This month marks my fifth anniversary as Managing Editor of Inside Towers. In terms of issues, give or take, that’s about 1,250 of them over that span, comprising roughly 15,000 stories and, OK, with some sense of accomplishment, 1,250 consecutive daily deadlines met. Sure, I’m a bit grayer than I was five years ago but that only serves to go nicely with my year-old status as a grandfather.
What hasn’t changed over five years is the daily pulse of Inside Towers, the energy of our staff and the swirling dynamics of the market. All of this and more, hearing great stories, talking to fascinating people, celebrating victories and consoling defeats have all kept me energized enough to chronicle the story of this industry. As a publication, we have grown considerably, not just in the breadth and depth of our coverage of the wireless infrastructure space, but in the quality of our content. A team that has been anchored for most of that span by my colleague Leslie Stimson, our terrific Washington Bureau Chief, has seen the invaluable additions of John Celentano, our Business Editor and, most recently, Sharpe Smith our Technology Editor, along with contributions by the always insightful Martha DeGrasse.
Behind the scenes, the efforts of two dependable, versatile and hard-working “stringers,” Keara Piekanski and Anne Lannak, have kept the content lively, dutifully following through on every story assignment they received…no matter how technical or weird. Truly, I am the envy of any editor in the game with this group of talented, knowledgeable and committed journalists at my disposal and, most importantly, at yours.
I want to acknowledge the publishers, George Reed and Eddie Esserman, for their steady guidance, thoughtful considerations and confidence in me, in the product, and the staff to get this job done on a daily basis. Our hard-charging marketing team, led by VP, Megan Reed and industry vet (and military vet) Phil Cook have kept us thriving while being great sources for stories, input and oversight. Cara, Loree and DeAnn round out the family we’ve made here with their invaluable administrative support and creative efforts.
While I’ve seen the machinations of the business change over this half-decade, the struggles, the smarts, the spirit and dedication of those that inhabit it have been a constant inspiration. I hope we have, in five years, done our part in reflecting that back to you, our wonderful readers and supporters. It has been my pleasure to hold up that mirror.
By Jim Fryer, Inside Towers Managing Editor
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