Most of my career highlights have occurred in the publishing arena. I started out at Bowker in its magazine division. But, as in many small companies, we wore many hats: Proof reader, copy editor, an occasional writer, photo editor,and feature designer. I learned almost all aspects of publishing at Bowker, but it was in production that I found the rush. I loved pulling together the various sections of the magazines—it was like a puzzle—meeting deadlines, and working with people from other departments—artists, editors, writers, and advertisers.Through the years I've held positions such as publishing assistant, typesetter, production coordinator, production supervisor, production manager, and now at Black Enterprise magazine, Production Director. This by far has been the most rewarding. I think, aside from the excitement or rush of solving daily problems, I love being in charge! For a short time—maybe two or three years—while employed at Cahners Publishing Co. (now Reed Business Information), I worked in the IT department—rolling out software hardware, assisting users, and trouble shooting computer problems. Eventually this became a painful position for me. I missed the interaction I enjoyed among all staff personnel and the drama that's generated in a production environment. When I left Cahners, I never looked back and I've not taken on any positions that involved IT or MIS work. However, those few years in that tech position have helped me understand how technology affects the way publishing is conducted today.Specialties: I still love the creative side of publishing. From time-to-time I am available to design small publications, magazines, newsletters, or brochures. I love working in Quark, InDesign, and Photoshop. I also work in Microsoft programs Word and Excel.