This week, I mark my 1,500th issue as Managing Editor of Inside Towers. I’ve tried putting that into perspective and reached to the world of sports for comparisons. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in 1,560 games. Wayne Gretzky played in 1,487. Tommy Lasorda managed 1,599 for the Dodgers. Rickey Henderson’s record for stolen bases stands (probably forever) at 1,406. I saw where Keenan Thompson has done 1,500 comedy skits at Saturday Night Live (he being the longest-tenured SNL cast member). Admittedly, that’s a lot and marks a respectable level of achievement but, to a greater degree, it indicates a consistency and dedication to their respective fields of endeavor.
I hope the latter two define my six years to date at Inside Towers. Moreover, it defines Inside Towers’ consistency and dedication to this industry. Through that span, we have kept together and built a great team of journalists and marketers who contribute their talents and market savvy on a daily basis to keep our readers informed of the myriad of issues this industry faces.
Not too many businesses have the task of starting every morning with a clean slate and building a new and unique product by the end of the day, with no two products alike. Some days, I won’t lie, it’s a challenge, and some days it’s an embarrassment of riches as to what goes in and what stays out. Always, the input from our sources, associates, contributors, vendors, critics (yes) and collaborators impacts and shapes that final product. In short, we don’t produce this in a vacuum or an ivy-covered journalistic tower but depend on our readers and our resources to keep us fresh and informed.
So to Kareem, Wayne, Tommy, Rickey and Keenan, mazel tov boys. When you love what you do, it’s not a grind but a daily adventure.
By Jim Fryer, Inside Towers Managing Editor
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