From the Editor

“I get the opportunity to bring the latest design, marketing, and production trends affecting the panel-based furniture industry to our readers. To say I'm excited is an understatement.”

Introducing the New Editor of Surface & Panel

As Patrick mentioned in his column on page 8, several companies experienced “The Great Resignation” in some form during these past two years as employees left to find their ideal workplace. Well, I was a member of that group who opted to leave a position I was in for close to five years in search of other opportunities after a tumultuous year of cabin fever and co-teaching kids in virtual school in these unprecedented times. The pandemic pushed us out of our comfort zones and put things into perspective. For me, that meant expanding my editing and management capabilities to other areas of the publishing world to try something new, exciting, flexible, and meaningful. Thankfully I found that opportunity after scrolling through LinkedIn a few months ago. So began my introduction to materials, technology, and design of decorative surfaces and panel products. Now I’m so excited to be leading Surface & Panel as its new editor.

Before I share my plans and goals for the magazine, let me share a little about myself. My path to Surface & Panel involved stops at several news publications, where I covered everything from education to boating to breaking news and everything else in between. In addition, writing for USC, entertainment sites, and a healthcare publication has allowed me to refine my feature, technical, and medical writing skill sets, all while keeping my readers in mind. And now, I get the opportunity to bring the latest design, marketing, and production trends affecting the panel-based furniture industry to our readers. To say I’m excited is an understatement.

I intend to make the most of my time at Surface & Panel. Over the next few issues, we will launch a news section, giving you the latest information you need to know to keep your finger on the pulse on everything happening in the industry. In this section, you will quickly get up to speed on the latest product offerings, education and training opportunities, upcoming events, and other notable announcements. Our Surface & Panel Instagram and Facebook social pages will become more active as I plan to make a conscious effort to provide more content and up-to-the-moment news on our sites. So, make sure to like and follow us on social!

I believe editors should be transparent in their desire to reach their audience and that it is incredibly important to truly listen to readers, which is why I want to hear from you. Is there a topic you feel is missing in the magazine? A person whose work really needs to be highlighted? Is there a particular area that is not getting the coverage it deserves? Tell me because your feedback is essential.

So, as I settle into my position, I hope to learn more about our readers and learn from you. I want to hear from you, even if it’s just to say hi or a quick introduction. Because at the end of the day, what matters to me is providing quality, informative and balanced content to all of our readers. I can’t wait to get to know you better.

Ambrosia Brody, Managing Editor