PR and power of the A.A. Degree: Success stories (part 1)

May 26, 12:32 PMPublicity ExaminerCarrol Van Stone

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Vicki Donlan holds an A.A.

Graduating with an A.A. degree is a serious endeavor.  Many entrepreneurs and executives holding an Associate of Arts degree have achieved enormous success.  Here are their stories:

Vicki Donlan: A.A. Degree from Pine Manor College, Chestnut Hill, MA. Vicki Donlan is founder and now former publisher of Women's Business, a 25,000 circulation newspaper in the Boston area which she sold to the Boston Herald in 2007. Donlan is the author of HER TURN Why It's Time For Women To Lead in America and a well-known speaker on women's business issues. She credits her A.A. degree as being a huge influence because it is an all-women's college and she is now a voice and advocate for women. She has been honored by the Small Business Administration as the Massachusetts and New England Women's Business Advocate of the year.  Vicki Donlan is reachable at her website and to order her book, click here.

Bobby Fitzgerald: A.A. Degree from Johnson & Wales.  Bobby Fitzgerald is co-founder & Director of Operations for the 500-employee restaurant company, The White Chocolate Grill, which has 5 locations in 4 states serving 23,000 customers a week. He believes his A.A. degree put him on the path to a national career and a partnership in a $20M company. Bobby Fitzgerald is in the final stages of his first book, "Smile or You're Fired: 7 Lessons for Customer Service Managers". He has appeared on TV, is regularly quoted in the press and speaks at Cornell, Purdue, & UNLV on topics related to restaurants and management.  Bobby Fitrzgerald is reachable at his website. 

Ed Rigsbee, CSP:  A.A. Degree from  Cypress Collegein Cypress, Calfornia. Ed Rigsbee didn’t feel society generally held AA Degree status in high regard,but he has done quite well.  Ed Rigsbee has been an adjunct professor at California State University Santa Barbara in their extension program and at California Lutheran University in their graduate program. He has authored three books on strategic alliances and has traveled the globe lecturing on that topic. He holds the "Certified Speaking Professional" accreditation from the National Speakers Association and  founded a 501 (c) (3) non-profit public charity, of which he is currently the CEO. Visit  Ed Rigsbee’s non-profit,CigarPEG, Inc. and his website to learn more and order books.

Pat Pawling: A.A. degree, Salem Community College, Salem County, New Jersey. Founder, Pawling Associates, a copywriting/marketing company that does business throughout the world.  For Pat Pawling, community college was all he could afford but this college experience became a major influence in his career.  While earning his A.A., he became editor of the college newspaper which was named the best in the country during his tenure. Said Pawling, “Getting my AA degree was a great experience. When I went in I was a mixed-up kid with no money and no real ambition. By the time I got out I knew what I wanted to do – be a newspaper reporter and that's what happened!" Years later, Pat Pawling uses his journalism background as a guide for his writing and marketing of his firm. Read Pat Pawling’s best tips on social media and why words work. He can be reached at his website, click here.

Click here to read part 2 of A.A. Degree success stories!