Thirty eight years ago, Dr. Melander took me to dinner at the Tavern and my life was influenced forever. I was an eighteen year old tap dancing college student who was the wide-eyed, ever practical friend of his daughter. He managed to find me on campus regularly to visit (and subtly check-up on Leigh). Through his gentle encouragement, upon graduation I spent the next twenty years in academic publishing where I intersected with Dr. Melandar regularly. He was always on the bleeding edge of innovation in higher education. He and I both attended the first Educause conference that lead the wave for education technology in higher education. I remember him explaining the changes he envisioned for “correspondence courses" that then became distant learning and now as virtual online learning. He believed in MOOCs before anyone imagined them. He encouraged me to follow my dream and leave the traditional publishing world and start my own venture. For the last eighteen years, I have worked with education entrepreneurs who have developed innovations in education and need help in commercializing and scaling. I’ve worked with many brilliant university professors whose work had far greater impact due to our involvement. At the heart of all was Geno and for that I'm eternally grateful. I'm writing this note today in Italy where we took my parents to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in their hometown they left over 65 years ago. It would make Geno smile to know I was reflecting on his contributions over an espresso and elegant pastry.