During my recent maternity leave, I joined an Internet bulletin board for moms with babies born in March 2001. I had to learn a lot of bulletin-board shorthand — SAHM, for example, which means “stay-at-home Mom.” As of this issue, it's an acronym that describes me: I'm bidding farewell to ICP in order to stay at home (well, I hope we get out once in a while) with our daughter, Natalie Constance Hall, who was born on St. Patrick's Day.
It's an exciting life decision for me and an easy one to make; however, I will dearly miss the planners and suppliers I've come to know during nearly nine years with this magazine. The camaraderie of the professionals in the insurance meetings industry is second to none: I consider many of you close friends.
I sincerely thank every person we've ever interviewed and all who have taken the time to share their stories in the pages of ICP. I hope you'll continue to do so as I happily pass the editor's chair to Regina Baraban, our erstwhile executive editor, who has interviewed lots of ICP readers over the past year and a half. You've seen her busily tapping out notes at ICPA's Forum and Annual Meeting, and you've chatted with her at other industry events. With 25 years of magazine experience, Regina is eager and able to build on ICP's traditions.
I salute her and all of you, who successfully balance your personal and professional lives, somehow finding time to sit on advisory boards and be interviewed for articles, all in the name of furthering the meeting planning profession and helping your peers. Keep it up!
Meanwhile, my new boss has just called a meeting.
All my best to all of you,