"In Retrospect"

Sorry for the delayed newsletters, folks, but we've just spent an outstanding three days in Fresno at the 46th annual Newsletter Writer Awards gala (NWAs for those in the "industry").

Besides relaxing poolside at the Fresno Four Seasons, gabbing with colleagues and sipping delightful Fresno-tinis, we had a grand time at the event itself, sweeping categories and coming home with a minivan load of awards!

We hope you'll take a moment to hear about our accomplishments and accolades for work done during 2006, as our team worked long and hard this year (a full 23% harder, number-cruncher Bob has figured) to pull out all the stops for a terrific newsletter!

Great work, team!

Here is the list of prestigious awards won by our department:

BEST STORY INVOLVING STANDARD GAUGE STAPLERS
Julie Sprucemiller; "Rent or Own? New Office Supply Procedures May Just Change your Mind" 

BEST INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING IN A NEWSLETTER
Eunice Lopang; "Who Put the Empty Half & Half Back in the Fridge?"

Anonymous; "How Toner Got Spilled on the Oriental Rug in the Big Conference Room"

BEST USE OF DESCRIBING A PHOTOGRAPH IN A TEXT-ONLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER
Coburn Lapidis; Photograph of Bee Pollinating Mariposa Lily in Yosemite National Forest with Couple Arguing in Background (J. Lamb, 2003) 

MOST HONEST ARTICLE ABOUT AN OFFICE EVENT
Jill Fleming; "Going Away Party for Coworker a Magnificent Failure"

Wade Erbert; "You call THAT a Brown Bag Meeting?"

MOST ADJECTIVES USED IN AN ARTICLE (UNDER 200 WORDS)
Dan Freebright; "The Painful and Touching Story of the Unhappiest and Surely Most Lugubrious Vice President Our Prestigious Company has Seen in its Illustrious History" 

BEST RECIPE IN A NEWSLETTER (USING SPONSOR'S PRODUCT)
Alice Waters; "Light 'n Fluffy Kraft-Cheesy Bisquick Biscuits Smothered in Sumptuous El Monte Salsa"

BEST IMPLEMENTATION OF MAILROOM TECHNOLOGY
Briant Kerkes, Intern, for creative alphabetization

BEST BREAKING STORY IN A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Story by Bill Alexander (exclamations points by Dan Freebright); "EVERYONE GET OUT, THERE'S A FIRE IN THE BUILDING!!!"

BEST SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT
"Office Supply Shopping Guide 2005"

BEST TOEING OF THE CORPORATE LINE
Benjamin Malady; "Making Lunch at Your Desk Fun Again!"

BEST USE OF THE PHRASE "HUZZAH!" IN A COLUMN
M. Byron Cortez; "Filled out in Triplicate, M' Lady..." 

OUTSTANDING USE OF GREEK MYTHOS IN A NEWSLETTER
Dwight Herbert; "Opening Pandora's In-Box" 

EXCELLENT USE OF A DATED EXPRESSION IN A NEWSLETTER
Paula Schmidt; "The New Copy Center: Whoomp! There It Is!" 

RESTAURANT REVIEW
S. Irene Luckman; "In the Cafeteria this Week"

FASHION COLUMN
Dan Freebright; "The Fashionistas Got Nothin' on Them: The Glamour Girls of Finance"

BEST PIE CHART IN A COMPANY NEWSLETTER
IT Department; "Unread E-mails In Relation to Length of Tenure at Company"

Honorable Mention: Jacob Krakaer; "Paranormal Activity by Major Market"

BEST HISTORICAL FICTION
Brett Murphy; "Chairman Mao's PowerPoint Presentation"

EDITORIAL AWARD
Phillip Renaud; "Josh Levine, Send that Paperwork back up to Finance!" 

Congratulations again to the whole Newsletter Team. Keep up the great work!