Straight Talk – Thanks Advertisers and Readers

Somewhere along the way, I learned that gratitude is linked to contentment: Spend more time being grateful for what you have and you will find yourself complaining less about what you don't have..One of the things we have at NorthWestern Financial Review is a healthy family of advertisers, and I am delighted to devote a column a year to expressing my gratitude. We wouldn't have a magazine without our advertisers; it's that simple. Thank you to every company and organization that relies on NorthWestern Financial Review to communicate with community bankers across the Upper Midwest..On the pages of this year's annual Buyer's Guide, you will find information about more than 100 companies which are eager to serve you with their banking-focused products and services. Most of these companies have been consistent supporters of NorthWestern Financial Review; we are pleased to give them a platform for their message to you..As you flip through the pages, you will see the names of companies you know; perhaps you will see some names which are new to you. All of them want to help you to become successful. The expertise and technology that is available to bankers is amazing. Today, bankers have access to experts and products that help them be more effective, serve more people, and work more efficiently than they ever could on their own. They free you up to focus on your strengths, while they take care of all the other facets of banking which may be impractical or cost-prohibitive to set up permanently in-house. The vendor community is essential to the success of any banking enterprise..Of course, it takes two groups to make a magazine successful: advertisers and subscribers. This is also an appropriate time to thank you, our readers, for your support and subscriptions. As other formats for news delivery proliferate, I grow increasingly grateful to those who continue to support print media. Of course NorthWestern Financial Review responds to internet and email demand for news delivery through our web site and e-news publications but I remain particularly partial to the printed magazine. Like most of you, I grew up with print and I can't imagine ever letting go completely..I am especially grateful to folks who send us notes on occasion about something they have read in NorthWestern Financial Review. Your feedback is essential to our on-going efforts to make our magazine – both in print and electronic forms – the best news vehicle out there for our readers and our advertisers.