If any of us had the good fortune to choose our neighbors, we would ask for John Lasseter. He and his

wife Nancy have raised a posse of boys who look you in the eye when they speak, say "please" and

"thank you" and are Olympians in the sport of childhood. Not surprising when their father is the master

fabricator of joy.

As head of Pixar, John, 54, gathers the raw material of life, puts it in the giggle-laugh-tear-goose-bump

forge and shapes it into a product that leaves an imprint on civilization equal to that of the locomotive, the

compass or the brick. John's style never reaches below the belt for the cheap laugh. He is John Lasseter

because of a high standard of art, perception and fun that everyone in every language can relate to and

enjoy. He surrounds himself with people who share the values and work ethic necessary to maintain that

standard — now recognized worldwide as simply Pixar.

Audiences expect greatness from the elves of Emeryville, and they have yet to be disappointed, as they

reward each film with their laughter, tears and patronage. It's been an honor to have been invited into

John's sandbox these past 17 years.

Ratzenberger has played a voice role in every Pixar feature