct."

Legacy: Passing on Cherished Values in a Values-Starved World is the result of that effort. Some of the extraordinary Americans profiled in Legacy include:

• Stacy Allison, first American woman to summit Mt. Everest
• Robert Ballard, the discoverer of the Titanic
• Daniel Ellsberg, leaked the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times in 1971
• Victoria Hale, founder of the first non-profit pharmaceutical company
• David Lim, Port Authority police officer, hero and survivor of the collapse of One World Trade Center on 9/11

Here is what one previewer said about Legacy:

"Chocked full of fascinating stories, gems of wisdom, and the drama of lives lived to their fullest, Legacy lives up to its name by offering the real stories of those whose lives have expressed their deepest values. The book forces us to reflect on our own lives and careers, and asks us the tough questions: What motivates your life? What are the values you live by? And what is your legacy?"  -- Paul Root Wolpe, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Bioethics, Professor, Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Sociology, Director, Center for Ethics, Emory University

The founder of the Legacy Project in San Diego, Vince Reardon is an author, professional speaker and corporate trainer. http://vincereardon.com

SOURCE Legacy Project