A Fresh Start

With the New Year offering its annual opportunity for a "fresh start," you might have made a resolution to make a few changes in your life. Maybe you want to start eating healthier, quit smoking or read the newspaper every day. Or possibly you've resolved to broaden your skill set by attending a seminar

on a new finishing technique. With the start of 2007, Concrete Contractor is ushering in a few new changes of its own. The magazine has a new look, with a fresh logo and a new page design. And I'm a new addition to the Concrete Contractor family, taking over the reins as editor. In light of all these changes, one thing will remain the same - quality stories that deliver the latest information in concrete technology and techniques, business management tips and ideas you can put to use to make your business run more smoothly and profitably, and news that will keep you "in the know" about education and training opportunities and industry changes. So while you're dealing with the unfamiliarity of your New Year's resolutions, you can count on at least one constant in your life - quality information on every page of Concrete Contractor.

I'm looking forward to immersing myself in the vast world of concrete to bring you helpful stories and information. Construction is familiar turf for me. I was formerly the associate editor of Pavement and Equipment Today magazines, Concrete Contractor's sister publications, and during that time often wrote articles for CC. I also served as the communication and education coordinator at a local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders, working to help members get recognized in local media, encouraging media outlets to take on stories related to the home building industry, and working closely with the association's Green Built Home? program. You could say that my "construction career" goes back even further - in high school I worked part time in a hardwood lumber mill, sometimes piling lumber or feeding it through planers and molding machines, but mostly concentrating on keeping my fingers away from the saws!

I invite you to stop by and visit with me in Booth S11115 during the World of Concrete. I would love to hear your story ideas, information on unique or interesting projects, and tips or techniques you would like to share with concrete professionals across the country. Or maybe you just have some advice for the new kid on the block. You can reach me anytime at Rebecca.Wasieleski@cygnusb2b.com or (800) 547-7377 ext. 321.