A bout a year ago, a long-time advertiser and true friend of Engine Builder, Chuck Barnett of Dura-Bond Bearings, sent a note to the Engine Builder team with the headline asking, “Which way do we go?”

In the body of the note, he challenged Engine Builder to look ahead to what was next, to help find a new path for the industry to follow and to provide hope to engine builders that the future can be as bright as its past. A copy of that note is taped to a wall by the phone in my office and provides a constant reminder of the great responsibility a brand like Engine Builder has to an industry such as ours. 

Later this month, I will step away from the Engine Builder team to focus on a new opportunity within Babcox Media to launch a division focused on helping our customers (you the reader and our many advertisers) find different and sometimes unique ways to connect outside of the traditional channels such as a print magazine or a digital newsletter. With our company connecting to 330,000+ automotive aftermarket professionals in print and millions more online, the need for content that is intended to stand out based on elements such as authenticity, thought leadership and experience in solving problems has never been greater. This new group will be tasked with helping our customers meet, maintain and maximize their content needs, such as providing more custom print and digital solutions. 

While the future may sometime seem cloudy, I believe the future is also ripe for opportunity. And, just as we have been for the past 54 years, Engine Builder will be right there with you. Helping our readers and advertisers navigate the waters of uncertainty is just one responsibility – as is highlighting the victories, showcasing the innovations and providing a map to keep your business relevant in today’s economy. 

Doug Kaufman, Greg Jones, RJ Pooch, Christine Perry and our team of contributors continue to be the backbone (and many times the conscience) of the industry. They will be joined by a new group publisher, Scott Shriber, a true “car guy” who cut his teeth in the market at his family’s engine shop and later as an executive with the Ford Motor Co., and currently serves as the publisher of Babcox Media titles BodyShop Business and Counterman.

I am excited to see where Scott, Doug and the entire team take this magazine and I look forward to working with them on new initiatives to reach engine builders.

See you at SEMA or at the Engine Builder Party prior to the PRI Show. ν