Don't forget: customers are our No. 1 priority - From The Publisher - Brief Article

DEAR READERS,

I've been on the road recently, traveling mostly by car to visit some customers here in the New York area. The experience, as always, is refreshing, energizing and (if I may selfishly admit) extremely motivating for me. When I see where my customers live and work (like Paul d'Auriac and Debbie Brooks in one of my favorite hiking spots, New Paltz, N.Y.) and when I hear about their lives and their business (Nicole Arnot has recently joined her family's business, Herbert Arnot Inc., creating the fifth generation of their family business), I feel connected not only to them, but to our business.

I know the idea of face-to-face meetings with customers is not my discovery, but a friendly reminder never hurts. When we are concentrating so hard on running our businesses, it's easy to forget our No. 1 asset ... our customer. Over the past several weeks I have been reminded of a truth that never fails: success comes from caring about your customers. I'm not talking invite-them-over-for-the-holidays care; I'm talking about being genuine, listening, learning and, yes, caring about who they are and what they do.

You, the reader of Art Business News, are our No. 1 priority. And with that in mind I would like to take a moment to introduce you to a new face on Art Business News. Amy Leibrock, whose name you have seen in the masthead for the past three years, has recently been promoted to editor of the magazine. In her new role, Amy will work to bring you what Art Business News has brought its readers for the past 20 years: information you can't find anywhere else! Amy can be reached here in the New York office at (212) 951-6732 or by e-mail at aleibrock@advanstar.com. We have also set up a new e-mail address for you to send us news, thoughts and information regarding your business at abn@advanstar.com. Please join me in congratulating Amy on her promotion.

BEST WISHES,

JULIE MACDONALD

Publisher

jmacdonald@advanstar.com

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