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Tim - Since I have known Doug (and Emily, Tracy, Rob, and Megan) for over 25 years, I already knew a lot of this story, but I truly enjoyed learning about your childhood, teenage years, high school and college years, and your business acumen! It was a great read and was happy to see my name made it into the book as part of the Ryder Cup! Can't wait to come down to Charlotte again soon!

Tim, after reading your book, I feel like I have a better insight into your life and person. Having gone into the convent in 1974, other than some things Mom shared with me about you after I entered, I really didn't have many opportunities to continue a close relationship with you. I'm grateful for the chance to know you better through your writing. I can attest that you are most generous and that speaks highly of you! Where you see "serendipity" moments, though, I see God's love and grace guiding and enabling you (I wouldn't be me if I didn't say, that would I?!) Thank you for the book. I love you! Bev PS Kudos to our little Kylie for a terrific job 🙂

Mr. Bien! I enjoyed the book very much. I feel I may know you better than anyone but the book filled in a lot of gaps. I felt I knew this but the book confirmed your selflessness. Despite your success, people may not know that you lived a very conservative life, never treating yourself to anything extravagant. They know of your home in NC and the Z8 but the home is constantly being shared for the benefit of others and of the 9,700 miles on the Z8, I'm guessing 8,000 of those miles were driven by others. Something else people may not know is when I accepted a job in Charlotte, NC, and shortly after my arrival on September 11th, 2008, the company changed there mind and left me unemployed at one of the worst times in our history (housing crises). It took me a year to find another job but you called me every day to see how I was doing; which is a tradition we still repeat to this day. I look forward to our daily conversations, and if anything interesting happens during the day, I make a mental note to be sure to share it during the next phone call. Anyway, thank you for the incredible book, and thank you for more than a quarter century of friendship. You're my best friend and I love you brother.

I often say "everyone has a book in them" however until I read your story I am not sure I knew what I was saying. Your unique story telling ability is engaging, endearing, humorous, moving and inspirational. Not only did I learn things about you I never knew, I am finding myself sharing stories from your book with colleagues and friends. The account of your long and successful career is a business book in and of itself. Thank you for taking the time to share and demonstrating that being a generous and caring person has many rewards. I am better for knowing you! Keep telling stories.

From the moment you told me your story in person I knew you needed to write it down. Glad to know I was right! Ha. But seriously Tim, wow. From a writer to a writer (yes you are one thousand percent a writer) I found your writing/storytelling authentic, concise, engaging, educational, and most of all -- honest. The honesty is palpable, which is one of the hardest things to do in writing. Yes, we may not be able to recollect everything perfectly from our childhood and younger years but you sort of prove that it doesn't matter -- that what actually matters is the essence and feeling, or rather the "take away" in all of it. The silver lining is something we each have access to but may not realize we're missing out on. You illuminate the way for us. Your writing is direct and simple (in a good way) and caused me to reflect on my own life with nostalgia as well as appreciation for the hard/painful moments. I suppose my desire to hear your story was a bit selfish too. I was genuinely curious that morning over breakfast because I wanted to know how a pharmacist with five children turned into a successful business man! Difficult odds and very hard to do. "What sacrifices had to be made and how much grit did it actually take? Is it really possible for me to get where I want to go?" I had to know. I wanted to gleam wisdom from your journey and apply it to mine, and yet you gave us much more than that! You painted clear pictures in our minds that left us thinking. The more we read, the more we learned to trust you -- that everything would have a point to what you were saying. Every turning of the page was like opening a surprise, and I could see my open path open. In a weird way, your story gives me great comfort. I enjoyed collecting these nuggets of truth, reflecting on my own life as I went along. What a gift! This is probably the single greatest gift you could give your children and grandchildren. "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you've fed him for a lifetime." Cliche but true. I would much rather have a glimpse into the window of how you succeeded rather than a boat ride! ha ha. KIDDING. (I'll always take the boat ride.) I may have been the one to tell you to write it down, but you were the one who had to live it first. Bravo sir, very well done! You've set a high bar for the rest of us. All the best, Anna Elizabeth James

Tim, I still remember the conversation we had at your cabana during a DCVB preseason retreat when you were just thinking about writing a memoir. You asked a few of us if we would read it, and I remember emphatically responding "Absolutely! 100!" I am so glad you did. I loved reading every second of the book, and got lost in many of the stories. I loved hearing about how serendipity influenced your life and how you have made the most of it. Everything really does happen for a reason, even small encounters that may seem incidental at first. Thank you so much for everything you have done and continue to do for Davidson Volleyball. You made our experiences so much more than they had to be and I'll forever be grateful to have had the opportunity. Thank you so much for sharing your story!

