As a journalist who has spent most of his career working with magazines and newspapers here and abroad, it is gratifying to edit a publication that has been proudly independent throughout its existence.
I remember the day in July 2016 when our publisher Alan Neben offered me the opportunity to join Bay of Plenty Business News. It was a pleasure to turn a casual coffee meeting at Tauranga’s Alimento Café into a job offer, and as I recall it, I made my mind up then and there. I was soon joined by our business director, Pete Wales.
It is a great pleasure for us now to be in our sixth year of monthly publication as a newspaper and also to be bringing you the third of our annual Yearbook publications.
For we quickly realised that – in addition to the region’s strong record of business and its powerful recovery from the Psa blight that initially affected the kiwifruit industry – Tauranga is one of the country’s most progressive and effective business centres.
The only element missing, we felt, was the need to institutionalise this powerful business drive and to celebrate what we do well as a city. We talk to each other, we brainstorm together and this is a largely supportive environment for business.
We have always been proud to be the Voice of Business in the Bay.
As we all know, the past months since Covid-19 first struck have not been easy. But, despite some problems with distribution in the early months of Covid-19, we are delighted that Bay of Plenty Business News has continued to publish on schedule throughout the downturn.
Like many other companies we have been able to tweak and enhance our digital offering to our online readers. And we are delighted that the economy is again showing signs of an upturn.
We very much appreciate the strong support we have received from our regular advertisers both in our newspaper and in our annual Yearbook, which will remain on newspaper stands and in corporate offices for the rest of the year.
We believe this year’s annual Yearbook offers representative examples of the varied competencies on display in the region.
This year we are proud to include 50-plus examples of the best that Tauranga and the surrounding regions can offer and to demonstrate the strength and innovativeness of business throughout the region.
Happy reading and many thanks to our supporters in the business and wider community.
