On second thought, let's look ahead.

I will remain as editor of the Business Journal.

To all my contacts, sources and friends of our newspaper, I just want to clearly tell you that right at the beginning of this column.

A few issues ago, this newspaper announced that I had resigned. I was moving on to explore other opportunities out there. I was staying until a replacement was named. Then I'd be off.

Well, everybody is allowed one really bad career decision in their life, I hope. That one was mine.

Here's the scoop. After quitting, I began realizing that I had probably one of the best jobs a journalist could have. I was running the editorial portion of a growing media outlet in a time when many other outlets are reducing. We'd been doing some good things and our publication had grown to become a trusted source of information in our community.

I also have a great, energetic staff. I work for a great publisher and a great owner who really care about our product. We're in a geographic area that has a lot of news to report on. It's all very interesting.

Seriously, the opportunities I was looking for are here. Forgive me for my dumb decision and any confusion it may have caused.

Enough about me, I feel really uncomfortable writing about myself, but I wanted to make sure I communicated directly with readers about my status here since the editor has a profound effect on a publication. The Business Journal starts off the new year with an old editor. But that's a good thing for me and I believe for our publication.

We've got lots of plans and I'd really like to focus on those now.

In 2008, we hope to give you a crisper, easier to read and newsier Business Journal. We'll continue to provide analysis of local business news but it's our intent to make sure we get all our geographic areas covered on a regular basis. This means all our Valleys and the communities within. You'll see spotlights on certain cities and areas, with news on the businesses and the business development going on there and the people who are making it happen.

We'll identify the best companies to work for and ramp up our coverage of the people involved in local business. Who are they and what do they do that works--or doesn't?

We'll have a better Internet presence and you'll see us out and about in the community more than ever. I know that getting out of the office and having face-to-face contact is important in helping us establish rapport with readers and sources. This gets us the stories that we write.

Those are just a few things that we will be doing and I hope that you continue to provide me and the rest of the staff with feedback about our newspaper's content. Please provide us with story ideas and introduce us to people we should know.

The new year contains some unknowns as far as the economy goes. We all know that. But whatever happens, the Business Journal will be there covering the news objectively as usual.

Thanks for all your calls and e-mails to me in recent weeks. The best part of my job is meeting people.

I wish for you a happy, healthy and successful new year.

Business Journal Editor Jason Schaff can be reached at [phone] or at [e-mail].