Thanks for Everything, Everyone��Now It's Time for Me To Go - columnist says goodbye - Brief Article - Column

I started writing this column, reluctantly, in the fall of 1988. The advertising sales representatives urged me to do it, saying it would help put a "face" on the magazine, make it more personal. I had just become publisher, and the reps thought the column would be a good way to introduce myself to our readers--and, of course, to our advertisers.

All of my previous professional experience before then had been as a writer and editor. Not only was I a new publisher, my editorial background had made me a little suspicious of the people who ran the business side of publications. I hadn't introduced myself as editor of HR Magazine when I was promoted to that position. And before that, when I joined SHRM in 1985 as editor of the publication that was to become HR News, I was too busy putting the newspaper together to worry about introductions.

I wondered: Who would want to read what a publisher had to say?

But I gave in and started writing. Sometimes I'd use the column to highlight articles in the magazine. Sometimes I'd tell personal stories that seemed connected to people management. Once in a while, I'd just spout off about something I found interesting.

Over the years, the responses to the column grew. Some people would write to disagree. Others would write to tell me it was the first thing they read each month when HR Magazine arrived. Once, a reader I hadn't known before stopped me at a SHRM conference and asked for my autograph.

The sales reps were right. My column gave the magazine a face.

As SHRM grew, the magazine grew. More members meant more readers. More readers meant more advertising. More advertising financed more and better editorial content. The improved content helped lead to even more members, more advertising, more improvements.

The magazine, which even with advertising revenues had been subsidized by member dues, began contributing funds back to SHRM. Those funds have helped create or improve member services throughout the organization.

One of those creations was SHRM Online, which we launched in 1995. In its short life, SHRM's web site has become the most popular benefit of membership. With nearly a million visits a month, SHRM Online has become the dominant online service for HR professionals--just as HR Magazine has become the dominant publication.

I'd like to say my column--or my intrinsic genius for publishing--was responsible for all this growth. But I can't. My role was facilitator, to make it possible for a group of talented employees to do their jobs. I can't name them all; there are so many former and current staff who have brought you SHRM's publications and web site. There also have been many volunteer leaders and department heads here who have helped me solve or avoid problems, so many advertisers who have sustained our work. I thank them all.

Now--after more than 150 columns over 13 years--this is the last one. It's time for me to move on to other things. In leaving, I have one more group to thank: You, the readers, who have been so supportive of our efforts. You're the ones who made it all worthwhile. You're the ones I'll miss the most.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Society for Human Resource Management
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group