Reputation is everything in our community.

In our first meeting, Publisher Jay Covington touted The Forum’s reputation.

“You will always get a positive response when you call anywhere and say you are with The Forum,” Covington said.

That was my first impression of what The Forum meant to the community. I am proud to be a part of something so polished and well-known to the area.

With that said, reputation is also about the amount of work put into a product. I am proud to close out my first year with our devoted staff, readers and the Shreveport- Bossier City community with 14 Louisiana Press Association awards – also taking the editorial sweepstakes award for best overall publication in the “Special Interest and Free Publication” category.

The Forum won first place awards for the following: Best News Story, reporters Eric Lincoln, Tiana Kennell, Editor Lydia Earhart; Best Front Page, Forum staff; Best Continuing Coverage of a Single News Event, photographer Lora Fairchild, Kennell and former production manager Dallas Goins; Best News Photo, social photographer Mark Crawford; and Best Retailer Ad, former production manager Dallas Goins and art director Brittany White.

Other recognitions included: Best News Story, social photographer Mary Ann Van Osdell; Best Retailer Ad, Danny Schlag; Best Lifestyle Coverage; Best News Coverage; Most Effective Use of a Graphic Design on a Single Page, White; Best News Photo Fairchild; Best Feature Photo, Fairchild; and Staff Generated Color, Goins.

With these 14 big wins, our staff is ever changing and growing to help build on our recent success.

White has been promoted to art director for The Forum and CityLife. White will celebrate four years with Venture Publishing in October. We also welcome Matt Muhitch into his new position as a graphic designer. Muhitch brings years of experience in graphic design to his new role. Kathy Wonderly was also hired this summer as an account executive. Wonderly offers more than 30 years of experience in sales.

Each issue of our magazine takes plenty of work that most of our readers don’t get to see. We come out twice a month but plan everything out a year in advance.

We are a small staff, but one thing differentiates us – each one of us is a dedicated and integral part to producing the best product.

It is our hope that readers share their stories or learn something from the stories that we print each issue.

Readers connect to a community voice.

A big thank you to our readers and advertisers for sharing their stories and for continued support of our publication. May the community always have a voice.