Some people seem to live several lives at once — and Terry R. Bacon is one of them. Author, poet, playwright, leader, mentor, neighbor, and friend, he’s spent his lifetime weaving together intellect and imagination, discipline and wonder. Internationally recognized for his work on leadership and influence, Terry is also deeply rooted in Durango’s arts and nonprofit community, where his generosity and curiosity continue to ripple out in quiet, profound ways.
“Life is an exquisite mystery that will end in mid-sentence.”
— Storm Warning
That line from his debut novel could well describe Terry’s own journey — one of ongoing discovery, unfinished chapters, and a heart that keeps asking, What’s next?
His story begins at West Point (Go Army!), where he earned a B.S. in Engineering, and he went on to earn a Ph.D. in Literary Studies from American University. Later studies at Stanford, the University of Chicago, Penn, and Harvard expanded his fascination with what it means to lead — and, more importantly, what it means to be human while doing it.
As co-founder of Lore International Institute, Terry helped shape how leaders think and act, developing simulations and education programs that reached boardrooms around the world. His bestselling books — The Elements of Power, What People Want, Effective People Skills, and others — have become touchstones for those navigating the delicate art of influence. Executive Excellence magazine named him one of the “Top 100 Thinkers on Leadership,” but those who know him best might tell you his greatest influence happens one conversation at a time.
Behind the strategist, though, beats the steady pulse of a storyteller. Writing under the name Sonny Marshall, Terry’s novel Storm Warning opens in a smoky jazz club — a setting that hums with melody, tension, and longing.
“On a warm night filled with the aroma of sea salt and jasmine … I noticed a striking woman in the audience. She had long, wispy red hair … lips that begged to be kissed.” — Storm Warning
It’s a tale of connection and consequence, one that carries forward into his newest novel, The Cerulean Ark. In this cosmic odyssey, an ordinary man’s discovery of a mysterious relic from Andromeda ignites a battle between salvation and destruction. Whether he’s exploring the galaxies of outer space or the inner spaces of the human heart, Terry’s writing leaves an echo that lingers.
Here in Durango, Colorado, his impact is tangible. He’s served on the boards of the Women’s Resource Center, Music in the Mountains (where he chaired for two years), the Durango Steam Park, and Friends of Fort Lewis College Theatre. He co-founded Durango PlayFest, giving new playwrights a platform to hear their words aloud, and led the Fort Lewis College Foundation as chair, where he continues to serve on its governance and investment committees. The Leadership Center at Fort Lewis College now bears his name — a fitting tribute to someone who has spent a lifetime inspiring others to rise to their potential.
A world traveler, historian, cosmology enthusiast, and grandfather of eleven, Terry lives in the Colorado mountains with his wife, Debra Parmenter. Their home radiates warmth — filled with family, laughter, and music. He’s the one who remembers every birthday, even when the numbers blur, and who listens with the kind of attention that makes people feel seen.
His legacy isn’t a single book or a plaque on a wall. It’s an ongoing sentence — still unfolding — written in the lives of those he’s mentored, befriended, and inspired. Like the best stories, Terry’s life reminds us that meaning is found not in endings, but in the beautiful, unfinished middle.
And as for the next chapter — we’re anxiously awaiting the next book in the Sonny Marshall series, certain that it will, once again, take us somewhere unexpected, unforgettable, and entirely human.
These selected works can be found at local bookshops around the region or at online retailers
The Elements of Power
What People Want
Effective People Skills
Storm Warning (as Sonny Marshall)
The Cerulean Ark
