A New Role for a Familiar Face
Hello again, lifting and heavy-haul industry!
This is my first column as editor emeritus of Crane Hot Line.
I’m happy and grateful that the magazine’s management has offered me this wonderful opportunity.
It gives me the chance to stay involved with this great industry and the magazine, but at a retired pace.
In this role, I’ll write a monthly column and sometimes an article, too. I’ll also be available to help Catalyst Communications Network’s new Head of Content, Brian Ethridge, learn the industry and to give him some historical perspective about the magazine.
As Head of Content, Brian oversees editorial of all Catalyst publications and websites, including Crane Hot Line (which he also edits); Lift & Access; ag-industry magazines Farmers Hot Line; Acreage Life and Chicken Whisperer (edited by Jonathan Reed); and Contractors Hot Line.
For those of you who don’t yet have Brian’s contact info, his email is brian.ethridge@hlipublishing.com. Send him your news, article ideas and feedback. He’s eager to hear from you.
My new email address is mglarson1@gmail.com. My phone is the same mobile number I had when I was editing full time: 920-629-8051.
I still love talking cranes, and I now have more time to indulge that passion. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to chat for a bit.
I’m also still active on LinkedIn and follow industry posts on that platform.
I still like seeing what’s new in products, people, applications and ideas.
As editor emeritus, I may also have the chance to attend some industry events on behalf of Crane Hot Line.
My first one was the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association’s (SC&RA) Specialized Transportation Symposium in Houston in late February.
You can find my piece listing some of the event’s highlights along with photos (courtesy of the SC&RA) on cranehotline.com.
At the symposium, I learned about some exciting new crane products that will be introduced in North America during 2024.
Since their manufacturers haven’t announced them yet, I can’t talk about them, but be aware that some are coming.
And if the industry continues the way it has for the past several years, there will be many more new cranes than the few I’ve heard about.
The industry continues to be exciting.
Although this column doesn’t sound like I’ve really retired — I have.
Mornings are much more casual since I don’t feel the need to be at my desk and keyboard at a set time, and not having to write articles and pull the magazine together every month has freed a lot of time.
My very patient wife, Wendy, and I now have time to enjoy breakfast together, and we have a lot more free time to do other things together, too.
That includes taking some trips that we’ve talked about for years, but have never taken time for.
This editor emeritus opportunity seems as though it offers me the ideal chance to be retired while staying in touch with this fascinating industry and the wonderful people who live in it.
