As our 50th Anniversary commemorative issue pointed out in late 2002, change—be it revolutionary or evolutionary—is the principal driving force of the electronics industry as the state of the art continues to advance. Similarly, careers change or evolve to make us better engineers and managers, or to let us find our true calling so that we can do our best in whatever endeavor we pursue.
On a personal note, I have just completed my 30th year as an editor with Electronic Design, serving as the Editor-in-Chief for the last four years. So far, it has been a truly fantastic journey, watching the industry grow and meeting with its principal "movers and shakers." I have really enjoyed the privilege of talking with exemplary leaders, such as Gordon Moore of Intel, Wilf Corrigan from LSI Logic, Bill Gates of Microsoft, Steve Jobs of Apple Computer, Jerry Sanders at Advanced Micro Devices, and the thousands of others who have influenced the industry.
But my journey hasn't ended yet. In fact, I think it has just reached one of the rest stops along the way, waiting for the economy to recover. However, my role as Editor-in-Chief, with all of its corporate demands, has moved me further away from my first love in this business—namely, covering the technology and innovation that the brilliant minds in this industry churn out daily. To better accomplish what I feel I do best, I'll be re-arranging my responsibilities and taking on fresh challenges in my new position as Editor-at-Large. This new role will bring me plenty of opportunities to cover emerging technologies and developments that are important to you, our readers.
Aside from my different title and responsibilities, the only change you might notice is even more coverage of exciting technology developments in Electronic Design. Perhaps you will also spot me at a few more technical symposiums or browsing through the aisles at a trade show. As always, though, I will strive to bring you the latest in-depth information regarding advances in technology, architecture, and all the other developments that will help you do your job better and more efficiently.
INTRODUCING OUR NEW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF I'm equally pleased to announce the appointment of Mark David as our new Editor-in-Chief. He brings more than 20 years of high-tech editorial reporting and management experience to the post, including top positions at some of the major trade publishing houses. He has been recognized as one of the 100 founders of the automated-data-capture (ADC) technology market for his leadership role within that industry as the Editor-in-Chief of Automatic I.D. News, the premier magazine covering this field. (ADC encompasses a number of electronics applications, including bar code, RF-ID, and industrial data collection.)Furthermore, for the past few years, Mark has been mapping his extensive publishing knowledge with new online models and concepts, ideas that will allow Electronic Design to create fresh and exciting initiatives both on the Web and in print. He also has extensive experience creating fully integrated franchises in print, in person, and online, as well as developing international products and services. We look forward to having Mark's creative skills and entrepreneurial talents at the helm of Electronic Design. I hope you'll join me in welcoming him to the staff.