User:MitzvahCode
Hello wiki world!
I am [MitzvahCode (talk)], and I'm happy to join the community of Wikipedia.
Currently, I'm working on improving the quality of Arthur White's wikipedia page. My next effort will be finding relevant and helpful references to Arthur found in published works, especially those that detail on Arthur's work in the field of consumer research:
+ Curt Weeden's new book "6 Pathways to Leadership & Organizational Success" features Arthur prominently, the author regarding him highly and citing some really cool examples of his marketing, consumer research, and public opinion monitoring work with various organizations; for example, in Ch. 10 Weeden writes, "Arthur White, the well-known and much beloved marketing research guru..." and speaks of studies involving:
+ Walmart's (ironic and fascinating) "Buy America" (Buy American) campaign
+ Procter & Gamble's 'dance with the devil' (the company's logo lead to (obviously false) claims related to satanic ritual which lead to nationwide, if mainly in the south, calls to boycott Tide, Vicks cough drops, and a bunch of other P&G products. (i.e. a rather notable, cool, and historic marketing event/phenomenon)
(Weeden, Curt. 6 Pathways to Leadership & Organizational Success (Kindle Locations 2752-2753). Qudrafoil Press. Kindle Edition.)
+ Build out a list of notable studies by Yankelovich, Skelly, and White done for clients (list found in Daniel Yankelovich's NYTimes obituary) including:
+ CBS: [link to study or studies here]
+ The New York Times: [link to study or studies here]
+ Fortune magazine: [link to study or studies here]
+ AT&T: [link to study or studies here]
+ General Electric: [link to study or studies here]
+ I.B.M.: [link to study or studies here]
+ General Motors: [link to study or studies here]
+ Procter & Gamble: [link to study or studies here]
+ RCA: [link to study or studies here]
+ Volkswagen of America: [link to study or studies here]
+ United States government: [link to study or studies here]
NOTE: I believe a good place to start is here, a UC San Diego repository of Daniel Yankelovich's work: https://library.ucsd.edu/speccoll/findingaids/mss0804.html
Separately, what to do with number of interesting lines about Arthur, his character, and his work informally listed below?
+ From a personal website (archived here) made for Arthur's 87th birthday where friends, the more prominent of whom, are cherry picked below:
"As everyone who knows him is well aware, Arthur is a very special person. I should know. I have known him for more than 70 years – as classmate, roommate, business partner, confidant, co-conspirator and above all, cherished friend. He has an extraordinary gift for giving, for reaching out to others without regard to self-interest. He has formidable skills in bringing people together, in getting things done and making life better for an astonishingly wide range of people and causes. His crowning accomplishment was marrying Vivian and raising the loving family they nourished together. I salute his 87th birthday with respect, admiration and love. Dan Yankelovich" (please note: he used the common (an incorrect spelling) of Arthur's wife's first name which is actually Vivien)
"Arthur White is my inspiration and my mentor! His passion for justice, energy for doing good work and compassion for those in need are unmatched by any other person I have ever met. His studies the issues and drives for solutions. Arthur introduced me to one of his many causes -- Reading is Fundamental -- and got me completely immersed in RIF's Mission and programs. I admire his sharp mind, quick wit and boundless determination to solve the problems of the world. His daily calls to get an progress update on our mutual projects, keep me on task. I wish Arthur a very Happy Birthday and pray that he has many more to come. Our world needs his energy and enthusiasm. He makes this world a much better place by his actions. Sincerely, Juanita James"
+ Curt Weeden:
"I have known Arthur for over 40 years. Not once during that span has he been anything but an inspiration to me and an incredibly long list of others. Arthur is unquestionably a great businessman. But what stands him apart is his passion for helping others and for consistently doing the right thing. I can't begin to count the number of programs and projects he has launched or supported -- all of which are aimed at addressing critical social problems. Whether it be job training or prison reform, health care for the homebound or support for the arts, Arthur continues to be a force in this country. He may be 87 in years but when it comes to making a difference, Arthur's energy and commitment is ageless. He is without question one of the most important men I have met who has made countless contributions to society. I am a better person for knowing him -- and calling him a friend."
"Arthur has had more impact on me than anyone in my life outside my direct family, and I know countless other people would say the same. Partly, this is because of how much he has believed in me, and given me opportunities to grow - hiring me as a green 29 year old and empowering me to help him build Jobs for the Future, yanking me off the sidelines and into the photos, and the real work, with luminaries like then-Governor Clinton. But even more important has been the example of how he leads his life--intellectually, spiritually, ethically, physically, and socially. He has this boundless energy and curiosity that makes me think of my favorite Tom Stoppard quote: "It is the wanting to know that makes us matter." Arthur wants to know. And he wants to know not just about ideas and promising solutions to big problems, but also about whether and how people are making a difference. Does the work they are doing lead to real change, implementation, changed attitudes and behavior? Countless times at JFF, he challenged us not to be proud of our activity, but to probe and work for results. And he is the world's greatest connector--linking ideas, people, and resources to each other. He has the gift of making people with him feel energized, smarter and more capable, and for me--deeply happy. Happy 87th birthday!"
"Arthur is fascinating because I don't know anyone in their 80's who has his energy and drive. He defies the stereotypes of how people age. The schedule he keeps -- that would exhaust many far younger -- begs the question: What fountain of youth has he found? What can the rest of us learn from Arthur about growing old? His wife Vivien gave me the answer. "It's not about age. It's about altruism." His dear friend Larry Brown put it another way. "Arthur compares to no one. It's not that he's outstanding as an older person. He's an outstanding person." One time I asked Arthur if he cared about getting credit for his contributions. He looked at me quizzically, as if he didn't quite understand the question. "Who's counting?" he asked. That's the Arthur Henry White that inspires me every day of my life. Cindy Cox Roman"
+ keywords and sentiments describing Arthur which standout and repeat across the many other well-wishers include:
'boundless energy', 'commitment to making the world a better place', 'contagious passion and optimism', ' enthusiasm and passion for social change', 'you have devoted your life to improving the lives of others, and without a doubt have succeeded -- powerfully and significantly', 'Arthur White is a truly remarkable individual, anyone who has spent more than about 5 minutes with him realizes this', 'His passion for social justice and making the world a better place is a constant source of inspiration', 'He is one of the most selfless people I know. Running and supporting what seems like one hundred projects at once, he never says no when asked for help', 'Arthur is a great mentor and role model', ' one of the most compassionate and caring individuals I've had the privilege to know', 'Arthur White is a force of nature. His passion, vision, caring, and ability to quickly hone in on what we need to do to move an idea forward is unsurpassed', 'Arthur epitomizes Malcolm Gladwell's concept of a "connector." While most of us are probably connected by 6 degrees of separation, I believe that Arthur is connected to everyone by merely two degrees. The number of people he knows deeply in all sectors is truly astounding', 'people don't only "know" Arthur-- they respect and admire him and will bend over backwards to fulfill a need he has for his social justice projects'.