I hate to be the one to break the news if you haven’t already heard it through the grapevine: After many years of dedicated, expert work on the Green Industry Pros brand, Gregg Wartgow is moving on. Of course, we wish the longtime former editor the best in his future endeavors. And while we’re really sad to see him go, I am also excited to introduce myself and begin a mutually beneficial working relationship with all of you.
So you’re probably thinking: Whom is this new editor? And then asking: How is she qualified for the job?
Well, let me tell you. I worked as an editor in the business-to-business field for about 11 years across a range of publications, including (in chronological order): Professional Tool & Equipment News, Professional Distributor, Product Design & Development, Chem.Info, Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics. And before you think I’m a wishy-washy job hopper, I should tell you I worked on many of these titles simultaneously.
Because I hold a creative writing degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, I had to personally entrench myself in all of these industries not only fast, but also entirely in order to keep my writing relevant and interesting to each industry, not to mention up to professional grade. If you are not an expert at first, you must become one quickly in this business. After all, what’s the point of writing to a group of landscape and dealer (or automotive or supply chain and so on and so forth) experts if I’m not offering anything new to the conversation?
Ingraining myself into all of the previously mentioned brands and industries, I feel, was a good precursor to prepare me for this new journey on Green Industry Pros. Here is why according to each industry:
- Automotive repair, and tool and equipment distribution. Not only are tools and equipment essential to the job of automotive technicians, but also to the green industry. While there are many differences when it comes to the types of tools and equipment automotive technicians use compared to lawn service professionals, many of the features and benefits are similar, such as ergonomics, battery life, dimensions, ease of maintenance and more. The same goes for distributors in both markets—you must carry the types of tools and equipment your customers need, regardless of the industry.
- Product engineering. I learned a lot after much research about why product design engineers craft a product a certain way to why they used certain materials and other components to what kind of specifications needed to be met to fit a certain application. All of this knowledge of product design and ergonomics play a large role in the success of a product for real-world applications—especially those in the green industry. Think about it: A product engineer may want to use a lower center of gravity on a riding lawn mower to maximize stability and thereby safety in case a user must drive on a dangerously slanted hill, for example.
- Chemical processing. This may seem like a far cry from the green industry, but the chemical processing industry is a surprising one. I wrote extensively about oil and gasoline, renewable energy, organics, pesticides, etc.
- Supply chain and logistics. How to get from Point A to B, while saving fuel and maximizing efficiency is a trick that can benefit almost any industry. It is also this industry that taught me about how to manage risk, payment processing and materials purchases when running a business, and I hope to share some of that expertise with you soon.
Regardless of my employment history and experience in the business-to-business industry, I still plan to lean on you—the Green Industry Pros audience—as a resource. Conversely, I encourage you to reach out to me. Whether you want to chat about the industry at large, a product trend, a marketing idea or a solution to the talent shortage plaguing the industry, I’m here for you. Just drop me a line at [email protected]. I’ll be waiting. Thanks!
