When I became editor of <i>InvestmentNews</i> nine years ago, we had seven reporters and a handful of editors who produced a weekly print newspaper.
Today, our team of 30-plus reporters, editors, researchers and digital staff members work to generate a constant stream of vital data and information across a variety of media, all under the IN brand.
Our team knows that the continued success of InvestmentNews rides on our ability to deliver news and relevant content in whatever way or combination of ways our audience of financial advisers wants to receive it. To accomplish that, our challenge is to be attuned to advisers' ever-changing needs and expectations, stay on top of the tectonic shifts roiling the media world and finding ways to keep pace.
My new role as editorial director is designed to address these challenges.
I will be responsible for overseeing editorial-driven content for all properties related to InvestmentNews and InvestmentNews.com. It will be my job to ensure that all projects involving print, online and research resources are integrated.
Think of the job as the media version of an air traffic controller. I will be making sure that every department within the IN brand communicates and exchanges information to maximize the potential of all our content and data.
Technology also will come into play as I work with members of the IN team to ensure that our media initiatives mesh across multiple platforms.
The decision to give up my role as editor was difficult. But I have always enjoyed a good challenge, and my new assignment will be just that.
I am confident that Fred Gabriel, our new editor, will successfully handle the responsibilities that are ahead of him.
Fred, who has been with InvestmentNews almost since its inception, will be in charge of the day-to-day operation. Among his many duties, he will oversee editorial content, news coverage, production of the newspaper, scheduling, story budgeting and staff issues pertaining to the newsroom.
And while the newsroom is where it all begins, the IN brand is much more than just news.
We have expanded our set of databases — most recently with the launch of the Technology Directory in December — to complement our B-D Data Center, Advisers on the Move and Deal Tracker tools.
We also offer 30 informative webcasts a year, along with eight e-newsletters, in addition to producing the Retirement Income Summit, the Alternative Investments Conference, a variety of IN Adviser Solutions Workshops and the NextGen Virtual Career Fair, an online event Nov. 9.
As more advisers have expressed an interest in video and social media, we have made it easier to watch our most popular video segments — INTV and WealthTrack — and share videos and articles with colleagues and peers across multiple social-media sites.
And we have also made it easier for advisers to find detailed information about specific topics and companies by restructuring the flow and navigation of IN's website.
Finally, along with our From the Headhunter blog, written by veteran recruiter Danny Sarch, we now offer retirement guru Mary Beth Frank-lin's Retirement 2.0 blog.
Obviously, there is a great deal going on at InvestmentNews, and there is much more to come.
I can't thank IN's staff members enough for their continued enthusiasm and professionalism. It is a pleasure being their teammate.
I am now passing the “Just Thinking” baton to Fred.
My views and opinions in this space have drawn praise and criticism from our not-so-shy readers. Thank you for permitting me to share what I have been thinking for nearly a decade.
Serving as editor of InvestmentNews has been my distinct pleasure.
My new role will include many new challenges, but there is one thing that I hope doesn't change: your willingness to share your suggestions and feedback.
More than ever, I encourage you to let us know what is working and what you would like to see improved.
