When I was a kid, my family took a road trip to see the Grand Canyon. It was beautiful, but its beauty was not what I found to be its most striking characteristic. “Why are there lines on the walls of the canyon?” I asked a ranger.
He explained that the ribbon-like walls served as a time capsule, of sorts. Like the rings of a tree, the development of the canyon could be traced throughout the course of millions of years by reading those lines. Such lines could represent a fault or fracture, documenting regional earthquakes or cataclysmic events, such as volcanic activity. And the Grand Canyon was by no means finished. The Colorado River rushing below us was working to further shape the canyon even now, he said, and perhaps in a million years there would be another line on the wall to represent this period of time.
Likewise, the recent upheaval in our economy has left its indelible impressions on the past decade, but I believe we’re on a course of steady growth. The “new” economy is beginning to settle in, as evidenced by low unemployment rates (holding steady at 5.8 percent), high consumer confidence (preliminary reports indicating the highest readings since January 2007) and the continued recovery of the housing market. And that’s a beautiful and exciting thing.
In the same spirit, as Pool & Spa News enters its 54th year, we, too, will change.
In the works this year are plans to bring you more relevant, cutting-edge content designed to meet the demands of an industry that’s becoming increasingly digital-savvy. In addition, a fresh look to our website will be unveiled, along with a redesign of the print publication, with the intention of making each more user-friendly and accessible.
Most importantly, we want to change and adapt to address your needs. How is your business growing, changing? How can we best serve you? I’d like to know. To that end, I’ll be at The Pool & Spa Show in Atlantic City, N.J., later this month and at the Everything Under the Sun Show in Orlando, Fla., in February. I welcome the opportunity to get to know you, your company and your concerns. Please come by and let me know your thoughts.
