'Last Wrod? remains publisher?s responsibility

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

And I have reserved column space in the Springfield Business Journal's last issue, set for publication on the last day of 2001, apparently for no other reason than the fact that I want to have The Last Word.

Publisher's privilege, like the name of this column, "Stop The Presses," is sometimes a big responsibility. Time is money, I've learned; and the bill from the printer for our own bad boo-boos is big money. Our mission is to make space in SBJ count for your business.

My point? you ask. I'm thinking. I'm thinking! Big beads of sweat are starting to appear on my forehead.

The fact is there is no adequate way to have The Last Word on 2001, as much as I would prefer to have it that way.

Businesspeople in Springfield and southwest Missouri, representing organizations of all sizes, report year-end financial results covering the full spectrum during these most unusual times.

Conversations with friends, associates, customers, suppliers and fellow staff members here at SBJ buzz in my head as I try to sum it up for you. Responses and experiences have been completely individual.

I have heard everything from "We're dead in the water" to "We're so busy, we can't keep up with it" to "We're posting record numbers" and everything in between.

Our friends in the local nonprofit sector reflect the diverse experiences of their colleagues in business, and information on philanthropic efforts and or-ganizations in our area is the focus of this week's issue.

In the end, I can only give you my own perspective, my own version of The Last Word. Isn't that all that we have anyway our own personal experience and perspective? What else is there?

Here at the Business Journal, my co-workers and I are proud and happy to report that we have had a very good year in business. At times we worried, and I know you did, too. But we're lucky here in the Springfield area.

Business publications in other parts of the state and the nation have not been so fortunate, we strongly suspect. The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce should take this column and post it on its Web site, because I'm a business journal publisher with a different story: This has been an excellent year in business.

I know that our advertisers and readers are confident enough to invest their dollars in advertising and subscriptions for issues far into the future. We're excited about this and enthusiastically share their optimism. This has been a record De-cember for the Business Journal. And here's a warning to our printer: Keep the presses oiled; lay in a big supply of ink and newsprint, because January looks great, too.

SBJ staff members are grateful for the opportunities our readers, subscribers and advertisers have given us this year. We will work hard in the months ahead to fulfill our mission of publishing "the best weekly business journal."

Call me, Editor Clarissa French or any of our editorial staff with your business news and ideas.

We want to hear from you in 2002.

Happy New Year!

Dianne Elizabeth