SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, January 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The 2026 Independent Press Award recognized “My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels: In Control, Being Controlled, Out of Control!” by Tom LeNoble in the category of Inspiration as a distinguished favorite.
The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians and professional copywriters. Winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.
“My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels: In Control, Being Controlled, Out of Control!”
Risk. Resilience. Reinvention.
Tom LeNoble’s life has been anything but ordinary, rising from the “Shack” with no hot water to the heights of Silicon Valley, and helping build some of the world’s most influential companies. He’s been a crowd-favorite performer, a bold leader, and a survivor of two life-threatening illnesses after being told three times he had six months to live. He’s navigated the AIDS epidemic’s heartbreak, personal loss, and the high-stakes world of Facebook, Walmart.com, Palm (HP), and MCI (Verizon), guiding startups and leaders through change.
In “My Life in Business Suits, Hospital Gowns, and High Heels,” Tom shares unflinching lessons on living fully, leading boldly, and loving fiercely. With candor and wit, he proves that no matter the storms you face, resilience is possible—and reinvention is always within reach.
In 2026, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD saw a large participation from well established authors and publishers across the globe, including those residing in Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States. Authors such as Brad Feld, Judith Briles, Tony Jeton Selimi, Michael Pronko, Jack Fritscher, PhD, Nate Regier, PhD, Lawrence Kane & Kris Wilder, Greg Broadmore and Miriam Udel were among the winners list chosen from thousands of entries.
Publishing houses included Forbes Books, Friesen Press, Historium Press, Johns Hopkins University Press, Mad Cave Studios, Northwestern University Press, Princeton University Press, She Writes Press, The History Press, and University of California Press.
“The 2026 INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD recipients reflect the incredible momentum within the independent sector,” stated Gabrielle Olczak, INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD President and Award Sponsor. “Independent voices are no longer just an alternative; they are leading the way in literary innovation. By highlighting these winners, we are celebrating a global community that refuses to be sidelined and continues to set new benchmarks for excellence.”
For more information please visit independentpressaward.com; and to view this year’s list of IPA Distinguished Favorites, please visit the website pages: https://www.independentpressaward.com/2026-favorites
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom LeNoble is a seasoned executive, leadership coach, and sought-after speaker whose career spans industry giants, groundbreaking startups, and transformative coaching work. He has held key roles with renowned companies such as MCI (VZ), Walmart.com (WMT), Palm (HP), and Facebook (META), and contributed to the success of innovative ventures including SupportSpace (BBY), iPrint.com (acquired), and SpeedDate (MTCH).
As the founder of Taranga Enterprises, Tom has led initiatives that drive measurable results and spark innovation, with leadership experience across operations, customer service, human resources, mergers and acquisitions, sales, and coaching. His passion for developing people led him to serve as CEO of The Academy for Coaching Excellence, where he empowers individuals and trains the next generation of coaches. He also serves as a Leadership Coach with the Miller Center at Santa Clara University, working with entrepreneurs around the world to unlock their leadership potential.
Tom is widely recognized for his ability to blend strategic insight with personal empowerment, inspiring audiences and clients alike to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose. His commitment to service extends beyond the boardroom through deep philanthropic involvement, focusing on underserved communities, women, youth, and education.
A survivor of life-threatening illness, profound loss, and personal challenges, Tom speaks with authenticity about resilience and the power of living fully. His journey has deepened his appreciation for every moment, fueling his mission to help others navigate risk, embrace change, and create meaningful impact.
ABOUT THE AWARD
The Independent Press Award (IPA) is a prestigious annual book awards program specifically designed to honor excellence in the independent publishing community. It is open to self-published authors, small presses, and university presses worldwide. The Independent Press Award is announced every spring and is open to independent authors and publishers.
The fall book competition, NYC Big Book Award, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/ permits all authors and publishers, including the big five publishers, to submit their books for competition.
Join us at the Awards Dinner & Ceremony on April 25th to celebrate the recipients of both programs as they receive their awards on stage. The ceremony is part of the BookCAMP event, a publishing industry conference held in the New York metro area, April 24-26, 2026, https://www.independentpressaward.com/ipabookcamp.
Gabby Olczak
Independent Press Award
+1 973-969-1899
gabby@independentpressaward.com
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