Thursday, July 6, 2017

Time for an update

While I find it believe March was the last time I wrote on this blog, I kinda can as well. I posted the name change right after leaving Digital First Media and my role as senior editor over the Philadelphia cluster of newspapers. And then...wham! It's been a crazy few months and I don't see it letting up any time soon. I've had a small consulting firm chugging along for the past four years and then I landed a very special client. The Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown is becoming a premier destination for all of southeastern Pennsylvania, and I couldn't be more excited to be working with the talented staff in helping spread the word about all the great things going on there and all about the great things to come! Most recently was the "Beast of a Feat," the zoo's annual fundraiser, and coming up on August 4 is the annual Wine Safari. Big picture... the $5 million Trail of the Jaguar opened in May, and there are plans on the books for several more huge exhibits. My biggest challenge right now is getting all of the paperwork for a new parking lot pushed through the various governmental bodies that want to have a hand in making sure we know what we're doing. Once the new parking lot is in place, we're going to be drawing in thousands more visitors than we did just last year, when attendance reached more than a half million. So things are going great here. If you want to stop by for a visit just shoot me an email at cuttingboardco@gmail.com. Thanks for watching!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Name change seems appropriate

Changing the name of the blog just seemed like the right thing to do after I left Digital First Media and The Times Herald. This space will remain pretty much the same, though. I'll give you my thoughts on why things are the way they are, and I'll also make sure to continue to ask some of the tough questions. The name change is today's topic though. For those of you who don't know, my departure from the world of journalism came about after a few years of dabbling in the consulting world and eventually landing a pretty sweet gig with Elmwood Park Zoo. I've known the director for years and we've always talked about me coming to the zoo and the timing was right for it to finally happen. So, back to the new name of the blog, which includes the name of my consulting company, CuttingBoard. We put it all on the cuttingboard is a slogan we've used for the business, and I thought it might just work here since the concept is pretty much the same. Put as much as you want, on any topic, on the cuttingboard and slice it and dice it until you come up with at least some answers and hopefully some solutions. If you have a particular topic you want to throw out, please do. Until next time...

Monday, February 13, 2017

Always be humble and kind

I used to say to my kids when they were growing up, don't lie, don't cheat and don't steal and you'll grow up to be a good person, and when Lori McKenna put all the lyrics together and handed the song off to Tim McGraw it became one of my favorites. Hold the door, say please, say thank you Don’t steal, don’t cheat and don’t lie I know you got mountains to climb, but Always stay humble and kind When those dreams you’re dreamin’ come to you When the work you put in is realized Let yourself feel the pride, but Always stay humble and kind. In my latest rant I talk about the humbling experience the news of my leaving the newspaper business brought about.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Times Herald editor (me) retires from newspaper business, heads to Elmwood Park Zoo

After 21 years in the newspaper business, which has transformed into the multimedia business, I'm leaving the industry. It's actually 23 years if you count the two years I spent as a correspondent for the Daily Local News in West Chester when I was new to PA and the journalism field. While the story on my departure is quite lengthy, I did leave out one tale worth retelling. I received a tip one day that two of our three county commissioners were meeting regularly at a local restaurant, discussing county business and then coming to the regularly scheduled commissioners' meeting fully prepared to vote on everything on the agenda. I sent a new reporter to the restaurant because I knew she wouldn't be recognized. She wasn't. They were doing a lot of talking and the ensuing stories led to an overhaul of the state's Sunshine Law, upping the ante from $100 per incident to $1000 per incident for those in power who believe the law does not apply to them. So, I'm heading to Elmwood Park Zoo where I'm going to do my very best Dr. Dolittle impression, and also help with the incredible plans they have in the works, including the soon to be open big cat exhibit.