The adage about a picture being worth a thousand words has never been more true than at The Columbian, where a cadre of talented, hard-working photographers has brought visual impact to business news stories. Columbian photographers added pop and sizzle to tedious person-sitting-at-computer photo assignments that I’ve been handing out for the past 26 years.
Those photographers and their editors are among the many newsroom colleagues who deserve special thanks as I leave my job as business news editor. Special thanks to Linda Lutes, photo assistant, who handles business mugs and downloads photos from my own Canon 780.
My thanks to the fine group of reporters with whom I’ve worked covering Clark County business and industry, ports, chambers and development groups. Cami Joner and Libby Tucker, you guys are great. Thanks also to Jonathan Nelson, Courtney Sherwood, Paul Craig, among more recent business news writers. Barbara Samuels, now retired, and Pauline Sipponen were invaluable as newsroom assistants for their help with The Columbian’s annual Economic Forecast event and other projects. For years, Mary Ricks has been creating Clark County Economic Trends charts appearing daily on the business cover. She also writes Clark County at Work, business briefs and the weekly calendar. Thanks Mary.
Thanks to Gregg Herrington, Tom Koenninger and Ann Maxwell for hiring me as The Columbian’s only business writer in 1983.
Thanks to former Columbian newsroom illustrator Jim Shinn for getting me out jogging 20 years ago along The Columbia River waterfront before there was a waterfront trail. Running still feels good.
A great support cast
Thanks to a sensational group of copy editors and designers including Bob Sisson, Dan Tolva and Dave Fielder. These people have known I’ve never met a comma that I didn’t like. On more than one occasion, they and others have saved me from a disastrous error.
Our page designers amaze me with their talent for creating appealing business pages. In that regard, newsroom artist Marsha Matta is in a category of her own for her illustrations of forecast special section covers and quarterly economic reports. Every idea I had, Marsha made 10 times better.
Speaking of forecast breakfast, what fun it was to turn that into The Columbian’s signature public event. Thanks Rhona Sen Hoss for making that happen.
Thanks to my friends in the advertising department — Chris, Diane, Carol, Wiley, Mike and Teresa. Thanks to our fine HR department. Denise, Sam, you guys are pros.
The danger of a column like this is leaving out someone that deserves a special thanks. So thank you all.
And to Publisher Scott Campbell, I’m glad I got to write the story about The Columbian emerging from Chapter 11. All my best to you and your family.
See you all at my blog www.sixtyandsingle.com focused on women and financial planning.
Julia Anderson was the Columbian’s business editor. She is retiring after 26 years with the paper.