May/June  2004

Field of Vision
    from the editor(s)

Life Changes
by Penny Beverage
and Brigid O’Learyn 

In just a few short weeks, I’m going to say the two big words we spend the first halves of our lives working up to: “I do.” I’m going to walk down that long aisle in front of all my friends and family and embark upon the next stage of my life, life as a “Missus.”

Well, as I’m sure any of you who are married and any who are about to get married know, this is quite a tumultuous time in my life (congratulations, by the way, to Jeff Higgins of Delta Kits who also is also getting married this coming October).

There are phone calls to make, thank-yous to write, one more batch of invitations that still need to be sent, flowers to purchase and things to decorate.

So, this isn’t my usual column—I have some good news and some sad news. The good news is that I’ll soon be Penny Stacey; the sad news is, you won’t be seeing my new name in the masthead next issue.

I’m leaving AGRR in the very capable hands of Brigid O’Leary; I’m going to take some time off to finish the last details of my wedding and take a nice, long, relaxing honeymoon, and then I’m going to embark on a new career altogether.

However, I’ll still be writing articles for AGRR, thanks to the kindness of my publisher, Deb Levy, so hopefully I’ll still be working with and talking with all of you from time to time.

Brigid will be at the upcoming Independents’ Days National Glass Show and Convention in Columbus, Ohio, April 29-May 1.

It’s been great working with you and I hope I’ll still get to talk with all of you periodically.

Take it away, Brigid …
Um … hi. This is certainly intimidating after Penny’s introduction, but I’m going to do the best I can. With Penny leaving my training is now over and I feel much like I did when my parents took the training wheels off my bicycle—scared, nervous and excited all at once. While I may not be on the circuit of competitive bike racing or in the X-Games for trick bike competition, I did learn to ride without training wheels, and I know I can learn to lead a good magazine.

Until I joined Key Communications Inc., nearly a year ago my only experience with the auto glass industry stemmed from the fact that I owned a car. Penny has done a very good job of educating me on AGRR and what I need to know about it. There’s sure to be things I will still need to learn, and I’ll be learning as I go, but I’m excited to be joining the magazine.

I’ve certainly gotten pulled in right away with the dilemma Speedy Auto Glass is facing in Canada; I’m very proud that I was able to deduce the importance of the situation pretty quickly. I know I’ll need to follow the Diamond Triumph v. Safelite court case, and I know there’s plenty more happening in the industry that I have yet to hear about and understand.

With any luck I’ll be much more successful with AGRR than I ever was on my bike. I look forward to working for you.

AGRR