The first edition of New England Builder arrived in my mailbox in 1982. It was eight pages of straight talk from contractors about what worked and what didn’t on the jobsite. By the time its name changed to THE JOURNAL OF LIGHT CONSTRUCTION, it had become what it still is today — the most reliable source of applied construction technology in the industry. An avid reader, I tried my hand at writing for JLC while still running my construction business and found that I liked the work.
So when the economy tanked in 1991 and low-ballers were winning bids at 20% under my cost, I switched careers and took a job at JLC as an assistant editor. It turned out to be a good fit.
That first issue of JLC landed in my mailbox because the Allen Lumber Co., in Montpelier, Vt., understood the value of providing its contractor clients with a complimentary subscription. I am reminded of it now because I am returning to chief editor duties at JLC and am entrusting those duties at REMODELING to Craig Webb.
Craig’s perspective on remodelers is informed by the lumber and building material dealers who are readers of PROSALES magazine, which he has been the editor of for the past six years. He understands as well as anyone exactly why the Allen Lumber Co. invested in my future so many years ago.
Though I’ll be spending more of my time in the field on the JLC jobsite, I’ll still be supporting Remodeling back at the office.
Keep in touch.
—Sal Alfano, editorial director, REMODELING.
