The Demon of Brownsville Road

Bob Cranmer was born in Pittsburgh, graduating from Brentwood High School in 1974 and Duquesne University in 1978. He then entered the US Army as a second lieutenant and served with the 101st Airborne Division and in Washington, D.C. In 1986, Bob went to work for AT&T and returned to Pittsburgh. Entering politics, he was elected Allegheny County Commissioner in 1995, serving as chairman. He was instrumental in a major development plan for Pittsburgh involving the construction of two sports stadiums and a new convention center. Bob currently runs a firm providing government relations.

Erica Manfred is a freelance writer and medical journalist whose articles on a variety of medical and psychological topics have appeared in Cosmopolitan; Ladies’ Home Journal; McCall’s; Parenting; Food and Fitness Advisor; Bottom Line/Personal; New Age Journal; Mothers Today; Dr. Joyce Brothers’ Emotional Health Newsletter; Healthgate.com; and Onebody.com. She had gastric bypass surgery in January 1998, which substantially improved both her health and quality of life. She lives in Catskill, New York.