By the time you read this, I will be moments away from ending my five-year run as a senior reporter and managing editor at the Business Record. 

On Monday, I start a new job at States Newsroom’s new nonprofit Iowa operation, based in Des Moines. Along with fellow Des Moines Register alums Kathie Obradovich, Clark Kauffman and Linh Ta, I’ll be covering the Legislature and state agencies in an effort to regain some of the coverage lost over the years as news operations trimmed their reporting ranks. We will be the 14th news operation launched by the North Carolina-based organization supported by donors. 

We don’t sell ads or accept corporate donations. We are nonpartisan. We are looking to cover issues that affect people’s lives while holding government accountable. 

Our work will appear online. Significantly, our stories will be available to any news outlet that wants to run them, free of charge. So you might see my work again in the Business Record, the Register, or both, we hope. And potentially in papers across the state.

You’ll be able to financially support the local operation when our website launches soon, and we’ll reveal the local news operation’s name then, too. 

My time at the Business Record has been professionally rewarding, and a lot of fun. I have greatly enjoyed meeting so many of you through our events and one-on-one interviews. I am quite sure those contacts will come into play as I cover business-related issues at the Legislature (along with many other topics). Thank you for your professionalism, your good humor, your support and your willingness to put up with my “I need this yesterday” requests.  

As I entered the newsroom for my final day, Associate Editor Emily Barske greeted me with this YouTube video. If you decide to check it out, stop by this newsroom favorite for a humorous look at the strange language of the business world.

For those of you who actually endured my attempts at humor in the dailies, let me note that “impact” has not appeared as a verb here. But I really mean it when I say thank you for everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!