Editor’s Note – May/June 2014 Issue

The snow is gone, flowers are in bloom and baseball is back in action. This can only mean one thing: Spring is finally here. It’s been a long trek for most of us, having endured one of the worst winters in recent memory, but the seasons have indeed changed.

Perhaps it’s the drastic change from the brutally cold and bleak winter to the pleasant weather and rejuvenation of spring, but springtime, in particular, offers us the perfect opportunity to reinvent ourselves. Whether it is tackling a long overdue home remodeling project or trying to shed a few pounds for a summer vacation, this is the time of year we tend to buckle down, tackle our to-do list and embrace the changes.

The same should go for our professional careers. Because business—just like the seasons—is always changing, new technologies are constantly emerging and the needs of our employees and customers are continually evolving, embracing and facilitating change in the workplace is a must. Whether it’s on a personal level—by changing roles or even industries—or completely restructuring a firm’s department or functional group, a little professional remodeling can bring about big improvements.

To help inspire change in your own career, we have filled the 11^th issue of Forefront with several stories of business leaders who have successfully embraced and effectively implemented change. For instance, Scott Rosenberg, Chief Financial Officer at Purchasing Power, discusses the importance of working across industries and how gaining a 360-degree business operations perspective has helped him become a better leader. Robert Friedman, Vice President of Marketing for American Airlines, shares how his early career in finance helped him hone skills as a marketing leader, while working in an industry that has experienced substantial change over recent years.

We also have Janet Sherlock, Chief Information Officer for Carter’s, who shares how she is transforming the image of IT professionals by serving as an integral business leader who can contribute to the firm on a strategic level. In addition, Toby Purdy, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Freeman, discusses how he has entirely rebuilt the firm’s marketing team to innovatively involve customers, all while keeping the company’s vision forefront.

Whether you are in the midst of restructuring of your company’s infrastructure or considering transitioning into a new industry, embrace the change at hand and remember that change is for the good. After all, tulips and cherry blossoms are far better than piles of snow and below-freezing temperatures.

– The Forefront Team