COHEN, Cary 1935-

PERSONAL:

Born October 11, 1935, in New York, NY; married; wife's name, Eleanor. Ethnicity: "Native Brooklynite." Education: City College of the City University of New York, A.A.S., 1968; Bernard M. Baruch College of the City University of New York, B.B.A., 1972. Politics: Independent. Religion: Jewish. Hobbies and other interests: Travel, fishing.

ADDRESSES:

Home—P.O. Box 29143, Richmond, VA 23233. Office—Caldwell Consulting Associates, P.O. Box 6133, Glen Allen, VA 23058-0133. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Burns & Roe, Inc., Oradell, NJ, corporate director of contracts, 1968-75; Virginia Power, Richmond, director of contracts, 1975-84; Caldwell Consulting Associates, Glen Allen, VA, senior partner, 1984—. Veterans Radio and Television Guild, director of Virginia operation, 1990-2002, member of board of directors of Veterans Bedside Network, 1995-2002; Hunter Holmes McGuire Hospital, member of volunteer staff, 1994-2000. Military service: U.S. Army, 1954-56.

MEMBER:

National Contract Management Association (fellow), Authors Guild of America, Dramatists Guild, Actors' Equity Association (retired status).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Winner of play-writing competitions, Theater Americana, 1982, and Beverly Hills Theater Guild, 1984.

WRITINGS:

Manual of Financial Policies and Procedures, Alexander Hamilton Institute (Ramsey, NJ), 1985.

Manual of Personnel Policies and Procedures, Alexander Hamilton Institute (Ramsey, NJ), 1986.

Manual of Sales and Marketing Policies and Procedures, Alexander Hamilton Institute (Ramsey, NJ), 1987.

Principles of Contract Management (television series), National Narrowcast Network/Public Broadcasting Service, 1987-1990.

(With others) Federal Contract Management, Matthew Bender (New York, NY), 1989.

Complete Company Policies and Procedures Manual, Prentice-Hall (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1992.

Effective Contract Administration: The Complete Handbook and Guide, AMACOM (New York, NY), 1997.

Author of the plays Mason Dixon and Who Says There Has to Be a Happy Ending?, both produced by Theater Americana.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

The World's Biggest Government Contracting Dictionary; Who Murdered Thomas Jefferson?

SIDELIGHTS:

Cary Cohen told CA: "I feel that I am the Louis L'Amour of business books, since I have written so many of them. All of the books published by the Alexander Hamilton Institute are translated into several languages and marketed internationally. I write on business subjects as an adjunct to many years of conducting seminars and educational programs on procurement and contracting to federal agencies and Fortune 500 companies. I draw upon my years of practical experience, since there are enough theorists in the world.

"I have also been fortunate enough to see two of the plays I have written produced on a stage, even though I may be the least famous member of the Dramatists Guild. That doesn't bother me, since I am also the least famous member of the Actors' Equity Association, and I was the least famous member of the American Guild of Variety Artists, doing standup comedy primarily during the 1970s as part of the Chicago Hysterical Society. Most of the comics I worked with have gone on to fame, while I have gone on to Richmond, Virginia. As an actor, I have a framed review taken from the New York News in the mid-seventies. Critic Bruce Williams said I was an actor worth watching. If you blinked, you might have missed me. My literary agent was Bertha Klausner, who passed away several years ago, still active at an age close to one hundred.

"While I am angry at myself for not devoting more time to the dramatist part of my life, by the time I finally discovered just how much I love to write, I had to do so without jeopardizing a family; hence, the business books. It is a good thing that the royalty checks can't tell the difference.

"My writing process is primarily one of working better under pressure, which is a terrible way to live one's life. I find that the first time generally results in a better product than any revisions I do, so I now think twice about rewrites. I have never failed to meet a deadline. More importantly, I have never failed to say thank you to the editors who have chosen me from all of the candidates available. In exchange, I try to give them my best efforts."