EDITOR'S NOTE: In June 2004 I began a new venture as managing editor of both Northfield News and Faribault Daily News. This column originally appeared in the Northfield News on Oct. 7, 2006.
Reward the good people for their good work." This was the first management lesson my editor taught when I became a fledgling news editor years ago. Since becoming an editor myself, it's been a practice I've tried to live by. So I'm excited to announce today that sports writer Jeff Wald has been promoted to the Northfield News' sports editor, a position he has most certainly has earned. It's with great satisfaction that I write about promoting Jeff. I was here when Jeff was hired almost two years ago and I witnessed his first tentative weeks a sports reporter. Fresh out of college, Jeff had had some experience on his St. Thomas college newspaper, but had never held a reporting position elsewhere. To say that he was anxious that first week would be an understatement. But he immediately went to work, cranking out game stories, tackling the challenge of learning to use a computer to design newspaper pages and getting a handle on how to use the camera equipment. And he's never looked back. Jeff's abilities have grown in every facet of his job. He's honed his writing skills, studied how to make a page more attractive to a reader, learned how to shoot sports action photography and has even built up his leadership skills in our newsroom. Jeff is one those people who is a joy to work with. His cheery attitude and strong work ethic make him one those whom you want on your team. So what does his promotion mean to the News' sports coverage, you may ask? Nothing, essentially, but that is a good thing. Jeff will continue to write game and feature stories, take quality photos and design sports pages, but now he'll also be asked to exert his leadership in our newsroom. I know it's a challenge he will rise to. I know that those in the local sports scene, especially at the local high school, think a lot of Jeff and the work he has done in the last two years. I can't tell you the number of times that someone has phoned or e-mailed to tell me what a terrific job he is doing. We agree; we're proud of him, too. That is why he has been promoted. Jeff has instituted many good changes in the sports section, and we look forward to improving it whenever we can. If you have suggestions, comments or story ideas, please do not hesitate to drop Jeff a line. We want to hear from you. I wish Jeff congratulations from all of us here on staff, and if you see him, we encourage you to congratulate him as well. Jeff has worked hard to earn this promotion, and we're proud to have him on staff. And I am very happy to be rewarding one of our good people for the good work he does. - Devlyn Brooks is the managing editor of the Northfield News. He can be reached at dbrooks@northfieldnews.com.
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