FROM THE EDITOR

‘TIS THE SEASON when we’re all rushing to check off items on our lengthy to-do lists. Between filling orders, managing budgets and employees, and keeping customers satisfied, it’s easy to lose sight of all that your company has accomplished during the past year.
     So take advantage of the fleeting moments that you do have to yourself—maybe during your morning commute, or in between customer calls—to think about the positive changes that your business has made since January. And remember to give thanks to the folks who’ve encouraged you along the way.
     When customers call to place an order, tell them how much you appreciate their business and fill them in on what’s new with your company. At staff meetings, read customer compliments aloud to your staff. Thank your coworkers for pitching in to meet deadlines. Little gestures like these will keep you and your staff motivated during hurried (and harried) times.
     Roast certainly has accomplished a lot this year, and we’re happy to share our news. To kick off 2009, Roast launched a redesign. Our talented art director, Jeremy Leff, created a sleeker look for our cover and inside pages, making the magazine even more eye-catching and fun to read.
     It’s a testament to Jeremy’s great eye for design that Roast was named a finalist for a 2009 Maggie Award for Best Cover/Trade, for the May/June 2008 cover. The Maggie Awards, presented by the Western Publishing Association (WPA), honor excellent work in the fields of design, editorial and promotion. This year, the WPA received more than 1,300 entries in several publishing categories.
     We’re also proud that, for the third year in a row, Roast was selected as a finalist for a Maggie Award for the Best Special Interest Trade Journal. In addition, we made the Maggie short list in the Best Series of Articles/Trade category, for “Blending for Italian Espresso,” by Dr. Joseph John. This series appeared in our January/February and March/April 2008 issues.
     But that’s not all. The American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) selected Roast to receive the National Bronze Award for original research for our first salary survey, published in November/December 2008. In the Western regional awards, Roast picked up a Gold Award for our September/October 2008 cover. The annual ASBPE editorial competition, which honors editorial excellence in business publications, drew more than 1,400 entries this year.
     Roast has won many design and editorial awards since its first issue in 2004. But this year’s honors are particularly sweet. This has been a tough year for many in the coffee industry. And, as you may have heard, the publishing industry has been particularly hard hit, with circulation numbers waning at many publications worldwide. But not at Roast, thank you very much! Our readers’ loyalty shows that we’re doing something right.
     We work in a complex industry that connects a global web of farmers, markets, importers and roasters whose artistry turns the raw materials into the coffee we enjoy. Our successes at Roast are due in no small part to the knowledge and passion of our contributors and editorial board members, who work tirelessly to ensure that our readers get the most well-researched, up-to-date information.
     Roast will continue to provide the solid, practical content that you can use to improve your knowledge of coffee and skill at the roastery. And we will keep aiming higher with every issue.

      Cheers,

      Kelly