One weekend in late April, Dr. David T. Applegate II happened to spot The Go-Giver at a Barnes & Noble in Ohio where he lives. He bought a copy, took it home and read it, and promptly wrote us a note. “Enjoyed it very much,” he wrote us, adding, “—okay, I thought it was awesome!”
David had a specific purpose for writing: he wanted to know how he might purchase 100 copies of the book at a bulk rate. He went on to explain:
One of my current privileges is serving as President of Ohio’s Coroners Association. In Ohio, coroners are physicians, elected to investigate deaths. Not the most politically active bunch of elected officials, as you can imagine, but still, with opportunities to improve and influence life in Ohio!
In two weeks, we will be holding our annual state continuing education session in Cincinnati. We have 88 counties in Ohio, and coroners from all those counties will be attending. I would love to put a copy of your book in the hands of each of them. Even if just half or three-quarters of them read it, it would make that much difference.
So I’d like to get 100 copies — one for each of our state’s coroners, and also a handful for me to hand out to a few friends and relatives.
We connected David to our rep Aaron Schleicher at 800-CEO-Read, who sells in bulk to the corporate market. Although this was barely a week before the conference, David acted quickly. A few days after the conference he wrote us this report:
Last week, all 88 physician-coroners in Ohio were presented a copy of your book. While many of the docs already give of themselves, we shall see how many find the passion to serve (as in public service) again. I have had many a thank-you, and I already have coroners calling me about giving and being a “value added” public servant.
It has been a perfect message to my peers: not just to investigate death as the law instructs us, but using this knowledge and compassion to help the living. Giving — the ultimate business deal with the public. And I believe we will receive respect and appreciation in return (something not many government figures earn these days).
I know you wrote it with a “business” purpose, but it is truly is a little gem for general principles in life. When I tried to give my wife a copy, it turned out she had already read it. Great job — thank you!
I have also used your message on occasion in the office (I am a family doc in my other job). The message of not keeping score is powerful to those with marital or relationship problems.
David is too modest to say so, but he is more than “a family doc in his other job.” Before retiring his obstetric practice in 2000, he delivered more than 1,600 babies. Now, in addition to his work as coroner, he is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at OSU College of Medicine and past chairman of the department of medicine, Methodist Hospital.
David is also an instrument-rated pilot who received the National Aeronautical Association’s prestigious Volunteer of the Year award in 2004 for flying blood from Oklahoma City to New York City on the night of September 11, 2001. Also in 2004, his peers in the Ohio Association of Family Physicians selected David as the Family Physician of the Year, and since 2005 he has been listed in the national Best Doctors in America register.
Thank you, David!
