Character Names In "The Plan"

I've feilded a few questions asking where I got The Plan's character names. Here is a brief background on the main ones.

President David Kaiser - I got the name from two graduate school text book authors. The books have long since been sold (or lost) so I can't remember the authors' exact names, but David came from one and Kaiser came from another. Ironically, I think "Kaiser" was from a book on ethics. Which if you've read the book, you know how ironic this is.

Professor Marcus Rogers - Here again, Marcus Rogers came from two different text book authors. Marcus is the last name of one of my favorate professors at the Universtiy of Minnesota - Professor Alfred Marcus. The real Dr. Marcus went to the University of Chicago (and Harvard) and so that's why I placed him in Chicago.

Mike Powell - The president's behind-the-scenes contempoary was a late edition to the book. My original idea was to have the professor be the bad guy. But for some reason, he turned into being "morally wrong," but not a person who wanted to abuse The Plan's power. I also wanted to make a link to organized crime. Mike Powell was that link. Mike is my brother-in-law's first name. No idea why I used this name.

Matt LaPoint - Matt is the first name of one of my best friends and former roomates. I needed a good guy, and Matt was fitting. The last name, LaPoint, I made up. Not sure why. It just seemed to fit.

Nick Kennedy (Kendo) - Another one of my best friends is named Jon Kennedy. Tough I haven't called him by his formal name in years. He goes by Kendo to his friends. I've always thought Kendo would make a good hero's name. Thus Nick Kennedy, aka Kendo, was born. Nick is the first name of the former meat locker owner in my home town of Hayward, MN. No idea why I used his name.

Nadeen Kumar - I worked with an Indian named Nadeen at a consulting gig many years ago. And then worked with an Indian with the last name of Kumar. I had a good relationship with both of them and for some reason their names just popped into my head.

Wilbert Gresafe - Remember him? He's the crusty old marine owner who Nadeen rents the "Fish Getter" from. Gresafe one of my colleague's last name. Not sure where I got Wilbert from.

Charles Shuster - Shuster is the last name of a friend of mine who moved to Las Vegas to play cards. Just like Charles did in the book.

Press Secretary Justin Olson - First and last name of two more college friends.

Malek Abid - No idea where I got this name from. Just popped in my head.

Perry Luke and Jack Perry - Here again, no idea where I got these from.

There are a few more characters but I don't have any good reasoning for why I named them.