PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER’S PAGE

by David Corson

New Year. New Visions.

W

hen I wrote my publisher’s column last December, I was very positive heading into 2020. The economy was humming. Unemployment was at an all-time low. Construction was booming. Things were basically positive.

Well, as we say, “adios” to 2020 on many fronts and “hello” to 2021. I am still positive and more determined than ever to persevere and take one day at a time. This past year was a learning experience for all of us. We had to learn to live with a virus we did not know about, change the way we do business, live, play, relax and celebrate, and be flexible as everyday life threw something new to figure out how to survive. Without help and encouragement from many, we probably wouldn’t have made it, so here are some extremely well deserved shout outs to everyone who did battle with us in 2020:

Thank you to my family and dogs who kept me grounded with smiles and tails wagging while the pandemic wreaked havoc to all aspects of our lives. So many daily decisions had to be made without hesitation—letting the chips fall where they did and being flexible to what ensued. Thank you to all the doctors, nurses, first line responders (police, fireman, EMTs), truckers and essentials business like grocery stores and gas stations who helped keep our country from not falling off the cliff when things looked bleak. Thank you to our Armed Forces for protecting us and maintaining peace around the world, and for staying ready to act in a moment’s notice no matter the circumstances. To our company’s staff, who had to change the way we did business overnight—going from six to 12 issues a year to increase our digital footprint), moving to virtual face-to-face events, and learning to perfect new technologies like Zoom and podcasts to connect with clients. To our CPA and attorney, both of whom helped reshape the way we needed to conduct our internal activities with new federal and state guidelines forced upon us. But most of all, thank you to our subscribers, advertisers, sponsors, prospects, and various other vendors and clients who stuck with us even when the chips were down. The sum is always greater than the whole. We are grateful for your vote of confidence. You are all platinum in my book. Thank you for watching our backs in the foxhole as we continue to do battle together against that darn virus. There is light at the end of the tunnel, as vaccines continue to roll out. Hopefully there will be new medicines on the horizon that will make our lives easier. The last nine months have been like a football game—with the second half just kicking off. We have a new game plan—one that is constantly being tweaked to stay competitive and successful. It continues to be all hands on deck—ready to battle until the final horn sounds. I’m confident we will see a “W” on the scoreboard at the end of 2021. It might not be pretty, but there is nothing wrong with winning ugly. A win is a win. It enables you to do battle the next day and learn from your game experiences. So I’m keeping the faith for us all to succeed. Good health and prosperity in the New Year. Crossing your fingers couldn’t hurt either. Cheers!

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COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — DECEMBER 2020