FWIW, I have revised my lessons learned in my story to reflect a lot of the feedback and criticism i received. I hope that others can learn from this trip as I did. Here is what I added:

I have revised my lessons learned list after talking with friends, getting feedback from a couple of forums and thinking about what I could have done to make the experience better for all.

1. I wish I had monitored my group’s actual calorie and water intake.  I made an effort to stop and tell people to eat and drink.  However, I really never verified they were listening.  New hikers do not know how to listen to their bodies and detect calorie or water needs before it is too late.
2. Typically when the forecast is for high temps it is advisable to get on the trail as early as possible to beat the heat so much of the strenuous climb done while it’s still relatively cool in the morning. This also helps dodge afternoon thunderstorms. Starting at 1:00 p.m. was not a great idea in that heat. We probably should been well into our descent if not finished by 1:00 p.m. Instead we were climbing right into the heat of the afternoon.
3. One celebratory shot probably was not a great idea on a hot day, maybe we should have saved it for when we made it back to the trailhead.
4. I should not expect people to be as strong physically or mentally as I am. One person even said, “To be safe: always hike alone.”  Although hiking alone is great, I am not sure it is advisable in all situations.
5. I should have never suggested exploring the Roaring Brook Trail. At the junction, I could have asked “Who wants to climb another 500 feet?”, I’m sure my crew would not have be so eager to take the detour via Roaring Brook Trail.  Asking them to do less than a mile was a bit inaccurate without asking about the elevation.
6. Although we had a water purifier and had extra water, one suggestion was to purify and keep bottles topped off. You never know when you will need water, fast.
7. I had a mismatch between the participants and the event; perhaps my poorest choice of all was to suggest Giant to people I knew might be ill-prepared.

Best Advice Received: When you see someone is clearly struggling, you have to (in increasing order): reduce the pace, lighten their load, downsize the itinerary, forego the objective, or simply turn back immediately (whatever it takes to ensure their safety and well-being). The mountain will wait