At the age of 3, Ed Hajim was kidnapped by his father, driven cross-country, and was told his mother was dead. And then, not too much later, he was virtually abandoned by his dad.

Many years later, business entrepreneur Ed Hajim received the Horatio Alger award for exemplifying the values of initiative, leadership, and commitment to excellence -- despite personal adversity.

Hajim is the author of “On the Road Less Traveled, An Unlikely Journey from the Orphanage to the Boardroom.” It’s a memoir that describes the improbable story of how he bounced from foster homes to orphanages.

It was a daily struggle to survive, but Hajim flourished, ultimately becoming an accomplished Wall Street executive and model family man. And now, he is giving back to a world that seemed intent on rejecting him.

“On the Road Less Traveled” is packed with stories of how Hajim used his ingenuity to achieve his goals – like wangling a free plane trip to the west coast purportedly for an interview for a job he didn’t want – just so he could be the best man at a friend’s wedding.

Hajim is the son of a Syrian immigrant and now has more than 50 years’ experience in the financial industry. His bio reads like a who’s who of major investment companies in which he’s held senior management or ownership positions.

Ed Hajim, thanks for being with us today on Lean to the Left. It’s a pleasure speaking with you.

Q. Your life story is filled with many twists and turns. How were you kidnapped by your dad? What led to that?

Q. Did you ever find your mom? Tell us about that. What was it like to first meet her after 57 years?

Q. What was your relationship like with your dad? How did it evolve over the years? How did this affect your life choices?

Q. What did you learn from this adversity, and how did that influence your business career?

Q. In your book, you describe in many places the sadness and loneliness that you felt because of the lack of immediate family. Did that affect your decisions later in life, especially when it came to business and leading people?

Q. You fought poverty, but your memoir describes your ingenuity in finding ways to cover costs – money for college tuition, for example, including for tuition to Harvard Business School when you were, pretty much, flat broke. Talk to me about your determination to be financially independent and what ultimately happened.

Q. You write that “Sometimes you need to know when a partnership has run its course. And sometimes, it’s better to sever ties and leave on your own, even if the next step I unknown. That’s often the road less traveled, but it’s so worth the journey.” What were you referring to and why do you say it was “worth the journey?”

Q. You write in your memoir about the importance of obtaining a solid educational foundation, which you credit with making your life success possible. Can you elaborate on that? What advice do you give young people who want a higher education but for financial or other reasons are stuck and feel that’s an impossible dream?

Q. What have you done personally to support higher education?

Q. At the University of Rochester, you started a new magazine, from scratch. You wrote: “I loved putting projects and people together to solve a problem.” That’s pretty much your ultimate business story, right?

Q. You received a Navy scholarship, which meant you had to serve three years in the Navy. What did that do for you?

Q. You write: “The only constant in life is change. People change and businesses change. If you don’t adapt, you will not survive.” Can you please elaborate?

Q. We haven’t talked about the various companies that you worked for or owned. Can you take us on a quickie tour? I know, it’s a lifetime…

Q. What would you say were your most significant achievements in business? Q. What were your biggest failures?

Q. You’ve just published a new book, “The Island of the Four Ps: A Modern Fable About Preparing for Your Future.” What’s the point of this book? What does it cover?

Q. What are the “four Ps?” Q. You’ve been married for nearly 60 years, with three grown children and eight grandchildren. You write in “On the Road Less Traveled” that your wife, Barbara, fell in love with you when she was only a young girl and that you’re seven years older than her. How did she land you and what’s been the result of that marriage?

Q. So you were the “hunter, gatherer” and she oversaw home and family. How did that work out?

Q. OK, Ed Hajim, what’s next? Do you plan to just sit on the porch and drink iced tea?

Q. Where can people find your books?