James A. Autry, a former Fortune 500 executive, is an author, poet, and consultant whose work has had a significant influence on leadership thinking. He is the author of twelve books, and his writings have appeared in many anthologies and magazines. Autry received considerable national attention when he was one of the poets featured in Bill Moyers' special 1989 series, The Power of the Word, on PBS, and in Moyers' 1995 book, The Language of Life. In 2012 he appeared on Moyers & Company on PBS, and his work has been featured on Garrison Keillor's "Writer's Corner" on National Public Radio. Autry serves on the national Advisory Board of Poets & Writers, Inc. and was a founder of the Des Moines National Poetry Festival. He holds four honorary degrees and is the recipient of a lifetime achievement award for service to the humanities from the Iowa Humanities Board. Autry lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife, former Lieutenant Governor of Iowa Sally Pederson and their thirty-one-year-old son. He has two grown sons by a previous marriage and is a grandfather of two.