A Year In The Life

It's official - I have been with CGT for one year now. July 2006 was the first issue in which I was involved, and so now that I have been through all the best practices, written numerous cover stories, special reports and case studies, I completely understand all the technology that CG companies of the world use. Yeah, sure -- to borrow a colloquialism from the 90s -- "not!" I have learned a lot and have a lot to learn. Luckily, the people I meet in the industry are always willing to lend their expertise -- be it from the consumer goods side of the business or the provider side. The business is certainly filled with smart, passionate people. I especially appreciate all those who have shared their stories on our pages.

On to the issue -- outsourcing is the focus of Best Practices and Special Report this month. From infrastructure and business process to materials and ingredients, the numbers keep growing. Case studies this month illustrate BtoB e-commerce, business process outsourcing and even a behind the scenes look at how one of the largest outsourcing deals ever came to be.

For you sports fans, our cover story starts out with Easton-Bell Sports -- the No. 1 market leader in cycling, football and snow sport helmets, hockey sticks, baseball bats equipment reconditioning, shoulder pads and bike accessories.We talk to CIO Sharon Nelson about the company's recent SAP implementation and how it will help Easton reach that $1 billion mark. Along with Easton-Bell, we feature 25 other SMBs growing through innovation in people, product and process.

It was great to see so many of you at the recent Sales & Marketing Conference in New York. If you were there, I think you'll agree that Gen. Patton has nothing on Phil McGee! I gained excellent insight from our CG executives sharing their stories and look forward to our next event -- the Growth & Innovation Forum in September.

Thanks for helping make the first 12 months so interesting and informative, and please let me know how we can continue to do the same for you: [email protected]