At JCK we don’t just chronicle the economic turmoil roiling our industry, we live it.

This was a terribly sad week at the magazine. This week saw the departure of our editor in chief, Hedda Schupak, one of the best, fairest and most inspiring bosses anyone could ever hope to have, and an incredible storehouse of industry knowledge. Also leaving is my long-time friend, Carrie Soucy, who I remember from her first week at National Jeweler and has become an amazing fashion-guru and editor. There is also William George (“Bill”) Shuster, who’s been with JCK for some 29 years and is a tremendously hard-working and dedicated journalist, and another treasure trove of industry knowledge. Two other highly respected and hard-working colleagues – web editor Anthony DeMarco and sales rep Mitch Horowitz (who I’ve also worked with at two magazines) – are also leaving, as well as two good people behind the scenes.   

Obviously, layoffs are an all-too-familiar story in this country (and industry) today. These cutbacks came as parent company Reed Business cut 7% of its overall worforce. As for those of us who remain (on the editorial side: myself, Jennifer Heebner and managing editor Rich Dalglish) we are going to work hard to keep the brand up to its usual standards and make it more of a practical, reader-focussed publication, in tune with this new era.

But for now our thoughts are with our departing colleagues, how much they’ve contributed, and how much we’ll miss them. They may no longer be my colleagues but they’ll still be my friends. They are people with a tremendous amount to offer this industry, and I look forward to seeing what they contribute next. (And anyone who wants to can connect with them on linkedin.)  

 Best of luck to them – and to all of us in these trying times.

Rob Bates

JCK News Director