Michael S. Greenly (born October 2, 1944) is an American writer, entrepreneur, and lyricist – and a former vice president of Avon Products—who helped to popularize interactive online journalism in the mid-1980s as a kind of forerunner to blogging.Elmer-Dewitt, Philip. "Here Come the Networkers." Time Magazine. April 18, 2005. On March 26, 2015, Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed Senate Bill # 1362 making “Our Great Virginia” – lyrics by Mike Greenly, arranged by Jim Papoulis – as the official traditional state song of Virginia."Here Come the Networkers." Virginia Legislative Information System. March 26, 2015.
Early online journalist In 1983, Greenly left his position as a marketing vice president of Avon Products to become a freelance marketing consultant and writer. In an article for The Futurist magazine (March–April, 1987), Greenly credited the Alvin Toffler book, The Third Wave, as being a catalyst in his decision to change his life and become an active part of the Information Age.
Greenly has been called "probably the most widely read writer on "The Source", one of the first online services oriented to the general public and attracting 60,000 subscribers at the time.
Sometimes called "planet earth's first interactive journalist""Electronic organization and expert networks: beyond electronic mail and computer conferencing" March 18, 1987. Greenly and the two friends he met online – Sherwin Levinson and Diane Worthington – became the first journalists ever allowed to cover the Democratic and Republican political conventions via computer (in 1984). Greenly wrote a cover story for Portable 100/200 magazine (April, 1985) about using an early laptop computer to create this interactive, online journalism from the convention sites (Houston and San Francisco) and to answer reader questions and comments during the process.
Greenly went on to become the first journalist ever allowed to cover the Academy Awards ceremony by computer, again sending online reports of his interviews and experiences to readers around the world via laptop, and responding to them from on the road.
In 1986, a series of first-hand interviews Mike conducted about AIDS and placed online was published as Chronicle: The Human Side of AIDS (Irvington Publishers, Inc.). In 1987, Greenly received an award from the Computer Press Association in the category of "Best On-Line Publication" for his interactive electronic coverage of Appleworld, Macworld Conference & Expo, and Comdex '87.“1985 Computer Press Association Awards May 1986.
Corporate assignments
As his website notes, Greenly works today as a speech and presentation writer and speech coach for business executives. His client list includes Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, the Patrón Spirits Company, ExxonMobil, IBM and many other organizations.
Songwriter/lyricist Year Title Genre Artist Details 2008 “How Many Christmases”ChoralRosanne Cash & The Young People's Chorus of NYC (YPC) Benefits YPC & Foundation For Small Voices 2010 “Get Up”DanceKimberly Davis#12 Billboard Dance Club chart"Billboard Dance Club Songs" May 2010 2011 “We Can Plant a Forest”ChoralYPC Benefits Trees for the Future Foundation (over 50,000 trees planted as a result) 2012 "I Know"ChoralYPC In memory of Stephanie Papoulis Benefits CJD Foundation 2013 “I Will Carry You" & "Not Gonna Miss You“PopShara Strand”Born Tonight” EP 2013 “I Will Carry You“Dance RemixesShara Strand #23 Billboard Dance Club Chart, Benefits American Humane Association"Chart Highlights: Justin Timberlake Tops Adult Pop Songs; Pearl Jam Returns" July 15, 2013 2014 “With You”Gospel-House + RemixesKimberly Davis #4 Billboard Dance Club Chart,"Billboard Dance Club Songs" March 2014 Benefits Alzheimer's Foundation of America 2014 “RSVP”Pop/Dance + RemixesShara Strand #32 Billboard Dance Club Chart, Benefits American Humane Association 2015 “Our Great Virginia”Official Virginia State Song (Traditional)Multiple Signed into law by Gov. Terry McAuliffe"Virginia State Bill Tracker" 2016"Say Yes"Pop/DanceJason WalkerBillboard Dance Club chart2017"My Fire"Pop/DanceNile Rodgers & Tony Moran ft Kimberly DavisBillboard Dance Club chart
References
External links Mike Greenly