Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/755715
DECEMBER 2016 9 THE JOURNAL From The Publisher Jim Visser President & Publisher Thank You! For the past few months now I've been struggling with a major decision, which would affect many thousands of people. Those affected would be our readers, advertisers, and all of the hundreds of friends I've made over the last 36 years of publishing THE JOURNAL. After much soul searching and speaking with my wife and partner, Shirley, we have decided to stop printing THE JOURNAL, effective with this December issue.However, our of- fice will remain open until February 28, 2017. I have spent many sleepless nights in the last two months trying to make this decision, because our readers and our advertisers are like family to me. But, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and go with your heart. The Manufactured Housing Industry has been great to me and my family. We have been very blessed to have been a part of it for the last 36 years and it will be a difficult change for us not to be. There are so many people to thank for our success. I wouldn't know where to start, or if I would have the space to do it in, but there are some very special people I would like to thank.Thank you to Dennis Hill, Danny Ghor- bani, Tom Kern, Richard Kaufman, Ben Long, Don Stanfill, Cary Monroe, Al Hendricks, Gerald and Anthony DiMarco, Ed Vinzant, Scott Miller, Chet Murphree, Dan Rinzema, all of our writers... the list goes on and on. We thank all those who have been part of THE JOURNAL family and we will always be grateful for your support!! I would like to thank our printing company for all their hard work to continually make THE JOURNAL a high quality publication. With a special Thank You to Sue Bird, Mike Laemmrich and our late friend Lois Harmsen. I could not have been in business without my office manager and my friend, Shelia Stiner. She has been here over 30 years and has given so much. It's really hard to think that I won't get to see her at her computer again. Not only is Shelia a long time employee, she has been like a second daughter to me and Shirley. We love her and her family and wish only the best to them in the future. And to my wife, Shirley, who has always stood by me and has been there every step of the way -- including loaning me the money to start the magazine. I love you very, very much! I would like to close this article with a verse from one of my favorite songs from a movie called Duets - "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me. I must be traveling on now, cause there's too many places I got to see. For if I stay here with you now, things just couldn't be the same because I am free as a bird now and this bird you cannot change. And this bird you cannot change." Thank you from the bottom of my heart!! I will miss you all!