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WITI Women | Janne Ackerman

On a lighter note:

1. If you could have dinner with any 2 people (living or not), who would they be?
Jim Henson - Most people identify with an imaginary character. For me that is Kermit the Frog. I've always been fascinated by the magic that the Muppets create for me.

I couldn't pick a second person. I had a bunch tied for next in line and just couldn't pick one. Lots of people come to mind: Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Adm. Grace Hopper, James Earl Jones, Gen. Colin Powell, and Patty Wagstaff just to name a few in the United States. I haven't even gotten to other continents yet.

2. What was the last book you read? What books do you love to recommend?
I actually had to look up the last book I read which was "The Diamond Tiger" by Ann Maxwell. I read about a book per week as a mental release from the day-to-day grind so the order in which I read them sometimes blurs together. I love mysteries so I enjoy authors such as Sue Grafton, Scott Turow, Dick Francis, and Karen Kijewski.

My favorite book to recommend to business associates is "Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams" by Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister. This book deals with teaming, productivity, and soft people skills that are often overlooked by managers. Our people define our company so it is in our best interest to make them feel valued and to help them become as productive as possible. I also often recommend "Lions Don't Need to Roar" by Debra Benton for personal development.

3. If you couldn't do what you are doing now, what profession would you choose?
When I entered college, I made a decision to major in mathematics. The choice was hard because I wasn't sure how I would use my degree when I got out. I didn't want to become a teacher because I felt they were underpaid for their contributions. Computer science was just taking off but my university didn't offer an undergraduate degree in that field until two years after I started. So I majored in math and took as many computer science classes as I could as electives. I found I loved computer science more than I did math.

I seriously considered becoming a veterinarian since I enjoy animals so much. I've substituted a menagerie at home to fulfill this desire of mine.

4. What is your definition of success?
I stopped to think what I define success to be, and realized I'd never stopped to think about it. So I asked my husband, Garry, how he defined success. He answered, "You do some things well and some things not so well. If the things you do well outnumber the things you don't do so well, then you are successful." I liked that definition! Of course, I'm going to keep trying to turn my "don't do so wells" into my "do wells."

Janne Ackerman answers these questions:
1. What was your first job in technology?
2. Who has been your most significant mentor? Why?
3. What has been your greatest challenge and what strategies did you use to overcome obstacles?
4. Who has been the most influential person in your life? Why?
5. What lessons have you learned that would be valuable to women beginning their careers in technology?
6. What new technology do you believe will have the most positive impact on the world in the next 20 years? The most negative impact?

On the lighter side:
1. If you could have dinner with any 2 people (living or not), who would they be?
2. What was the last book you read? What books do you love to recommend?
3. If you couldn't do what you are doing now, what profession would you choose?
4. What is your definition of success?

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