A few months back, IFMA’s President and CEO Tony Keane and our Editor-in-Chief Andrea Sanchez sent me an e-mail with a link to a publishing scholarship. Initially, I took a glance and set it aside to focus on the many projects and deadlines I had at hand. A few weeks later, I filled out the application, drafted an essay and overnighted my packet in hopes of at least being considered as a strong applicant.

Did I have any expectations of winning? None whatsoever. But I must admit—since I’m always reading pitches and articles submitted by others—it felt pretty nice to write an essay for someone else to peruse.

A couple weeks later, I received a phone call from the foundation awarding the scholarship. Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled to hear that I would be one of three scholarship winners for 2011.

That now brings me to yesterday, when I sat in a room of 500+ association and publishing professionals eager to hear from and recognize some of the most well-established and impressive publications and individuals in the industry.

I felt truly honored to not only be recognized as an emerging publishing professional but to be in the presence of so many visionaries and forward-thinking individuals. I was awe inspired by the accomplishments and ongoing thirst for association excellence around me.

But most importantly, I was so proud to represent the Facility Management Journal and IFMA in a room of this caliber.

As I sat in the ballroom surrounded by such positive energy, I couldn’t help but think about all of the people who have helped catapult me to where I am today—and that’s the FMJ team, our authors, advertisers, partners and readers.

Every one of you contributes to making a difference in FM by providing valuable content, resources, products and services to the facility management community. Bottom line—I couldn’t do my job, and do it well, without you.

So with that, I would like to extend a warm, heartfelt thank you to those who make my job as your senior associate editor a fun-filled, rewarding experience each and every day.

Thank you for reading, participating and joining us in our efforts to educate, inform and continue to advance the facility management profession.

- LS