Though he has lived in Texas since the late 1980s, Lee Raines considers his early years in Groton, SD, as formative and influential on his values and success today. He was born in Britton, SD, in 1953, grew up in Groton, graduating from Groton High School in 1971. During his school years, Raines participated in all the high school sports available. While he played alongside family members of the legacies mentioned in the book, he would be the first to claim his greatest talent was as a spectator. For the past 25 years, he has worked for Leif Johnson Ford in Austin, TX, in capacities that include manager of a dealership, chief financial officer and director of special projects. He lives with his partner, Julie Jerome, in Austin.