We're feeling good about some changes here at Association Meetings, and we'd like to tell you about them. First, a warm welcome to our new associate editor Anna Chinappi. She's a seasoned journalist, with more than 15 years' experience as a newspaper woman, most recently as the city editor at the Massachusetts newspaper the Taunton Daily Gazette. When I called her managing editor at the Gazette, he said Anna was one of two people he would most hate to lose, but he had to wish her well because professionally and personally she's "a gem." See her profile of Jean O'Donnell, the new chairperson of the Professional Convention Management Association (page 29). Check out her news story on the first online auction in the meetings industry (page 9). Enjoy her chat with international meetings expert Cordie Miller (page 57). Obviously, Anna's hit the ground running, and we're very lucky to have her onboard.

Also new: columnist Kevin McDermott of Anubis Consulting. He will examine how associations can use the Web strategically, not only to enhance their meetings and trade shows, but to build and maintain their "audience," i.e., their membership community. McDermott's initial contribution to AM was October's controversial Last Word, in which he proposed that association event organizers consider their Web site as the pivot for building and serving their audience, and the annual meeting or trade show as the fruit of that labor. This month he takes a look at a counterculture gathering to show what a powerful audience builder the Web can be (page 35).

Speaking of the Web, we're thrilled with our newly redesigned Web site www.meetingsnet.com. Not only does the homepage look and function better, we've added several exciting features. Most notable, our SiteSelect service is now powered by PlanSoft, which provides one of the industry's most impressive search engine, data base, and RFP service for site selection. We've added a Question of the Week, an Ask the Experts option, and a daily industry news posting, among other useful features.

With a lineup like this, we're heading into 2000 with more to offer our readers than ever before. Happy New Millennium to all!