Goodbye, Roy

Roy Forsberg, T&MW's publisher, will retire on May 31st. I offered Roy the opportunity to write a farewell column in this issue, but he declined, saying most readers don't know him and wouldn't care that he's leaving. I hope that's not the case. The publisher heads a publication and sets its goals and direction. In short, a good publisher will ensure the success of his or her magazine.

I have known Roy since 1984 when I started as an editor at EDN, and since then he has been a friend, a colleague, and a mentor. I will miss our daily contact here at T&MW, but I wish him an enjoyable, healthy, and long retirement.

Roy started his career in publishing 33 years ago when he joined EDN magazine as its New England Regional Editor. During his next 20 years at EDN, he moved up to become chief editor and then editorial director and vice president. He used his positions to ensure readers got the best design information they could. Reader surveys proved time and time again that Roy and the editorial staff excelled at what they did. It was during Roy's tenure that the magazine blazed trails as it covered the microprocessor revolution through articles, directories, tutorials, and hands-on projects. Roy was promoted to publisher and moved to T&MW in early 1989.

Quite a few years ago, when Roy was EDN's editorial director and I was its chief editor, he invited me and EDN's sales director to sail with him on his boat from Nantucket to his home harbor—a two-day trip. When we left Nantucket, we ran into rough weather, and the Coast Guard helicopter hovering over a distant craft did little to calm my nerves. But I trusted Roy's judgment, based on his many years of sailing, and prepared for the ride. Roy produced two harnesses, one for him and one for me, so we could secure ourselves to the boat. Our wide-eyed sales director said, "Don't I get one, too?" Roy replied that we could always get a new sales director, but editors were precious. After all, he said, "If you don't have editorial, what are you left with?"

That's still Roy's philosophy. Even though he concentrates on the business of running T&MW, he still ensures that the editors—and readers—get the resources they need to do an effective job. Roy has done an outstanding job at T&MW. So, if you value this publication, please thank Roy for his years of leadership. Smooth sailing, my friend.