I find it hard to believe that it has been 12 years since Howard Ellowitz wrote a similar message announcing his retirement and introducing me as the new Publisher/Editor of Microwave Journal.
Now it is my turn to slow down a little and find some breathing room. With this issue, I am retiring as Publisher of Microwave Journal . Like Howard before me, I plan to continue to work part time for Horizon House. I will still be the Editor of Microwave Journal and I will continue to share in the management of the MTT-S Exhibition.
The new Publisher is Carl Sheffres, who is well known to our advertisers but who may not be as well known to our readers. Carl earned a BS degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado. He has worked in publishing for over 20 years, beginning his career as a sales representative for Beacon Publications, where he advanced to Sales Manager for the company. Later, he founded Battle Green Publications, serving as Publisher. He has worked for Microwave Journal for the past 14 years, first as Regional Sales Manager, then National Sales Manager and, most recently, as Associate Publisher. He is well experienced in publication management. I expect that the transition will be seamless and that Carl will maintain the tradition of excellence, which is the hallmark of Microwave Journal .
The past 12 years have been very exciting ones for our industry and for Microwave Journal . We started the '90s with a severe slump in the industry as the military market that had been our mainstay, dried up. Both the Journal and the industry shifted gears to commercial markets, which resulted in the largest growth and prosperity that we have ever seen. Now, once again, the markets have slowed and adjustments need to be made. I have been through more of these cycles than I care to remember since starting as a microwave engineer in 1957. However, we have always recovered with growth and I expect that we will again. Right now, as overextended companies are cutting back, new microwave companies are being formed at a rapid rate. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well.
I expect to continue to see many of you at meetings and shows in the years ahead. Howard is still going strong as MTT-S Exhibition Manager 12 years after he stepped down as Publisher. I hope the same will be said of me.
