Publisher's Note

Joel Hueske
MPG* Meeting Planners Guide
joel@meetingplannersguide.com

ON OCTOBER 16, after the Texas Rangers won the American League Championship, Dale Hansen, sports anchor for WFAA-TV, interviewed Jon Daniels, general manager for the Rangers.  Jon was named GM of the Rangers in 2007 at the age of 28.  That’s right, 28 – the youngest major league general manager in baseball history.   The interview caught my eye.

“How did you change the culture so they weren’t always looking for the quick fix and laying a foundation for long-term stability?” Dale asked.

“There’s no quick fix.  We’ve tried that and it doesn’t work.  We said, ‘Let’s build a foundation.  Let’s have patience and do it the right way.’  Build a culture, build a foundation, build an organization, have the right people in place, and stick to a plan,” replied Jon.

I was so impressed with Jon’s remarks that we chose the theme, “long-term success,” for this issue.  I know you will enjoy reading the insights of our four featured industry leaders on this topic and on the state of  our industry. 

I believe that looking for the “quick fix” has become a part of our American culture and is a trait that creates far more problems than solutions.  I also believe that Jon Daniels is wise beyond his years and has an outstanding formula for creating long-term success. Go Rangers!

It’s been a great year for me and my family.  We celebrated the marriage of our older son, Brian, the Green Beret, to Amy Young, a CRNA (Google it).  Our younger son, Mark, is enjoying success in the theater lighting design business in San Francisco.  After 34 years of marriage, Barbara continues to forgive my many short-comings.

Thank you all for continuing to support MPG* with your readership and your advertising.  As young Jon said, “Have the right people in place.”  That means you.

Here’s wishing you a joyful holiday season and a happy New Year!