Author Biography:
Ron Palmer

Ron Palmer, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the eldest of 2 children, was later a middle child having gained 2 step-brothers during his teenage years, grew up with a keen appreciation for books, and was an avid reader, reading everything he could get his hands on!

His first influences were of Daniel Boone in early childhood and National Geographic magazines from his Grandfather Keith. His current influencer, no less lofty, is Benjamin Franklin.

Ron's first exposure to hands-on customer service and business operations began at the age of 14 through family run businesses. Ron's mother, Doll, and his stepfather, Tommy, helped to instill a clear sense of how to run family businesses that depend on quality customer service. Throughout the rest of his youth and young adult years, he continued to excel mechanically and creatively challenging himself to find new and better ways of accomplishing objectives. At 17 he successfully completed Marine Corps boot camp and Marine Corps Infantry school. He carries a Bachelor of Arts degree in Information Technology & Economics from Utah State University and holds the ITIL Service Manager certificate.

After leaving Microsoft, where Ron was involved with Microsoft Operations Framework content development and ITIL consulting, Ron founded his own company where he authored an EXIN accredited ITIL Foundations course. He is currently President of Gulf Stream Press providing education and training opportunities in IT Management. Ron has been developing, in partnership with other ITIL Service Managers and University of Dallas faculty, the first Graduate program in IT Service Management. Ron's book, IT Service Management Foundations: ITIL Study Guide is the first IT Service Management book to be used in this program.