Tim, I cannot thank you enough for sharing your story and your love with other people. Most books that I read take weeks or months to complete. This one was started on Sunday and finished the next day. Whether talking about your family and friends or events from the past, I could feel the love you share for others on every page and I witness it every time we interact at Davidson. At the end of the book, you give a lot of great advice and I reread it often because it's very valuable. One of the things you wrote is that life is not a sure thing but I am positive that I was meant to meet you and read your story. So thank you for all that you do and for the man that you are. Casey

I have LOVED the book and been zooming through it! It is a great read and hard to put down! I loved hearing about your career and what you think made you successful: passion and grit. That really hit home for me. I’m going through interviews for law school and trying to figure out what area of law I want to work in and reading your book has really helped me navigate those decisions. It’s reminded me that passion is what is going to make you want to work hard at your job and in the end make you successful!

First of all, thank you, Tim. Thank you for opening up your home and heart to my daughter throughout her four years at Davidson. After reading your book, it is apparent that what she received is the result of your clear intentions. You provided (and still do- she happens to be at your home as I write this) a place to enjoy herself, a place where she can abandon her stress, and a place where she can experience meaningful connections. You also have served as a role model of generosity and kindness for her. I also thank you for including me in the graduation parties and now literally opening your world to me through your written words. There are many compelling parts of your book for me. I am especially touched by the opening paragraph about the importance of serendipity. I have had so many of my own serendipitous moments that have changed the trajectory of my life. I was able to enjoy reading about your chance encounters while being moved to revisit mine. Wrapping your narrative within a serendipitous moment is profound. There are many other details that captured my attention and imagination. I was surprised that your mom was so much younger than your dad, yet clearly had the strength and wisdom of an old soul. I was impressed and touched by your granddaughter’s illustrations. I was inspired and entertained by the story of you successfully convincing the archbishop to release everyone from school for the day. As a former student and teacher, I applaud you! Also, as someone who cannot get enough of the miracles of nature and the everchanging sky, I thank you for sharing the cloud picture and the sunsets at Casa Bien. That bear cloud is unmistakably one of God’s miraculous gifts to you and now to all those with whom you shared your book. I experienced a completely different set of emotions when I read about the dart landing in your companion’s head. How could I not be horrified and entertained at the same time! The story about Santa’s time spent in your home creating your presents is priceless. I want to hug your parents for that one. Thank you for sharing your parents with the reader. Their example of a strong work ethic and their commitment to quality and family are characteristics we see too little of. I know that you did not have enough time with your dad, but your story shows that even those with whom we spend little time can have a profound influence on who we are and become. A few other memorable excerpts are the poem on page 77. I have copied it and am sharing it with my students. Timberline Lodge sounds incredible. I plan on checking it out. Of course, I enjoyed “meeting” your children and learning about your work trajectory, your charitable contributions, your Super Bowl moments, and your time with the volleyball teams, but there are two more details that I want to specifically mention. The first is your nine banks for happiness. Your message about balancing these says it all. This segment of your book could literally save lives. Thank you for reminding me about balance and what should be balanced. My final observation is, how is it possible that you are nearly 70????! I think reading this detail shocked me the most. Clearly, your years of hard work and your losses have been outnumbered by the gifts you have received and even more, the gifts you have given. Your book is one of these gifts. May you live to at least twice the 42 years you expected because your presence makes the world a better place.

To pick up on your theme of serendipity in the shaping of the course of a life, how serendipitous it was that my parents moved our family to Denier Place and became neighbors with the Bien family when I was four years old! And how grateful I am of how that led to our lifelong friendship. I so enjoyed reading the depiction of your life and times in your memoir. And since I was there to personally witness most of it, I can attest to the accuracy of your recollections. Your writing style makes it a good story and fun to read, while remaining true to the facts. You generously share the recollections of both your triumphs and your setbacks, giving a nod to the part of luck but also making the point that the chain of events ultimately led to where it did because you had the courage to take chances, put yourself out there, and not simply be safe and lead “a life of quiet desperation”. This is a book about friends, family, and hard work told in the language we speak rather than flowery prose. You say in your preface that you wrote it with the intention of passing along the story of your legacy to your grandchildren and yet-to-be born great grandchildren and beyond. But I think it also contains valuable lessons for everyone about how to lead a life and the importance of considering how your actions today will determine what course the rest of your life will take. Who would have thought that the same little Timmy Bien kicking the can across the St. Vivian’s playground on the way to serve 6:30 Mass would end up negotiating billion dollar corporate drug purchases? Or testifying before Congress! And that you would ultimately use the opportunity of your good fortune to be so generous with friends and family and worthy causes after leaving the corporate world. I have always been so proud to be best friends with you. And what a privilege it has been to be part of your story. Thanks so much for sharing it. Dick