Thomas J. Cashman received his education at California State University, Los Angeles. He established one of the first business data processing programs in the U.S. at Long Beach City College in California, where he taught and served as department head. In 1969, he began collaborating with now best-selling author, Gary Shelly.

Philip J. Pratt is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics and Computer Science at Grand Valley State University, where he taught for 33 years. His teaching interests include database management, systems analysis, complex analysis, and discrete mathematics. He has authored over 60 textbooks, including coauthoring three levels of Microsoft Office Access 2010 books for the Shelly Cashman Series and A Guide to SQL.

Mary Z. Last has taught computer information systems since 1984. She retired from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX where she was an Associate Professor and the Director of the Center for Effectiveness in Learning and Teaching. Mary is actively involved in the Computing Educator's Oral History Project that encourages young women to pursue careers in math and science. She has been a contributing author to the Shelly Cashman Series since 1992 and also authors many instructor resources for database texts.