Paul A. Barber

Raised on a farm, Paul Barber learned three things early: the power of a tornado; the definition of work; and the love of Jesus. Although not big enough to harness the horses, at six years of age he could swing a corn knife and chop weeds out of the corn row. When he was old enough to plow the ground, his father cautioned him that his furrow across the field needed to be straight, not crooked; when he milked the cows, he needed to get all the milk from the cow's udder. From those, and other early lessons, came a life striving to mirror his dad's teachings of excellence. It became the norm to do his best in every situation; it was an attitude. It meant that he cared about the day, what he did, and how he did it. When WW II airplanes began flights over the farm, he was smitten and became an Air Force pilot. He took his squadron to SouthEast Asia during the Vietnam War, served in the Headquarters in Saigon, then was sent to the Pentagon. At the National Military Command Center, he served as a crisis manager for SecDef and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Then came a stint at the U.S. State Department. With a life stretching from around the farm to around the world; from the jungles of South East Asia to the nuclear seat of power; from high flight to high visibility; from joy to near tragedy, Barber completed his Air Force career and became a financial advisor, helping thousands with their investment needs. Today, as an author, he uses his knowledge of crisis management to present stories that, often, are more real than fiction.