"One Person Sharpening Another" is Richard W. Nelson's memoir about growing up and working on a family farm, then applying principles he learned there about hard work and relationships for establishing a successful business career and eventually becoming an entrepreneur, building an pioneering, pace-setting company dedicated to helping disabled workers become rehabilitated and successfully restored to the workplace. It's also a story of deep, enduring faith that has served as the foundation for Nelson's personal and professional life, providing a sense of mission that has gone far beyond the realm of profits and losses - providing him with a focus for eternity. Nelson tells about the power of relationships, showing how teachers, employers, colleagues and peers inspired and encouraged him in school and throughout his working career, and how he has strived to focus on relationships throughout his life, desiring to make a positive, life-changing difference in the lives of others. In additional to the biographical nature of his book, the author presents 11 "learning principles" that have helped to shape his life and undergird his approach to life, as well as ministry to others - especially in the business and professional world. In the book of Proverbs, a verse states, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another," and throughout his life, Nelson has seen and experienced the truth of this adage many times over. As he has personally invested time and energy in others, he has reaped many benefits himself, growing through these relationships. He tells about facing challenges and adversity in life and work, and the strength he has been able to draw from his faith in Jesus Christ, and trust in God's direction and provision for his everyday needs. Nelson's desire in sharing his story is to encourage others, as well as to challenge them in seeking to live out their faith in practical ways, not only personally but also professionally, seeking to honor God in all that they do. Richard Nelson has worked extensively with business leaders, not only with the companies where he has worked and businesses he established, but also through a peer-level ministry focused on addressing the unique needs and challenges of business owners and executives. He understands the challenges of starting and building a business, and also has learned from personal experience the important role that faith in Jesus Christ plays in experiencing a rewarding family life, career, and lay ministry of serving others as friend, advisor and encourager.
About the Author: Richard W. (Dick) Nelson was born on a farm six miles west of Corning, Iowa on September 9, 1939. He joined the family with two older sisters, Marilyn the oldest and Ruby June. He rode a horse to attend a country school two miles from his home. It consisted of eight grades in one room, with one teacher for all grades. He then attended high school in Corning Iowa, graduating in 1957. During his senior year he played on the school's undefeated football team. Dick attended Parson College in Fairfield, Iowa for two years (1957-1958), before dropping out and joining the U.S. Army Reserves, which included six months of active service. He had met Karen Bassett at Parsons College and they married on April 2, 1961. After his military service, Dick returned to Parsons and earned a B.A. in Business in 1963. Following graduation, he joined 3M Company in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1963. After sales training, he was transferred to Denver, Colorado to sell copy products, ranking among the upper 2 percent of the 3M sales force. During that time, Dick and Karen adopted their son, Todd (1965), and daughter, Tracy (1968). Dick was transferred to Des Moines, Iowa, managing a program for 3M, then back to corporate headquarters in St. Paul. After offering 3M a service idea to expand the CBSA program he had been managing, and being turned down, Dick left 3M and became a one-man consultant to insurance companies and employers in rehabilitating injured employees. He was considered a pioneer in the field of Private Sector Rehabilitation in the U.S.A. Dick incorporated the business, National Rehabilitation Consultants, Inc. (NRC), and it grew to 27 offices in 11 states, having 130 employees. From 1976-78, he commuted from the Twin Cities to University of San Francisco to earn a M.S. degree, in Rehabilitation Management. In 1999 Dick became a member of the Christian Network Team, a small group of business owners that provide a safe haven for sharing common business challenges, sharing their faith and encouraging one another. Eventually he decided to be a facilitator in starting two CNT groups, one in Rochester, Minnesota and another in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis. After turning the Rochester group over to a local Rochester business owner to facilitate, Dick continues to facilitate the Northwest CNT Group, a group of 20 men that meet on a monthly basis, growing in their faith and becoming close friends as they share life's challenges and joys.