| President’s
Letter
Unwinding … and rewinding
by Roy Harris, National
President; Senior Editor, CFO
Whether or not editors
took Azbee awards home from the National
Conference, they left with something valuable:
a sense of where
business publishing is heading in these
critical times.
The rare networking
and learning opportunity that unfolded
in
Chicago exposed attendees to new ways
of presenting editorial
content to readers, and of applying ethical
principles in their service.
From Rance Crain’s publisher’s-eye
view, to the opinions that
expert designers have about the makings
of a great cover, the lessons
were rapid-fire — fitting, perhaps
for helping to understand an industry
in which
so much is changing so fast.
Age and youth are served
Yet
as I reflect on the week, nothing makes
me smile more than the acknowledgment
of
two special journalists at our awards
banquet. One was an industry veteran,
the other
just starting out. One was expecting
the honor, the other shocked out
of her skin.
Stan Modic, who
helped turn Penton’s
old Steel magazine into IndustryWeek before
becoming its editor 34 years ago,
accepted his Lifetime
Achievement Award with
humility
while issuing a candid warning
about the challenges ahead for
publishing.
Pool & Spa business editor Shabnam
Mogharabi, meanwhile, is still reeling
from the
surprise of receiving the stunning
crystal trophy and $500 check she
earned as the
third
Stephen Barr Award winner. Her
remarkable, disturbing feature
series about drownings
among minority youths, written
for Aquatics International, was
among
the first
major assignments in a career that
is sure to bring her even more
distinction.
Happy
new year
For me, these dual distinctions
represent more than the brightest
moments of
our
awards banquet. They symbolize
the best hope for the future
of the business
press,
and
for ASBPE’s role in it. We are guided
by the experience and wisdom
of people like Stan,
while the imagination and energy
of those like Shabnam help
us reach new
levels
of
excellence.
Our Conference does not mark
the end of the ASBPE year,
although all members —
especially those who worked
so hard to make it so great — have
won the right to unwind
a bit. Rather, it is a beginning,
when editors acknowledge
their accomplishments
and rewind for the job ahead.
With the Windy
City at our backs, this organization
can now start
toward its
2007
goals of growth and service
to our community of editors,
young
and old.
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