true story

So I land at 3Com about six months before we announce the acquisition of USR, in other words, somewhere just about as good as it will get and then we double in size and there is the Palm computer, and then there was 9.11 and then the bubble burst and everything evaporated and I turned off the lights when I left the building.  

Anyway, I'm there about a month and I'm going through all sorts of indoctrination and culturization and assimilation and homogination and you get the picuture.  In the mid-afternoon during one of  these orientation courses the trainer begins to explain the various and sundry reward programs 3Com offers and he's explained about four items on his list and then he says, "Okay, now let me explain kadoos and that word hits my ear and gets stuck right behind my eyes.  I flip to the section in my three-ring binder of pwrptprtouts and see the word ... k a d o o . 

So I ask, "Please to explain the etymological antecidents of kadoo."  And the trainer just rolls with it and says that a kadoo is a bite-size award given to someone who has done a good job.  And I realize that what I want isn't going to be forthcoming so the next time I had a chance to ask Barabara Shapiro, my boss's boss, Qu'est-ce que c'est kadoo?  

Barbara explains that Bob Metcalfe, the guy who pretty much came up with the idea of Ethernet and founded 3Com never really learned to pronounce the word kudo and no one corrected him and so a new word was coined, kadoo, which is what a kudo is if you don't know how to prounounce it.


It's all true. 

But, speaking of 3Com, do you know what are the three coms?  Many of us just accepted the word 3Com like we did Xerox, but Metcalfe founded his networking company on the principle of three coms.  I know them, obviously.  If you know them, impress me by sending me the corrent answer in an email.  


brian d. johnsono ~ public relations

kudos

“Brian has a deep understanding of the potential for PR, linking his organization to ethical behavior and leadership as a way of doing business. Where most PR peoaple stop at gaining the desired lines of copy or airtime, Brian delves into the actual behavior of the company, bringing its image inward too. That builds not only an organization's image, but its real value and strength as well.”

~Amie Devero


“Brian is an outstanding communications professional -- well-informed, unbeatable interpersonal skills -- and he sees the big picture better than most "Internet experts." He's be working and thinking on the Net and technology for decades, but his ideas are still fresh and energetic."
~Jimmy Guterman



“Brian is the best PR professional I've ever had the chance to work with. He stays on top of everything, is ever reachable, and has contacts in the media about which the rest of us only dream."
~Glenn Ricart



“Brian is absolutely brilliant, a team player and very motivated. I highly recommend him."
~Ike Duncan



“Brian Johnson is the hardest working man in the PR business. He keeps the big picture, long term vision on track, while hammering every second on the day-to-day activity that makes it all come together. In his interactions, Brian is responsive, a great communicator and the consummate professional.”
~Ken Roberts



“Brian is a consummate professional. He will get you the most out of the message you are trying to deliver, and let you know when the message is wrong. Brian was a competitive weapon as we grew our business line from $400M to over $1B in just 3 years.”
~Jim Jones



“Brian has been an integral part of Centerbeam becoming a well known name in the IT Industry. I am proud to have both worked side by side with him as well as watch him work his magic from afar. Kudos Brian to being a great mentor and a truly seasoned professional!!!”
~Mark Lencioni



“I had the pleasure of working with Brian for over 4 years while I was the Director of Business Intelligence at 3Com. Brian has an incredible work ethic and his attention to detail allows him to produce compelling, fact-based, on-target messages for his media relations clients."
~Arthur Martinez



"Brian gave CenterBeam top notch exposure. Incredible that single handedly he generated more media coverage than most multi-staffed departments or agencies."
~Terry Hall



“Brian made a tremendous and positive impact on Alexander Communications during his tenure there. He challenged people across the agency to do their best, to build and nurture relationships, to think strategically and creatively, and to learn as much as they could about their clients' business. Clients and staff at all levels benefited from his experience, energy, brilliance and humor.”
~Trish Nicholas



“I have known Brian closely for more than 20 years and he is a consummate PR & communications professional with a keen understanding of both high tech and non-high tech marketing. We worked closely together when I was at Digital and he was at Ketchum. His work then was excellent and I have personal knowledge that he has only grown and improved his skills since then.”
~Lee Katz

elsewhere

~colophon~