John Altson

Legacy Writer

John Altson is a true renaissance man. A former mathematician and analytical thinker, he retired from IBM in 2010 after a remarkable forty-nine-year career. He introduced IBM speech recognition to the New York Times, and as an innovator working with cutting edge technology, he led worldwide marketing initiatives for IBM. Retirement took John on a journey of discovery and revisiting passions he had never fully explored earlier in his life.  John had always been drawn to the written word and the power of storytelling. In the second chapter of his life, he has become an accomplished author, having published several adult novels and three children’s books. More recently, he has turned his talents to legacy writing. In that capacity, John is a skillful listener and sets up a series of interviews with his clients over time. Together, as they reminisce, he structures and ghostwrites precious memories on the written page along with whatever mementos and photos are meaningful. The finished product is a priceless keepsake that is published to be passed down through the generations.

“I so enjoy writing memoirs! I get to meet interesting people and go on a remarkable journey with them to capture their stories. It is so fulfilling — the life exploration process brings so much joy to the participants and the end result is a published legacy of wisdom and love”